Hi, I'm Liz Dowling and I'm based in the Denver metro area. I’ve been attending University of Denver (DU) pursuing a Master’s of Science in Environmental Policy and Management with concentrations in natural resource management and environmental policy.

I started this graduate program in March 2020 and I have been taking one course per quarter while working full-time. At The National Wild Turkey Federation, I serve as their Rocky Mountain Restoration Initiative Coordinator. Currently, I have four courses left to graduate and hope to start another course this June. This scholarship has provided an opportunity for me to consistently take courses and accelerate my graduation date. Removing that financial stressor will allow me to focus on my career by allowing more energy towards work and school.

My career began by obtaining an undergraduate degree from Colorado State University with a B.S. in Fish, Conservation, and Wildlife Biology. I spent many years in the field supporting research projects on bears, wolves, and mountain lions, developing my passion for conservation. The phenomenal moments I cherish from these wild places will always be a reminder of my purpose and ‘why’ in this career. As I continued to navigate the conservation industry as a young emerging professional, I’ve learned that my heart and brain appreciate roles where I am supporting landscape scale work and collaborating with partners. My graduate studies and professional work allow me to learn and execute collaborative approaches through leadership.

I am and always will be a lifelong nerd. I love learning. Each job and educational experience have added another perspective to my outlook. I no longer look at a forest at the surface level. I examine it from a wildlife biologist’s perspective and understand the habitat that a specific community of animals need. From a forester’s perspective, I wonder how healthy the stands of trees are. From a firefighter’s perspective, I examine how fire will move across the landscape. At the end of the day, all of these perspectives overlap together and with a trained eye, they allow me to see the entire picture. 

A big thank you to the Grossman’s and to VOC for this wonderful opportunity. I can’t wait to share future achievements throughout my career. 

Liz is one of seven students to receive VOC's Grossman Scholarship for the 2023-24 school year. VOC offers two $10,000 and four $5,000 scholarships annually to eligible Colorado residents who have demonstrated a commitment to caring for our environment's natural resources and intend to pursue post-secondary education through an accredited environmental, natural resource, climate, or outdoor industry related education program in Colorado. VOC also offers 1-2 scholarships per year, funded by Great Outdoors Colorado (GOCO), to students who meet the above criteria and are affiliated with any of the partners in the My Outdoors Colorado (MOC) Coalition, or who are connected to the Cole and/or Westwood neighborhoods in Denver.

Applications for the 2024-25 school year will open in October 2023.