The UTM Student Chapter of The Wildlife Society was recently named the national chapter of the year – the second time in recent years – from a field of 94 university student chapters in North America.

“I am proud to learn of the well-deserved selection of UT Martin’s Student Chapter of The Wildlife Society as the National Student Chapter of the Year,” said Alan Peterson, president of the Tennessee State Chapter of The Wildlife Society.

The UTM group applied for 2005 student chapter of the year in April 2006. The award officially will be conferred at the annual conference in September in Anchorage, Alaska, and carries with it a $1,000 stipend for students to travel to the conference. Four students are scheduled to attend the conference with Dr. Eric Pelren, UTM associate professor of wildlife biology and chapter adviser.

“This is just one more example of the outstanding record of the UT Martin Student Chapter of the Wildlife Society,” said Dr. Jerry Gresham, chair of the Department of Agriculture and Natural Resources. “This fine group of young people and their adviser, Dr. Eric Pelren, exemplify the spirit of the Department of Agriculture and Natural Resources as all our faculty and students strive for excellence in their chosen fields.

“This group of individuals worked very hard to earn such a prestigious honor, and we are proud that they are from our own campus,” said Gresham.