Hilton Head Island resident Michele Dayton has been awarded the 2019 Colden R. Battey Scholarship by the Nemours Wildlife Foundation in Yemassee.
The $4,000 scholarship is named for Beaufort attorney and Nemours Wildlife Foundation board chairman Colden R. Battey, Jr. in recognition of his dedication to wildlife conservation and education.
The scholarship provides a University of South Carolina Beaufort student an internship which includes housing, a salary and experience in the field working on a research project with a Nemours Wildlife Foundation graduate student.
Dayton, originally from Long Island, N.Y., graduated this spring from the USCB with a Bachelor’s degree in Biology concentrating on coastal ecology and conservation. She is now assisting with several research projects including the study of movements and behavior of alligators in urban communities and the investigation of the use of wetland habitats by predators such as bobcats.
Dayton is quick to say these experiences, which she could not have received in a classroom, have helped make her aware of the many opportunities available to wildlife biologists.
The scholarship recipient is selected by the chair and faculty of USCB’s Department of Natural Sciences in consultation with the dean of the School of Science and Mathematics, Joe Staton.
“We invite students to apply based on major focus, academic success and intellectual maturity,” Staton, who is also a professor of Biology/Marine Science, said.
The Nemours Wildlife Foundation is a private operating 501(c)(3) foundation established by Laura and Eugene duPont in 1995. The Foundation’s mission is to be a leader in land stewardship, scientific investigations, and education relating to wildlife and natural resources conservation. More information can be found at www.nemourswildlife.org.
