After completing my undergraduate studies at USL, I applied to and was accepted into the Master of Science program in Wildlife Management at LSU’s School of Forestry, Wildlife and Fisheries (now the School of Renewable Natural Resources). My lifelong goal was to become a wildlife biologist, and I knew LSU offered one of the nation’s premier graduate programs in wildlife management.
Securing a graduate assistantship quickly became my highest priority because it would significantly reduce the financial burden of graduate school. These assistantships not only covered tuition but also provided a monthly stipend to help with living expenses and provide funds required to complete a master’s degree.
After meeting with several wildlife faculty members, I was fortunate that one wildlife professor had funding from the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries (LDWF) to conduct a study on the habitat preferences and movements of nutria inhabiting Louisiana’s coastal marshes. Without hesitation, I eagerly accepted the assistantship associated with this study…