Scholarships Available for Becoming an Outdoors-Woman Workshops

The N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission is making scholarship money available to women who want to attend a Becoming an Outdoors-Woman (BOW) workshop in North Carolina. More than $2,000 is available in scholarships. The scholarship money will be distributed to eligible applicants in amounts of up to 80 percent of registration fees, which range from $10 to $225, depending on the duration and nature of BOW workshops.

Becoming an Outdoors-Woman is an international program for women, 18 and older, to learn outdoor skills through hands-on experiences, such as archery, fishing, paddling, wildlife photography, outdoor cooking, target shooting and motorboat safety. Upcoming BOW workshops for which scholarship money is available include:

* Fly-Fishing weekend at the Wildlife Education Center in Brevard and Davidson River Campground in Transylvania County (April 5-7), $125 registration;

* Archery/Bowhunting at the Wildlife Education Center on N.C. State University’s Centennial Campus in Raleigh (April 20), $10 registration;

* Outdoor Skills workshop at Lake Townsend near Greensboro (May 18), $25 registration; and,

* BOW weekend workshop at YMCA Camp Harrison in Wilkes County (May 31-June 2), $225 registration.

The Wildlife Commission provides funding assistance to BOW participants through the Mel Porter Scholarship Fund, supported by contributions from previous BOW participants. The deadline for scholarship applications is two weeks prior to respective workshop dates.

“Scholarships have helped single mothers and other deserving women take part in a rewarding, confidence-building experience they otherwise couldn’t afford,” said BB Gillen, outdoor skills coordinator with the Wildlife Commission and state coordinator for Becoming an Outdoors-Woman. “These are partial scholarships only, based on need. Recipients are asked to pay the remainder of the registration fee.”

Preference is given to first-time workshop participants who are full-time students, single parents of young children, and members of low-income households. Eligibility is determined by scholarship application and workshop registration.

More information is available by clicking here, or contacting BOW Coordinator BB Gillen at 919-218-3638 or bb.gillen@ncwildlife.org.


Jeff
Hiking in the Smokies