$1 Million Endowment Expands Black Bear Wildlife Conservation Research and Education in Wisconsin
MISSOULA, Mont. (August 11, 2026) – The Boone and Crockett Club, alongside the Board of Regents of the University of Wisconsin System and the UWSP Foundation, has officially established the Stephens Family Foundation Boone and Crockett Wildlife Professor at the University of Wisconsin–Stevens Point (UWSP). Supported by a permanent $1 million endowment managed by the UWSP Foundation, this new position will expand and sustain vital research, education, and public outreach focused on black bear management and conservation across Wisconsin and the region.
“Partnering with UW–Stevens Point expands our commitment to hands-on, science-based wildlife conservation within our University Programs,” said Steve Leath, executive vice president of administration for the Boone and Crockett Club. “This endowment ensures long-term scientific research for Wisconsin’s black bear population while equipping the next generation of natural resource leaders with the tools they need to manage critical predator species effectively.”
The newly established position will direct and manage the Searle-Dew-Thomas Boone and Crockett Wisconsin Black Bear Fellowship, offering undergraduate and graduate student Fellows hands-on research and professional development opportunities. Dedicated funds from the endowment will directly support the professor’s salary, research initiatives, educational coursework, community outreach, and core operating expenses.
“The Stephens Family Foundation is proud to partner with the Boone and Crockett Club,” said Angie Larson, a Stephens Family Foundation representative. “The new endowment will support the goal of increasing our understanding of the role black bears play in the great state of Wisconsin and on the landscape as a whole.”
The Boone and Crockett Club’s University Programs place faculty and fellows at top universities across North America to connect academic research with practical wildlife policy. UWSP is among a distinguished national network that includes the University of Montana, Michigan State University, Texas A&M University, Texas A&M University-Kingsville, University of Wyoming, Oregon State University, and Clemson University.
Operational oversight will be guided by a six-person fellowship advisory committee comprising three representatives appointed by the Boone and Crockett Club president and three appointed by the dean of the UWSP College of Natural Resources.
“This new endowment will boost our research efforts, allowing us to do better things for bears, for students, and for the state of Wisconsin,” said Cady Sartini, an associate professor of wildlife at UWSP who will serve as the Stephens Family Foundation Boone and Crockett Wildlife Professor. “We’ll be able to tackle bigger conservation questions by partnering with the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources on projects they might not be able to handle on their own. It’s a win-win for everyone, and I’m so grateful to get to be a part of it.”
More About the Boone and Crockett Club
Founded by Theodore Roosevelt in 1887, the Boone and Crockett Club promotes guardianship and visionary management of big game and associated wildlife in North America. The Club maintains the highest standards of fair-chase sportsmanship and supports science-based resource management through research, education, and policy advocacy.
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