THE WILDLIFE SOCIETY (TWS) IS COMMITTED TO IDENTIFYING AND REMOVING BARRIERS TO RECRUITMENT, EFFECTIVE MENTORING, RETENTION OF A DIVERSE WORKFORCE, AND COMMUNICATION WITH A DIVERSE ARRAY OF STAKEHOLDERS. THE WILDLIFE SOCIETYS STRIVES TO ENSURE THAT WE ATTRACT THE NEXT GENERATION OF EMPLOYEES AND THAT THEY POSSESS THE RIGHT COMPETENCIES TO ADDRESS FUTURE CONSERVATION CHALLENGES. AS PART OF THIS INITIATIVE, TWS AND NATIVE PEOPLES WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT WORKING GROUP (NPWMWG) OF TWS, WITH SUPPORT FROM MULTIPLE FEDERAL AGENCIES AND TRIBAL ORGANIZATIONS, LAUNCHED AND IMPLEMENTED A COMPETITIVE PROGRAM TO PROMOTE THE EARLY CAREER DEVELOPMENT OF INDIGENOUS WILDLIFE PROFESSIONALS IN 2007. THE NATIVE STUDENT PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM (NSPDP) PROVIDES A COHORT OF NATIVE AMERICAN STUDENTS WITH THE OPPORTUNITY TO ATTEND THE TWS ANNUAL CONFERENCE, THE LARGEST GATHERING OF WILDLIFE PROFESSIONALS IN NORTH AMERICA EACH YEAR. TO STRENGTHEN AND CONTINUE THIS PROGRAM, TWS KINDLY REQUESTS PARTNERSHIP AND FUNDS FROM FWS TO SUPPORT ITS 2024 NATIVE STUDENT PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM. BY ENGAGING A GREATER PROPORTION OF THE POPULATION, TOGETHER WE CAN MORE EFFECTIVELY MANAGE WILDLIFE, THE ECOSYSTEMS THEY DEPEND ON, AND THE HUMAN COMMUNITIES THAT INTERACT WITH THEM.