Why It Matters: The Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation’s (CSF) Collegiate Sportsmen and Women’s Coalition (CSWC) seeks to educate young adults from diverse interests and backgrounds about the importance of hunting, angling, trapping, and recreational shooting to fish and wildlife conservation while also providing them with hands-on education in how to effectively engage in the policy process to protect these traditions.
Highlights:
- CSF is continuing to support existing Collegiate Coalitions by facilitating opportunities for students to meet, network, and learn from state legislators and in-state conservation partners.
- CSF provides CSWC members with opportunities to attend Legislative Sportsmen’s Caucus events in their state, where students can network and learn from caucus members and in-state conservation partners.
- These events provide CSWC members with connections and educational experiences that help to enhance their college experience and prepare them for their future careers in conservation and public policy.
On April 9th, a group of CSWC members and officers from the University of South Carolina (USC) were able to attend the South Carolina Legislative Sportsmen’s Caucus (Caucus) Policy Reception. This event was well attended by CSWC students, Caucus members, and in-state partners. Students were able to hear from legislators about many key policy issues and legislative efforts in South Carolina, including an update on South Carolina House Bill 3872, which would limit the loss of available acreage open to hunting for South Carolina’s sportsmen and women by establishing a minimum acreage of South Carolina Department of Natural Resources owned lands open to hunting.
Additionally, CSWC at USC’s inaugural president Abigail Wright connected incoming officers with legislators and in-state partners that help support their Coalition to ensure that CSWC will continue to have strong leadership after her graduation. Abigail spoke about her experience with bringing CSWC to USC, saying that:
“Starting the CSWC during my final year of school has been incredibly rewarding – I’ve loved bringing together like-minded students, introducing them to the world of conservation and the role that sportsmen and women play in conservation efforts, and encouraging everyone to get outdoors. I’m so excited to see how the Coalition continues to grow and evolve in the years to come.”
CSWC’s South Carolina students were invited to attend this spring’s Caucus Policy Reception, as well other Caucus events like the South Carolina Southern Sporting Classic each fall and exciting CSF events such as the Annual NASC Sportsman-Legislator Summit. These events provide students with valuable networking opportunities and help to educate the next generation of conservation leaders about the essential role that the policymaking process plays in protecting our outdoor pursuits.
CSF is proud to support the University of South Carolina Coalition and looks forward to bringing the Collegiate Sportsmen and Women’s Coalition to other schools across the country as we seek to impact and educate more future conservation leaders.
Please reach out to CSF’s Collegiate Sportsmen and Women’s Coalition Coordinator Isabella Mucci (imucci@congressionalsportsmen.org) to explore bringing CSWC to a campus near you.
