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Local Students Earn Full Ride
for Graduate Program
Jay Krientz and Jason Williams, both of Prescott, were recently awarded
graduate fellowships for the Prescott College Master of Arts Program. The
Arizona Wilderness Coalition (AWC) through a Pew Charitable Trust grant funds
the fellowships.
The AWC is an "organization of groups and individuals whose mission
is to protect and restore wilderness and other wildlands and waters in Arizona.
The AWC will coordinate and conduct inventories, educate citizens about these
lands, enlist continuing support and advocate for their lasting protection."
As part of the fellowship, which includes full tuition for the program,
a monthly stipend, travel and office expenses, Krienitz and Williams perform
as regional coordinators for the AWC to organize, support and initiate roadless
inventories in Western and South/Central Arizona. Their responsibilities
also include agency interaction, grassroots organizing through written and
oral presentations, collaborating with Resident Degree Program (RDP) faculty,
and training and supervising volunteers and students.
"The AWC considers this collaboration a way to support both the master's
and undergraduate programs and integrate the entire College into our projects," said
Don Hoffman, director of the AWC. "It's a way for us to involve the
College with our goals and get the students involved in a real life task,
which is perfect for the experiential component of school."
Essentially, Krienitz said, he and Williams are running a wilderness campaign. "We'll
be organizing volunteers, presenting all over Arizona and, perhaps co-instructing
an RDP course at Prescott College. We'll be teaching folks about the Wilderness
Act of 1964, the philosophy of wilderness, citizen's initiatives, conservation
biology and land agencies policies."
After the inventory is complete, the pair will make a proposal of recommendations
for designated wilderness to the AWC. These recommendations may then be included
in a future citizen's initiative bill for more wilderness lands in Arizona
in combination with recommendations made by environmental organizations in
other state regions.
"Developing an efficient wilderness preservation system needs to be
done," Williams said. "Giving two years of my life to do this type
of project is okay with me for the wilderness of Arizona. The Prescott National
Forest has nine percent designated as wilderness. I would like to see this
go up to 15 to 20 percent. It's not a lot to ask for of our own public lands.
For Prescott College to be a part of this is special. I'm really excited
to have this positive challenge."
Krienitz agrees. "One of the greatest gifts I could give to society
and to the earth would be to help designate more wilderness areas for future
generations. We're also developing a better awareness for conservation issues
in Arizona. I'm excited about working with volunteers and educating people.
It's a very honorable role I'm in to be considered a teacher."
Hoffman sees the venture as a long-term collaboration. "We're in it
for the long haul. We've identified about 7 million acres statewide of new
potential wilderness," he said. "It's a long-term process, and
the AWC would like to maintain our presence at the College the entire time."
Krienitz and Williams graduated from the Prescott College Resident Degree
Program in December 2001 with degrees in environmental studies and will graduate
from the Master of Arts program with degrees in environmental studies and
environmental education.
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