The David B. Schroeder Scholarship was established in memory of David B. Schroeder, professor emeritus and former head of the Department of Natural Resources and the Environment (NRE). The scholarship provides support for outstanding seniors enrolled full-time as majors in the department. Schroeder enjoyed a career at UConn that spanned forty-one years, until his retirement in 2006. He died in 2015, at the age of 80.
This year’s Schroeder Scholarship recipient, Michaela Poppick, is an NRE major with a focus in fisheries and wildlife conservation and a minor in environmental studies. On receiving the scholarship, she said, “I am primarily responsible for paying for my own education, and scholarships have made the difference between going to college and not. It’s been really important that I keep up my grades to be able to attend grad school and receive internships, but I also want to show that I really am passionate and appreciative for what others have contributed to my education.”
Poppick spent last summer as an intern with the Nature Conservancy on Rhode Island’s Block Island, involved in animal protection programs, serving as a trail guide and working with youth. “The people I worked with were inspiring. They were very passionate about their work. I really felt like I was doing something to impact Block Island in a positive way.”
