MANSFIELD, PA – The Pennsylvania Outdoor Writers Association has awarded its annual Toyota Let’s Go Places Scholarship to Aaron Morder of Mansfield University.
Aaron was a guest at POWA’s annual conference held here May 18-21. He is currently a junior in the Fisheries Biology program at MU. A Perry County native, Morder has taken his love for fishing and Pennsylvania’s water resources and plans to turn it into a career in fisheries biology. He is planning an internship with Trout Unlimited this summer after having participated in brook trout, redd, and culvert repair surveys across Tioga and Potter counties in Pennsylvania’s Northern Tier. He has also begun his senior research project doing acid deposition work in the upper Tioga River watershed, partnering with the Susquehanna River Basin Committee.

“Aaron is a wonderful recipient for this award,” said POWA Executive Director Paula Piatt. “His work in the watersheds of the Northern Tier has far-reaching impacts downstream. His abilities to communicate that work will only enhance its protection as more and more people become aware of the issues surrounding our water resources in Pennsylvania. Aaron has a bright future ahead and we’re thrilled to help him along the way.”

The presentation would not have been possible without the support of Toyota, a POWA supporting member.

“It was a pleasure to award Aaron Morder this year’s POWA/Toyota Let’s Go Places scholarship,” said Curt McAllister, Midwest Public Relations Manager and Outdoor Communications Manager at Toyota Motor North America. “For the past nine years, Toyota has been supporting several outdoor media guilds across the country with our scholarship program. It allows organizations like POWA to introduce new individuals to their membership ranks and meet some of the best outdoor writers in America.”

Each year, POWA awards up to two scholarships that will enable selected students to attend the annual POWA conference, slated for Centre County in 2023. The conference provides a great opportunity for students to meet writers and outdoor communicators from across the state and to attend educational sessions related to outdoor communications, as well as participate in hunting, fishing and conservation outings throughout the weekend.

As the 2022 recipient, Morder also received a one-year student membership to POWA.

Pictured, from left: Kyle Hey, POWA President; Aaron Morder, 2022 Toyota Let's Go Places Scholarship recipient; Jeff Woleslagle, POWA Board Chair and Scholarship Committee Chair.

Contact: Paula Piatt, Executive Director
570-886-1609, ppiatt@paoutdoorwriters.com