Organizations from Across DC Come Together to Talk Conservation
On Wednesday, July 27th, SCA joined the National Parks Conservation Association (NPCA) at their headquarters in downtown Washington, DC for a joint networking happy hour. Senior 
leadership, staff, and alumni came together with representatives of more than 20 different environmental organizations to talk conservation and meet others in the green field.
“Leveraging networks, building relationships—this is how we get work done in this city,” said SCA President and CEO Jaime Matyas in her remarks to the packed room of about 60 green professionals.
Friendships were rekindled, business cards exchanged, and connections made as attendees enjoyed pizza and refreshments generously provided by NPCA. The list of organizations represented at the event was a Who’s Who of conservation agencies and nonprofits, including the Department of Agriculture, Department of the Interior, Land Trust Alliance, National Park Foundation, National Park Service, NOAA, Nature Conservancy, and Wilderness Society. The breadth of groups at the event was a testament to the ability of SCA and NPCA to inspire the next generation of conservation leaders.
Chris Jackson, SCA Regional VP, asked for a show of hands to identify SCA Alumni in the room. Three-quarters of attendees had participated in at least one SCA program – and the hands stayed high for alums who had participated in two programs, three programs, all the way up to one participant who had served in ten different positions with SCA across the country.
During an impromptu history lesson, the group learned that NPCA and SCA have a long and storied relationship. “The then Student Conservation Program began at NPCA in 1957, which supported its first two projects at Grand Teton and Olympic National Park, before eventually becoming the independent Student Conservation Association it is today”, announced Edward Stierli, NPCA Director of the Find Your Voice Initiative.
“SCA and NPCA partner in so many impactful ways all over the country, and our national offices are only miles apart, yet we rarely have get-togethers like this,” commented SCA Regional VP Chris Jackson. “We are hoping that this is the start of a series of social events, where we can bring our organizations and partners together to deepen relationships and learn from one another, while offering a high-value networking opportunity for our members.”
SCA is excited to join with partners and offer more events just like this. Stay tuned to www.thesca.org/events for information on the next social networking event in your city.
The National Parks Conservation Association (NPCA) is the only independent, membership organization devoted exclusively to advocacy on behalf of the National Parks System. Its mission is “to protect and enhance America’s National Park System for present and future generations.” To learn more and get involved, visit www.npca.org.
