Utah Conservation Corps based at USU is honored

Utah Conservation Corps (UCC) staff have been recognized three times during the month of April for the program’s ongoing commitment to make Utah’s communities and ecosystems more sustainable.
 
UCC director Sean Damitz was awarded the Civically Engaged Staff Member for Utah State University at the Utah Campus Compact’s Annual Conference on Civic Engagement on April 2nd. The award recognizes a staff member that shows leadership in advancing community engagement; forms innovative campus and community partnerships; and influences students to be involved in community service.
 
April 2, the UCC was also recognized as part of USU Research Week at the Research Gala 2012. Sean Damitz was recognized as a principle investigator that received grants totaling more than $1 million in 2011.
 
At its annual conference, the Utah Chapter of The Wildlife Society recognized the UCC “for outstanding efforts and accomplishments in furthering wildlife and conservation in the state of Utah”. UCC staff were presented the award by the Utah Chapter of The Wildlife Society representative and USU associate professor Robert Schmidt at an on-campus ceremony held April 13th.  
 
The UCC is an AmeriCorps program dedicated to developing the conservation leaders of tomorrow through service and education. In the last ten years the UCC, as a department of Utah State University Student Services, has constructed or maintained 808 miles of trail; built, repaired, or rehabilitated 84.7 miles of fence; restored 4,831 acres of public land; and harnessed over 5,700 volunteers contributing 19,500 hours of service.
 
The majority of UCC AmeriCorps members are USU students, USU alumni, or local high school graduates. All members serving with the UCC receive a monthly living allowance and earn an education award from the National Service Trust. Over the last ten years UCC AmeriCorps members have spent over a half million dollars of AmeriCorps education awards at Utah State University.
 

UCC workers during National Trails Day 2011 in Green Canyon