The JGTCLI Mission
The mission for the James G. Teer Conservation Leadership Institute is to ensure a future legacy of well-trained conservation leaders by providing professional training in leadership skills and contemporary conservation issues for today’s wildlife biologists and conservation professionals.
JGTCLI Early Career Professional Training
The JGTCLI seeks early-career professionals 1 to 10 years out of college who are working full time in a natural resource-related field and have demonstrated leadership potential. Professionals from diverse natural resource fields are welcome to apply. These fields include federal and state natural resource agencies, environmental and conservation organizations, educational institutions, natural resource policy development, private consultants and individuals from other natural resource programs.
Complete Program Information(Includes training goals, objectives, and application details)
The JGTCLI Early Career Profession Training Goals
The Texas Chapter of The Wildlife Society recognizes the need for leadership training throughout a professional’s career. Although leadership programs exist around the country, the JGTCLI, believes there is a current need for a Texas-based leadership program that not only meets the needs of biologists and conservation professionals, but also focuses on the unique issues associated with Texas’ private lands. The JGTCLI has developed a program for those individuals in the early stages of their careers. The goals are to ensure:
- Early career conservation professionals develop the personal and interpersonal skills necessary to enhance their professional and personal lives.
- Early career conservation professionals acquire the development skills necessary to enhance their abilities to successfully interact and network with other individuals and groups in professional settings.
- Early career conservation professionals are knowledgeable of conservation concepts and contemporary conservation issues so they may successfully understand and manage Texas’ wildlife and natural resources.
- This leadership training program remains contemporary, effective and pertinent to early career professionals by continuous use of evaluation and assessment tools throughout the program.
The JGTCLI Early Career Profession Training Objectives
Highly recognized and influential resource professional will serve as instructors in the JGTCLI. Participants will receive theoretical and hands-on instruction in current issues surrounding natural resource conservation. Additionally, they will develop leadership skills through individual and group work, case studies and field trips. More specifically, participants will:
- Increase their self-knowledge about what motivates and stresses them, how they respond to conflict and solve problems, and how they can work more effectively within a team.
- Learn leadership proficiencies that will enable them to have greater influence with their peers, leaders, and constituents.
- Learn communication and networking skills that will allow them to become effective and engaging communicators.
- Learn the collaborative skills necessary to work effectively within a team.
- Learn the importance of diversity in the workplace and the skills necessary to attract future conservation leaders from different constituencies.
- Learn the top conservation issues currently affecting wildlife and natural resources.
- Understand that science must serve as the underpinning for all conservation efforts.
- Learn strategies to understand and navigate conservation politics through review of historical and contemporary natural resources issues and participating in policy review and development.
- Assist with improvement of the leadership training program by thoughtfully evaluating and providing feedback on the various activities and lessons in which they participate.
Applicants are applying to participate in a yearlong commitment that includes a team-based project, in-person meetings, monthly webinars and project team meetings. The institute will begin at the annual Texas Chapter TWS meeting and conclude the following annual meeting.
Applicants must have:
- Completed a Bachelors degree from an accredited university, and
- Worked as a natural resource professional for 1 to 10 years.
Applications must include:
- Cover letter
- Completed online application
- Signed Participant Pledge and Employer Acknowledgement
- Two letters of recommendation.
The next JGTCLI Early Career Professional Program will begin at the annual Texas Chapter TWS meeting in February 2023. Now Accepting Applications! Application deadline is November 1, 2022.
Participants will be involved in a yearlong commitment with required attendance at in-person sessions and project team meetings. Involvement in the yearlong team project is a foundational piece of the institute and the participants learning and growth process.
Graduation from the JGTCLI is contingent upon attendance and involvement in all workshop sessions, conference call or online meetings, and completion of all assignments. Tuition is non-refundable. You should anticipate 8 to 10 full workdays to participate in all in-person sessions. Sessions will usually begin at noon on the first day and end at noon on the last day. The workshop sessions will be located around the state.
Additional monthly webinars and regular project team meetings will take place between in-person sessions. You should anticipate an additional 6-10 hours a month for these meetings and webinars.
The next JGTCLI Early Career Professional Program will begin at the annual Texas Chapter TWS meeting in February 2023. Now accepting applications! Application deadline is November 1, 2022.
Tentative 2023 In-person Meeting Dates and Locations (subject to change and full agenda coming soon)
Session 1 – Feb. 22-24th, 2023 -TCTWS Annual Meeting – Omni, Houston, TX
Session 2 – May 4-7th, 2023- Welder Wildlife Foundation & Refuge, Sinton, TX
Session 3 – August 3-6th, 2023-Kerr Wildlife Management Area, Hunt, TX
Session 4 – Feb 20-23rd, 2024- TCWS Annual Meeting – Omni, Houston, Project Presentations and Graduation
Monthly webinars and regular Project team meetings.
Participation in the program will include:
- Team based project on current natural resource issues facing the state of Texas
- Personality and personal growth assessments, conflict management and problem solving
- Large scale project design and management, systems thinking training
- Presentations to TCTWS executive board members and general membership
- Planning, implementation, and hosting of meetings and panel discussions, both in-person and virtual
- Discussions with leaders in the Texas Natural Resources field
The next JGTCLI Early Career Professional Program will begin at the annual Texas Chapter TWS meeting in February 2023. Now accepting applications! Application deadline is November 1, 2022.
Your portion of the tuition is $600, due by February 1, 2023. Tuition is nonrefundable. The Texas Chapter of the Wildlife Society and other donors believe so strongly in the program they will provide a monetary and in-kind match to your tuition of over $1700. Tuition covers the costs associated with instruction, educational materials, lodging and on-site meals. Participants are responsible for travel costs and meals when getting to and from sessions.