Quinney College of Natural Resources Offers New Scholarship to Incoming Students

Beginning Fall 2025, incoming first-year first-bachelors students or transfer students in natural resources majors can automatically qualify to receive a $500 scholarship from the Quinney College of Natural Resources.

Any new student with a major in QCNR and financial need (as defined by FAFSA) after other scholarships have been applied to their tuition will qualify for the award.

The scholarship, called the QCNR Dean’s First Year Scholarship, can be combined with the university’s recently announced Aggie Advantage Grant, to offer virtually all incoming freshmen in the college a significant financial advantage toward managing the cost of tuition.

“A degree from QCNR is already a remarkably good bargain; among the best in value for environment and natural resources educational programs in the West,” said Dean Linda Nagel. “This new scholarship opens the door even further for prospective students interested in building skills and knowledge at a top-tier research institution toward careers in fields like forestry and rangeland management, outdoor recreation, wildlife conservation, fisheries and geospatial technologies.”

To be eligible for the scholarship, QCNR students need to:

1. Be a first-bachelor student in their first year at USU (including transfer students) in fall, summer, or spring semester 2025 at any USU campus;
2. Submit the 2025-2026 Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA);
3. Be registered as a full-time student (12+ credits) by the first week of Fall 2025;
4. Be a declared major in the Quinney College of Natural Resources;
5. Have less than $500 total in other scholarships from the Quinney College of Natural Resources for the 2025-26 academic year; and
6. Have remaining financial need based on the FAFSA and USU’s cost of attendance (the USU Need Index).

“We hope that support like this can open up opportunities, because we have so much to offer students in QCNR,” said Peter Howe, associate dean for academics in the college. “Our classes tend to be small, giving students a remarkable amount of opportunity to interact one-on-one with skilled faculty for personalized mentoring.”

Other aspects of the student experience in QCNR are also unique. With a strong emphasis on experiential learning, many of course curriculums include outdoor field experiences in everything from fisheries to forest health. There are also ample opportunities for students to get involved in on-campus clubs and leadership, Howe said.

QCNR offers a program that connects students with paid, professional internships during the summer field season, helping them get hands-on experience with agencies like the USDA Forest Service and the National Park Service. Many students also participate in undergraduate research with faculty experts in paid and unpaid positions, building strong academic portfolios in their first years of college.

“Scholarships like these are important for more reasons than you might think,” said Luke Forsberg, a wildlife ecology and management major. “Students working part-time or full-time jobs can't focus fully on school, and it can impact their academic success.”

Receiving financial support helps students be more willing to take internships and volunteer opportunities directly applicable to their career goals during the summer, even if those jobs don’t necessarily have the highest hourly wages, he said. It can free up time so that students can pursue opportunities outside of classwork, creating community and professional connections.

The new scholarship builds on QCNR’s history of student scholarship support. The majority of QCNR students receive scholarships in some form. Through the support of a community of donors, the college has been able to award over $300,000 in scholarships each year.