Igniting a passion for outdoor recreation
Ducks Unlimited (DU) is rolling out a new peer-to-peer mentoring program at select colleges and universities this fall to help students curious about waterfowl hunting, get involved.
May 01, 2023 •
2
min read
“Ducks Unlimited has a long history of working with college students through our college chapters,” said Justin Aycock, DU’s Manager of Youth and Education Programs. “Thanks to a generous $100,000 grant from the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency, we will grow our relationships with today’s youth through a unique peer-to-peer mentoring program open to all students, regardless of whether they are DU members.”
The Academics Afield program affords students of all majors who are interested in learning how to hunt the opportunity to get involved in a unique way through a true mentoring program. DU college chapter volunteers partner with mentees in courses like wing shooting classes that help prepare them for the hunts they’ll soon participate in. The result is a no-pressure, peer-to-peer experience where first-time hunters learn new skills, strategies, laws, regulations and hunting ethics from experienced mentors over the course of a year.
“Community is something that’s valued by all who enjoy the outdoors,” said JW Worthen, Director of Programs for the Tennessee Wildlife Federation. “Students who participate in the Academics Afield program will be joining a community led by certified instructors who promote the safety and camaraderie of its participants. In partnership with Ducks Unlimited, Tennessee Wildlife Federation will implement their experience working with young adults through their Hunting and Fishing Academy program to help kickstart the program.”
The University of Tennessee-Martin, University of Tennessee- Knoxville and Tennessee Technical College are piloting the Academics Afield program.
For more information, visit www.ducks.org, and be sure to follow DU’s Twitter feed – @DucksUnlimited and @DUConserve – to get the most up-to-date news from Ducks Unlimited.
About Ducks Unlimited
Ducks Unlimited Inc. is the world's largest nonprofit organization dedicated to conserving North America's continually disappearing waterfowl habitats. Established in 1937, Ducks Unlimited has conserved more than 15 million acres thanks to contributions from more than a million supporters across the continent. Guided by science and dedicated to program efficiency, DU works toward the vision of wetlands sufficient to fill the skies with waterfowl today, tomorrow and forever. For more information on our work, visit www.ducks.org.
Media Contact:
Emily Austin
601-206-5438
