ADCNR To Offer Scholarship For Outdoors Law Enforcement

The Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (ADCNR) has announced that an opportunity will soon be available at the University of South Alabama (USA) for those who wish to pursue a law enforcement career in Alabama’s outdoors. The Blankenship Scholars program, named in honor of longtime ADCNR Commissioner Chris Blankenship, will award endowments to approximately 10 students annually. Blankenship, who served as director of the ADCNR Marine Resources Division before being promoted to commissioner in 2017, said he is grateful for the recognition and knows these scholarships will create great pathways for those who want to pursue a conservation-based law enforcement career. Dr. Sean Powers, director of USA’s Stokes School of Marine and Environmental Sciences, said he wants the scholarships to train the next generation of conservation enforcement officers—not only Marine Resources, but also Wildlife and Freshwater Fisheries enforcement and State Lands enforcement with Alabama State Parks rangers, U.S. Fish and Wildlife officers and the U.S. Coast Guard. Powers added that USA is in the middle of a fundraising campaign to raise $1 million to provide 10 competitive scholarships annually that would be available to sophomores through seniors. The university hopes to be able to offer the first endowment in August 2027, he said.