Orville Erickson Memorial Scholarship

The Orville Erickson Memorial Scholarship Fund was established in 1975 in memory of an outstanding conservationist and outdoor enthusiast, the late Orville Erickson, of Prince Albert, Saskatchewan. Scholarships may range in value from $1,000 to $7,000 depending on the scholarship fund and availability in the year.

Orville Erickson’s love of the outdoors and interest in conservation carried him to the office of President of the Canadian Wildlife Federation, a post he served so well that he was acclaimed Canadian Outdoorsperson of the Year  1975. Erickson held a variety of conservation and municipal positions during his lifetime and in 1968, he was named ‘Citizen of the Year’ in his home city of Prince Albert, Saskatchewan.

During his short but busy life, Erickson found time to be a successful businessman while working hard for the things he believed in. Before he became President of CWF, he served as president for both the Saskatchewan Wildlife Federation in 1969 and 1970 and the Prince Albert Branch in the 60’s becoming a respected voice for outdoor sports throughout Canada. Orville was passionate about legislation for firearm registration and also about the illegal hunting and selling of wild meat. In 1974 Orville was awarded the Gordon Lund Memorial Trophy for outstanding contributions to conservation, known as one of Saskatchewan’s foremost leaders in the field of conservation. His passion was the outdoors and Orville made sure to meet with those who could affect change in Canada; meeting with Indigenous Peoples to discuss conservation issues, international field biologists, former Prime Minister Diefenbaker, and the president of the National Wildlife Federation in the United States. At his untimely death in August of 1975, he was fishing with friends in northern Saskatchewan.

In recognition of his contribution, the Orville Erickson Memorial Scholarship Fund (OEMSF) was established to carry on, with his same enthusiasm and spirit, the search for solutions to our environmental difficulties.

The OEMSF is administered by the Canadian Wildlife Foundation. The OEMSF was established entirely with monies raised in the private sector through the voluntary efforts of Orville Erickson’s friends. The people involved in generating these funds, and those concerned with their expenditure, have expressed the wish that these hard-earned resources be used to financially assist students demonstrating the same type of commitment and enthusiasm for conservation as Orville Erickson did during his lifetime. Some of the programs that the previous OEMSF winners have studied include Biological Studies, Zoology, Global Resource Systems, Ecosystem Management, Environmental Biology, Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Ecological Restoration, and Environmental Sciences.

PURPOSE

The purpose of the OEMSF is to provide financial assistance to students pursuing higher education in the field of conservation.

ELIGIBILITY

All applicants must be competent, full-time students registered in a recognized Canadian educational institute and be citizens of Canada, or landed immigrants, with the intent of working in Canada.

ASSESSMENT PROCEDURES

The OEMSF Selection Committee is responsible for the selection of candidates who will receive a scholarship in any given year.

The Canadian Wildlife Foundation receives and distributes grant applications to the Orville Erickson Memorial Scholarship Fund members. The members evaluate applications and submit their list of applications warranting support.

DISBURSEMENT OF FUNDS

The Canadian Wildlife Foundation issues scholarship cheques on behalf of the OEMSF members and upon their instructions.

All scholarships cover a regular academic year. Each scholarship may be divided into two equal units.

FORMS

Application for scholarship must be made on the Orville Erickson Memorial Scholarship Fund form online or in pdf. Any additional information must be limited to one page. Graduate students must include a plan of study or research (limited to one page/500 words).

APPLICATION DEADLINE

Applications must be received on or before May 31. The signature of the application implies acceptance of the responsibility to comply with the granting conditions described herein.

NOTIFICATION OF DECISION

Each successful applicant will receive a letter of notification of the decision in the fall.

REGULATIONS ON THE USE OF THE SCHOLARSHIP

The scholarship may be used to help cover living expenses. It may not be applied to the purchase of equipment or vehicles at any time.