KINGSVILLE (November 3, 2026) – The United States Department of Agriculture-National Institute of Food and Agriculture has awarded $300,000 to Texas A&M University-Kingsville for the Wildlife Education Training (WET) program.
“Wildlife Education Training is an innovative USDA grant partnership between the university and the Welder Wildlife Foundation,” said Dr. Steven Chumbley, professor of agriculture science, assistant chair of the agriculture, agribusiness and environmental sciences department and coordinator of teacher certification, said.
“The purpose of this program is to improve the educational programs and career preparation of students in the Dick and Mary Lewis Kleberg College of Agriculture and Natural Resources,” said Chumbley, who also is principal investigator for the project. “This program accomplishes its goals through hands-on training with university professors, professional wildlife educators and leaders from the Texas Parks and Wildlife (TRWD).
“Each year, the program will offer two four-day hands-on programs with varied professional development at the Texas Agriculture Teachers Conference with a selection of undergraduate fellows who will take part in a variety of research programs,” he said.
“Students who complete this program will leave with an enhanced knowledge of TPWD programs, three specific wildlife certifications and improved knowledge of wildlife sciences. We have partnered with Welder in the past, but this new program is building new avenues for student training,” Chumbley said.
“The main focus will be on teaching principles of wildlife management, ecology and introduction to range management. The certifications will be Project WILD, Hunters Education and Angler Education,” he added.
Chumbley said this will be a voluntary program and the students will have to apply. There will be two 25-student training sessions each year. The trainings will be held late spring/early summer and late fall each year.
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