October 1, 2013
The Rob and Bessie Welder Wildlife Foundation's graduate research scholarship program was conceived and initiated by the Foundation's first directors, Dr. Clarence Cottam and Mr. Caleb Glazener in 1956. That year, the first graduate students began field research in wildlife and wildlife-related problems to promote the education of exceptionally qualified biologists. The scientific breadth of the research scholarship program includes the following academic units: animal behavior, biology, botany, conservation education, ecology, mammalogy, ornithology, parsitology, range science, veterinary pathology, and wildlife sciences.