CWF Orville Erickson Memorial Scholarship Grant

The CWF Orville Erickson Memorial Scholarship, managed by the Canadian Wildlife Foundation, honors the legacy of conservationist Orville Erickson. Scholarships range from $500 to $4,000, rewarding those who demonstrate commitment to wildlife preservation. Eligible candidates must be Canadian citizens or landed immigrants, enrolled in recognized educational institutions, and passionate about environmental stewardship.

The Canadian Wildlife Foundation
Canadians care deeply about wildlife and the vast, sweeping spaces they call home, both are a large part of Canada’s image as a land of rugged beauty. The Canadian Wildlife Foundation shares this vision and works with Canadians from coast to coast to maintain something very important — a bright future for Canada’s wildlife.
Caring begins with knowing. The Canadian Wildlife Foundation believes this is a crucial, first step toward ensuring a healthy future for Canada’s wildlife.
Help CWF ensure a healthy future for Canada’s wildlife.
Orville Erickson Memorial Scholarships
The Orville Erickson Memorial Scholarship Fund was established in 1975 in memory of an
outstanding conservationist and outdoorsman, the late Orville Erickson, of Prince Albert,
Saskatchewan. Scholarships range in value from $500 to $4,000.
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 Outdoorsman 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, a good husband and father 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 sportsmen 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 natives 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
environmental difficulties.
The OEMSF is administered by the Canadian Wildlife Foundation. The OEMSF is financed 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 assist
financially, students demonstrating the same type of commitment and enthusiasm for
conservation as Orville Erickson did during his lifetime. Some of the programs that previous
OEMSF winners have studied include Biological Studies, Zoology, Global Resource Systems,
Ecosystem Management, Environmental Biology, Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Ecological
Restoration, 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.Undergraduate and graduate students are eligible.Applicants be citizens of Canada, or landed immigrants, with the intent of working
in Canada. The scholarship may be used to help cover living expenses.

Ineligibility

The scholarship may not be applied to the
purchase of equipment or vehicles at any time.