SCA Also Cites Michigan and Pennsylvania as Top States
WASHINGTON, D.C. – OCTOBER 28, 2014 – The Student Conservation Association (SCA), the national leader in building the next generation of environmental stewards, announced today the top universities that provided the most youth volunteers to its conservation service programs in national, state, and local parks from October 1, 2013, to September 30, 2014. In total, 3,951 young people from all 50 states plus Washington D.C., Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands worked with SCA in national, state and local parks in their home states and across the nation. The greatest number of volunteers came from the following universities:
| The Top 10 Universities | Location | Volunteers |
| 1. University of Wisconsin-Madison | Madison, WI | 34 |
| 2. University of Vermont | Burlington, VT | 28 |
| 3. University of Florida | Gainesville, FL | 27 |
| 4. SUNY-College of Environmental Science & Forestry | Syracuse, NY | 27 |
| 5. Michigan State University | Lansing, MI | 24 |
| 6. University of Michigan | Ann Arbor, MI | 23 |
| 7. Pennsylvania State University | State College, PA | 23 |
| 8 . University of Pittsburgh | Pittsburgh, PA | 20 |
| 9. SUNY-Stony Brook | Stony Brook, NY | 19 |
| 10. Virginia Polytechnic and State University | Blacksburg, VA | 18 |
“SCA is grateful to our members, who just completed our most productive year ever, as well as to our educational partners who play such an important role in helping us fill these vital internships,” says SCA President and Chief Executive Officer Jaime Berman Matyas. “We are confident our interns’ work will long benefit the public lands on which they served, and contribute to their professional careers and ongoing stewardship.”
The impact of the students’ work is evident nationwide. SCA volunteers restored ailing habitats, completed wilderness inventories, rebuilt hiking trails and more. Across the country, they:
- Maintained 7.3 million feet of trails;
- Restored more than 1.4 million feet of shoreline and 390,000 acres of land;
- Mapped 518,000 acres;
- Planted 1,616 acres of native vegetation;
- Provided environmental education, interpretative programs, and tours to 332,047 people.
About the Student Conservation Association:
The Student Conservation Association (SCA) transforms lives and lands to ensure America’s natural legacy. SCA empowers young people from every corner of the nation to plan, act, and lead, while they protect and restore our natural and cultural resources. SCA members aid endangered species, complete field research, provide environmental education, and more, while providing two million hours of service each year, from national parks to leading cities.
Founded in 1957, SCA launched the nation’s youth conservation movement with the promise to build new generations of conservation leaders. SCA’s hands-on engagement creates thriving youth by enhancing personal growth, inspiring lifelong stewardship, and providing pathways to productive careers. Seven in 10 of SCA’s 75,000 alumni worldwide remain active in conservation through their professions, studies or volunteer activities.
SCA is a nonprofit organization headquartered in Washington, DC, with regional offices in Charlestown, NH, Chicago, IL, Houston, TX, Oakland, CA, Pittsburgh, PA and Seattle, WA.