Cabela's Apprenticeship Research Program
Our Cabela’s Apprenticeship Program is an opportunity for students to gain experience doing research that addresses real issues centered around:
- recruiting and maintaining participants in outdoor activities
- managing fish and wildlife and creating their habitat
- protecting threatened and endangered species
- supporting ecosystem conservation
Students with at least 27 credit hours or sophomore standing are eligible to apply.
Funding for apprentices typically averages about $3,000, but other levels of funding are considered if justified in the application.
The program is a partnership among Cabela’s, Nebraska Game and Parks Commission, and the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, with funding provided by Cabela’s.
Applications will be available January 6, 2025.
Applications for 2025 are due Friday, February 7, 2025 at 5:00 pm
More Questions? Contact Chris Chizinski
- cchizinski2@unl.edu
Apprenticeship Stories
"I kept a lot of aquariums, and getting to see those different exotic species and learning about them in a captive setting really piqued my interest. That inspired me to take this path and now I’ve gotten to see different species of fish in their natural habitat." – Ella Humphrey – Read more
"My research experience this summer at the Niobrara Valley Preserve simply would not have been possible without the financial support from Cabela's. Without the burden of working a part-time job this summer to support myself, I was able to dive fully into the research and learn as much as possible while maintaining a healthy work/leisure balance. With Cabela's emphasis on an apprenticeship rather than just a typical research experience, I was able expand beyond my forest ecology focus and learn from other folks at the Nature Conservancy about things like prescribed fire, prairie restoration, and land management. Oh, and how to change a flat tire on a big truck!" – Brittni McGuire – See more
"The stipend is very helpful since I would otherwise likely not be able to afford room and board in Lincoln for the summer, " – Abagail Schoup – Read more
2023-2024 Apprentices
| Apprentices | Project | Advisor(s) |
|---|---|---|
| Lindsey Blehm | The Effects of Wildfire Ash on Nebraska's Sandhill Lakes | Daniel Gschwentner |
| Makena Foley | Evaluating Land Use Effects on Stream Metabolism | Keeley MacNeill |
| Madison Hein | Finding the Balance Between Livestock Production and Wildlife Habitat | Andy Little |
| Lenny Huff & Kate Glause | Antibotics in Our Surface Waters | Keeley MacNeill |
| Ella Humphrey | The Thermal Tolerances and Heat Shock Protein Regulation of Notropis dorsalis | Jonathan Spurgeon & Sarah Sonsthagen |
| Josie Ivy | Expanding Access to Outdoor Education Opportunties for Marginalized Communities in Central Nebraska | Jenny Keshwani |
| Kaitlyn Richards | Iowa Department of Natural Resources Internship | Andy Otting and Ben Dodd |
| Francis Snow | Attitudes of Individuals at a Nebraskan University Toward Sub-Order Serpentes | Dennis Ferraro |
2022-2023 Apprentices
| Apprentices | Project | Advisor(s) |
|---|---|---|
| Grace Carey | Factors that limit primary production in lakes | Jessica Corman |
| Lauren Clapper | In-Sync Exotics Wildlife Rescue & Educational Center in Wylie, Texas | Exotics Wildlife Rescue & Educational Center — Mentor: Vicky Keahey |
| Samantha Garcia | Better understand how native wildlife species are affected by bioenergy crop production | Andy Little |
| Andres Hayes | Productivity of the different types of beehives (lanstrogh, top bar, cement langstroth) | Zambeze Delta Conservation/Cabela Family Foundation |
| Kaianna Hraben | Positive sentiments about zoos and their conservation efforts change over time | Chris Chizinski |
| Johnathan Kelly | Temporal and spatial variability in nutrient runoff in streams in and around Scotts Bluff, Nebraska | Steve Thomas |
| Matthew Klein | Occupancy and estimated population status of native Nebraska herpetofauna species located within the Niobara Valley Preserve | Dennis Ferraro |
| Katie Krager | Research of Trumpeter Swans | Mark Vrtiska |
| Helen Little | Research will examine whether application of oyster mushroom-colonized substrate is an effective field treatment | Judy Wu-Smart |
| Alex Napolitano | Study the effect of mussels on water quality | Keeley MacNeill |
| Laurel Nelson | Negative sentiments about zoos and their conservation efforts change over time | Chris Chizinski |
| Jacob Reiber | Quantify how light impacts stream algal growth | Reilly Farrell | Jessica Corman |
| Abigail Ridder | Eastern redcedar’s effect on sapling recruitment in the Niobrara River Valley. | Sabrina Russo |