Posted: January 31, 2025
Open to full-time juniors and seniors for the 2025-2026 academic year, the Pennsylvania Outdoor Writers Association (POWA) is offering four $1,000 scholarships.
Applications for the 2024 Pennsylvania Outdoor Writers Association Will Johns Scholarships are now being accepted.
This money is available from the Pennsylvania Outdoor Writers Association (POWA) – Willard T. Johns Memorial Scholarship Fund. The fund is named for Will Johns, a charter member and Past President of POWA, a professional organization of writers, photographers, artists, broadcasters, bloggers and podcasters - dedicated to informing Pennsylvanians about the wise use and management of natural resources and outdoor recreation.
Johns, a college-trained wildlife conservationist, served as editor of Pennsylvania Game News and then as an education specialist for the National Wildlife Federation before assuming his post with the Pennsylvania Fish Commission in 1968.
Consideration for these scholarships is given to students who show strong evidence of academic achievement and need for financial aid. Preference is given to full-time junior and senior students in the 2025-26 academic year enrolled in a college or university, physically located within the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, who are pursuing a Bachelor's Degree in a communications-related major, a biological/environmental, natural science-related major, or outdoor recreation related major. Students in other majors, who have actively participated in outdoor communications (print, broadcast, digital, or public-speaking) already, are also eligible to apply.
The recipient must be planning a career that combines public relations and journalistic skills with an intention to apply these skills to the communication of the principles of conservation and the attractions of the out-of-doors.
Scholarship applications are available on the POWA website, www.paoutdoorwriters.com . Completed applications may be physically mailed to: POWA, PO Box 349, Pulaski, PA 16143 or emailed to info@paoutdoorwriters.com
Questions regarding the POWA Will Johns Scholarships may be directed to POWA President, Grey Berrier, at gdberrier2@gmail.com with the subject: POWA Will Johns Scholarships.
The deadline to submit application is April 15, 2025.
