Empowering the next generation of conservation heroes.
WCN Scholarship Program
The WCN Scholarship program was founded in 2006 to discover and nurture emerging young conservationists so they can one day take up the fight for wildlife.
WCN scholars are the future of conservation. These students from Africa, Asia, Eastern Europe, and Latin America are committed to working on wildlife conservation in their home countries. They are forward thinkers and out-of-the-box problem solvers, able to navigate the labyrinth of challenges they face protecting endangered wildlife with courage, optimism, stamina, and a nimbleness to adapt to constantly fluctuating political and cultural landscapes—always keeping an eye on the bigger picture.
Impact by the numbers
102
graduate level scholarships provided to incredible young women and men across 36 countries since the program's inception
14
scholars awarded scholarships in 2018 to pursue their education
Meet Our 2018 Scholars
Tiasa Adhya
Fishing catTiasa Adhya
Recipient of the WCN Scholarship for her work with fishing cats.
Location: India
University: St. Xavier’s College, University of Bombay
Saloni Bhatia
Snow leopardSaloni Bhatia
Recipient of the WCN-WCS Scholarship for her work with snow leopards.
Location: India
University: Nature Conservation Foundation and Manipal University
Tashi Dhendup
Clouded leopard, tiger, marbled cat, Asiatic golden cat, and Pallas' catTashi Dhendup
Recipient of the Pat J. Miller Scholarship for his work with the clouded leopard, tiger, marbled cat, Asiatic golden cat, and Pallas’ cat.
Location: Bhutan
University: University of Montana
Francy Forero
Cotton-top tamarinFrancy Forero
Recipient of the Handsel Scholarship for her work with cotton-top tamarins.
Location: Colombia
University: Institute of Ecological Research (IPE)
Marina Rivero Hernandez
Baird´s tapirMarina Rivero Hernandez
Recipient of the WCN Scholarship for her work with the Baird´s tapir.
Location: Mexico
University: El Colegio de la Frontera Sur
Agostinho Aquelino Jorge
African lions and other large carnivoresAgostinho Aquelino Jorge
Recipient of the WCN Scholarship for his work with African lions and other large carnivores.
Location: Mozambique
University: University of Kwazulu-Natal
Monsoon Pokharel Khatiwada
DholeMonsoon Pokharel Khatiwada
Recipient of the Sidney Byers Scholarship for her work with the dhole.
Location: Nepal
University: University of Oviedo
Lucero Maria del Carmen Vaca Leon
Jaguar, Baird’s tapir, white lipped peccary, and ocelotLucero Maria del Carmen Vaca Leon
Recipient of the WCN Scholarship for her work with the jaguar, Baird’s tapir, white lipped peccary, and ocelot.
Location: Mexico
University: University of Oxford
Giridhar Malla
Fishing catGiridhar Malla
Recipient of the Pat J. Miller Scholarship for his work with fishing cats.
Location: India
University: Wildlife Institute of India
Arthur Bienvenu Muneza
GiraffeArthur Bienvenu Muneza
Recipient of the Sidney Byers Scholarship for his work with giraffes.
Location: Rwanda
University: Michigan State University
Henry Mwape
Leopard, lion, African wild dog, and spotted hyenaHenry Mwape
Recipient of the WCN Scholarship for his work with leopards, lions, African wild dogs, and spotted hyena.
Location: Zambia
University: University of Arizona
An Nguyen
Large-antlered muntjac, Owston’s civet, Annamite striped rabbit, and felidsAn Nguyen
Recipient of the Sidney Byers Scholarship for his work with large-antlered muntjac, Owston’s civets, Annamite striped rabbits, and felids.
Location: Vietnam
University: Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research (Leibniz-IZW), and Freie Universität Berlin, Germany
Phale Max Seele
CheetahPhale Max Seele
Recipient of the Handsel Scholarship for his work with cheetahs.
Location: Botswana
University: University of Botswana
Gao Yufang
Snow leopardGao Yufang
Recipient of the Sidney Byers Scholarship for his work with snow leopards.
Location: China
University: Yale University
Meet Scholars From Previous Years
These former scholarship recipients are now protecting wildlife throughout the world.
Past Scholars
Meet 2018 WCN Scholar Giridhar Malla
Moonlight shimmers on the Godavari River, a sacred river of central and southeastern India, where a fishing cat crouches, motionless,... Learn More
Meet 2018 WCN Scholar Lucero Maria Del Carmen Vaca Leon
Deep in the jungle, the cry of howler monkeys echoes through the ruins of a Mayan pyramid. Dazzling, multi-hued butterflies... Learn More
Meet 2018 WCN Scholar Monsoon Khatiwada
High up in the misty mountains of Nepal, where Monsoon Khatiwada works as a wildlife conservationist, there lives a foxlike... Learn More
Meet 2018 WCN Scholar Phale Max Seele
Lithe and strikingly beautiful, with intense amber eyes and a graceful gait, the cheetah is world-renowned for being the fastest... Learn More
Supporting a New Generation of Wildlife Champions
An Nguyen has never seen a tiger, a leopard, or a rhino. Though much of the forests in his home... Learn More
Meet 2018 WCN Scholar Francy Forero
A short drive from the bustling city of Barranquilla, in northern Colombia, lies the Ceibal National forest. Learn More
Meet 2018 WCN Scholar Henry Mwape
Steam rises from the ground outside the Mfuwe Day Secondary School. The air is thick with humidity and heat from... Learn More
Meet 2018 WCN Scholar Marina Rivero
The lake, a murky green mirror crowned by thick foliage, large boulders, and sky high trees that blotted out the... Learn More
Meet 2018 WCN Scholar: Arthur Bienvenu Muneza
Although, originally from Rwanda (also known as Land of a Thousand Hills for its endless and stunning mountains), Arthur spent his... Learn More
Meet 2018 WCN Scholar: An Nguyen
The sun is at its zenith. Clouds of mosquitoes hover around An Nguyen’s head, but none of that distracts him... Learn More
Meet 2018 WCN Scholar: Agostinho Aquelino Jorge
Respect for nature runs deep in Agostinho’s family. As a boy growing up in Tete Province in central Mozambique, Agostinho... Learn More
Investing in the Future: The WCN Scholarship Program
The WCN Scholarship Program was founded ten years ago to mitigate the growing threats against our most imperiled species worldwide. We... Learn More
Empowering Future Conservation Heroes
Protecting endangered wildlife requires a special kind of hero; one who can navigate the labyrinth of challenges wildlife face with... Learn More
2015 WCN Scholarship Winners
The WCN Scholarship Program invests in the next generation of conservation leaders by providing grants for graduate education to students... Learn More
2017 WCN Scholar: Anya Ratnayaka
Anya's journey to protecting and conserving fishing cats was anything but linear. She worked with a wide range of species before she began... Learn More
2017 WCN Scholar: Aristide Kamla
Many people are familiar with the plight of the Florida manatee, but Aristide Kamla has dedicated his life to the study... Learn More
2017 WCN Scholar: Joseph Letoole
Interactions with wildlife were a daily part of Joseph's life growing up in the Westgate Community Conservancy in Kenya—one of the first communities to organize... Learn More
2017 WCN Scholar: Krystelle Lavaki Danford
Krystelle Lavaki Danford’s interest in wildlife conservation began at a young age. When she was just five years old, her father gifted... Learn More
2017 WCN Scholar: Martial Kiki
Martial Kiki was always fond of wildlife and nature, but a field trip to a nature park in Martial's home country of... Learn More
Meet WCN Scholar Alejandra
Alejandra Rocio Torrez Traqui’s interest in Andean wildlife started during her years as an undergraduate, studying the endangered Polylepsis tree... Learn More
2017 WCN Scholar: Rabin Kadariya
Rabin Kadariya started his career as a conservation officer in 2009 at the National Trust for Nature Conservation in Bardia... Learn More
2017 WCN Scholar: Suraj Upadhaya
Having grown up in rural Nepal, surrounded by mountains and forests, Suraj felt a special bond with nature at a very young age. This led... Learn More
2017 WCN Scholar: Thaís Queiroz Morcatty
Learn More
Meet WCN Scholar Deo
It was Deo Kukirawinja’s grandfather who taught him to appreciate wildlife as a child. Deo grew up in a village... Learn More
Meet WCN Scholar Anita
Anita Bousa has already broken new ground by being one of the few women in Laos to work in the... Learn More
Meet WCN Scholar Ana Francis Aurich
Growing up in rural Peru left Ana with very few academic opportunities. That soon changed when the Spectacled Bear Conservation Society (SBC)... Learn More
Meet WCN Scholar Nadia Mijiddorj
Having grown up in the rugged landscape of Mongolia, in a village located near the Great Gobi National Park, and coming from a... Learn More
Meet WCN Scholar Jaffar
Jaffar Ud Din grew up in a pastoral village in the mountain of Pakistan, surrounded by stories of fearsome snow... Learn More
Meet WCN Scholar Justin Chambulila
Like most native Tanzanians, Justin grew up having a special reverence for the scores of animals that lived in the savannahs and... Learn More
Meet WCN Scholar Lara
Lara Heidel’s childhood home was in a small mountain town in Patagonia, where people and wildlife were in frequent contact.... Learn More
Meet WCN Scholar Pooja Choksi
Pooja’s love for the outdoors began with her mother. Her childhood holidays involved the two of them going on camping trips to... Learn More
Meet WCN Scholar Rafael Morais Chiaravalloti
Growing up in the city of San Jose do Rio Preto, Brazil, provided Rafael with few opportunities to interact directly... Learn More
Meet WCN Scholar Sabita Malla
Sabita grew up in a remote, rural region of western Nepal, in the Baglung district. Even as a child, she... Learn More
Meet WCN Scholar Tutilo Mudumba
When Tutilo left his home village in rural Uganda to attend school in the capital of Kampala, he joined a... Learn More
Meet WCN Scholar Sonam Tashi Lama
As a child, Sonam had to walk miles to simply reach his local school. Hailing from a remote village in Eastern Nepal... Learn More
Photography credits: Nyanpo Yuzee Conservation Association, Will Burrard-Lucas, Stephanie Cope, Partha Dey, Ken and Michelle Dyball, Milton Mayo, Frank af Petersens, The Ugyen Wangchuck Institute for Conservation and Environmental Research, Miguel Angel Sicilia, Tom Stahl, Jack Swenson, and Andrew Tilker.