David Soules Conservation Memorial Scholarship

APPLICATIONS CURRENTLY CLOSED

David Soules

1957 - 2021

Born in Las Cruces, New Mexico, David Soules was a passionate conservationist who dedicated his life to contributing to his community. David Soule’s life-long love for the outdoors led him to campaign for federal protection of the Organ Mountains. He was one of the key leaders behind Proclamation 9131-Establishment of the Organ Mountains-Desert Peaks National Monument, signed by President Obama in 2014. After this enormous feat, he went on to co-write Exploring Organ Mountains-Desert Peaks National Monument as a a way to continue sharing his wealth of knowledge on the Chihuahuan desert landscape. In 2019, Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham appointed Soules to serve on the New Mexico Game Commission. According to The New Mexico Department of Game & Fish, Soules "was known for his passion for the state’s habitat," and worked to balance the interests of hunters and anglers, Mexican Grey Wolf advocates, and threatened/endangered species during his appointment. Soules’ had a multifaceted and comprehensive understanding of New Mexico’s landscape that made him an outstanding conservationist during his time. With the help of his family, Nuestra Tierra now has the honor to encourage a new generation of conservationists to follow in his footsteps.



Past Awardees

2023

  • Justin is pursuing bachelor’s degree in conservation ecology, minoring in wildlife science. His desire to “conserve, sustain, and protect the natural world stemmed from a childhood in which [he] was fortunate enough to spend time outside and near animals. [He] grew up in a small farming community in northern New Mexico called Velarde” and is in the final year researching bird immunity at NMSU.

portrait of cynthia

2022

  • Cynthia is a Mexican-American, first-generation college student originally from Arizona pursuing a degree in wildlife conservation ecology on top of raising a family.

    "My dream is to research apex predators and their relationship with the ecosystem. I hope to share this research with the community and help others to understand the role they play nature...There is so much beauty to be explored and preserved so I am eager...to conserve the land, its culture, and its biodiversity for future generations," Cynthia shared with us in her application.

Eligibility

  • Current NMSU undergraduate or graduate students

  • Non-traditional or underserved student (low-income, first generation, BIPOC).

  • Pursuing a conservation related field

Application Info

  • 800-1,000 word submission

  • The deadline to apply is December 23, 2023 at 11:59 PM Mountain Time.

  • Pursuing a conservation related field

  • Shundiin belongs to the Navajo Nation, and is currently enrolled in the Fish, wildlife, and conservation ecology department for aquatics management at NMSU. She aims to create a sustainable hydroponics and aquaponics farm to help feed her community.

  • Eduardo Magallanes was born and raised in Las Cruces, New Mexico. He is a Conservation Ecology student at New Mexico State University. Eduardo plans to utilize his degree in C.E. to conduct environmental research focused on the effects of climate change and the development of solutions to combat these effects. He was awarded the David Soules scholarship and introduced to Nuestra Tierra in 2022, and now happily works within the organization. While being a student at NMSU he has worked on several research programs, including avian mortality field work with the Department of Defense. Eduardo is also in the Air Force ROTC program and plans to commission as a second lieutenant in the spring of 2024. He is currently a student pilot and is working toward earning a pilot slot within the USAF.

The Scholarship

In honor of David Soules' legacy in conservation, Nuestra Tierra invites current New Mexico State University students who are pursuing a conservation related field of study to apply.

This includes (but is not limited to) the following degrees: Biology, Botany, Geography and Environmental Studies, Fish and Wildlife Conservation Ecology, Landscape/Conservation Ecology, Agriculture, and Environmental Education, etc. We strongly encourage and will prioritize applications from students who identify as low-income, first-generation, and/or BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, People of Color). 

Two students will each receive $1,000 in unrestricted funding intended to go towards the completion of their studies. Awardees will be contacted by the beginning of the spring semester 2024.  

Please direction questions to emily@nuestra-tierra.org.