Gloria Barron Wilderness Society Scholarship

$25k Scholarship opportunity for graduate students interested in wilderness conservation

The Wilderness Society, a leading conservation organization headquartered in Washington, D.C. and with offices around the country [wilderness.org], offers an annual scholarship, available to qualified graduate students. We award $25,000 each to two currently-enrolled graduate students to support their research and preparation of a paper on an aspect of wilderness.

T. A. Barron created the Gloria Barron Wilderness Society Scholarship in honor of his mother, Gloria Barron, a dedicated educator and tireless advocate for wilderness protection.  The research paper should address an aspect of the establishment, protection, or management of wilderness, protected areas, and/or conservation on public lands. 

Applicants for the Gloria Barron Wilderness Society Scholarship must: be currently enrolled in an accredited graduate institution in the United States at the time of application; have strong academic qualifications; and have academic and/or career goals focused on making a significant positive difference in the long-term protection of wilderness or public lands in the United States. The scholarship is open to applicants from any graduate discipline, including sciences, law, social sciences, etc. 

For more information on the Scholarship and how to apply, click here. The deadline to apply for the 2026 cycle is April 15, 2026.