People carry damp hoop nets on their heads

Doris Duke Conservation Scholars Program (DDCSP) volunteers Hunter Henry and Madison Diaz and mentor Kaitlyn Gahl at the Arizona Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit carry damp hoop nets on their heads to provide some relief from the sun on a hot Arizona day. The DDCSP Collaborative is a 2-year experiential undergraduate conservation, diversity, equity, and inclusion field program designed to provide students from underrepresented groups with an experiential introduction to a career in natural resources. The Arizona, Florida, Idaho, and Massachusetts Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Units are members of the collaborative. The students attend leadership training, work with scientists and graduate students on research projects, and are mentored by current CRU program graduate students and Federal scientists. The Doris Duke Scholars participate in paid summer internships with local, State, Federal, and Tribal agencies, or nongovernmental organizations. The students conduct research in their first summer and do an internship with a conservation agency in their second summer. Through this program, students develop strong professional networks and are prepared to help increase diversity, equity, and inclusion in the field of conservation through coursework in communication, creative problem solving, leadership, and diversity, equity, and inclusion.