USA Creates Blankenship Scholars Program For Enforcement Careers

By DAVID RAINER, Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources

For those who wish to pursue a law enforcement career in Alabama’s great outdoors, an opportunity will soon be available at the University of South Alabama (USA), where the Blankenship Scholars program will award endowments to approximately10 students annually to further their studies and career.

The Blankenship Scholars program is named in honor of Chris Blankenship and family. Blankenship has served as the Commissioner of the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (ADCNR) since he was appointed by Governor Kay Ivey in 2017. However, his career at ADCNR started much earlier as a law enforcement officer with the Alabama Marine Resources Division (MRD). Those roots in enforcement are what prompted the endowment program.

“Without a doubt, Chris Blankenship’s leadership in conservation and natural resources has been unrivaled,” said USA President Jo Bonner. “He has worked tirelessly to implement the governor’s vision to make sure every corner of Alabama benefits from the investments that have been made over the past decade. Clearly, no one is more indebted to Commissioner Blankenship than those of us in south Alabama, where the beautiful Gulf meets the Mobile-Tensaw River Delta.

“Just as Chris’s stewardship of our wildlife and marine resources has been exceptional, he has done so much to upgrade and expand our state parks, which will benefit Alabamians for generations to come. It is only appropriate for the University of South Alabama to create the Blankenship Scholars so that our current and future students who want to follow in Chris’s path can do so with this endowment. We are extremely proud to count Chris Blankenship among our more than 100,000 alumni, and we salute him for his tireless and dedicated service to Alabama.”

Commissioner Blankenship, who served as Director of Marine Resources before being promoted to Commissioner, said he is grateful for the recognition but also knows these scholarships will create great pathways for those who want to pursue a conservation-based law enforcement career.

“I’m excited the University of South Alabama would like to create a program where we can train and attract more conservation enforcement officers,” Commissioner Blankenship said. “Our current officers are wonderful, and I am also excited that these scholarships will be able to help us fill those roles with officers that come in with even better enforcement training and conservation knowledge.

“For the university to create a scholarship program that has my name on it is extremely humbling, and I appreciate very much for them to think of me and my family and our contributions over the last 30-plus years.”

During Commissioner Blankenship’s tenure, more than $350 million has been spent on Alabama State Parks to build and improve facilities and expand recreational opportunities. In Alabama, more than 95 percent of the land is in private ownership, but ADCNR and its partners have been able to purchase more than 110,000 acres for public use through various funding methods, including the Forever Wild Land Trust, GoMESA and the Deepwater Horizon oil spill settlement. More than 50 boating access projects have been completed around the state.  Altogether, ADCNR has invested more than $525 million in outdoor recreation improvements while Blankenship has been Commissioner.

“I am very thankful for the work we’ve been able to do that has made the resource and environment better over the last 30-plus years,” he said. “I’m excited to see the next generation of leaders who will follow us.”

Dr. Sean Powers, Director of the USA’s Stokes School of Marine and Environmental Sciences, is very familiar with Commissioner Blankenship’s history at South Alabama, Marine Resources and as Commissioner. Powers collaborated with President Bonner to devise a way to honor Commissioner Blankenship and his family – wife Allyson Tomberlin Blankenship and three children.

“Jo Bonner wanted a way to recognize Chris for his work for the state, particularly in the south Alabama region,” Powers said. “Chris is a South Alabama alum and represented the university so well.”

Powers recalled that Commissioner Blankenship, who had a full President’s scholarship that covered everything from tuition to room and board, started as a physics major and transitioned into political science and criminal justice.

“He went on a ride-along with Marine Resources Enforcement, and he fell in love with it,” Powers said. “He got his degree in political science and criminal justice and then started with Marine Resources Enforcement. Chris has that background. Chris has also basically helped us start the School of Marine and Environmental Sciences at South through the investments the Conservation Department has made through GoMESA and the oil spill funds.”

Powers said what he wants the scholarships to do is train the next generation of conservation enforcement officers, not only Marine Resources but also Wildlife and Freshwater Fisheries enforcement and State Lands enforcement. The list continues with Alabama State Parks rangers, U.S. Fish and Wildlife officers and the U.S. Coast Guard.

“That’s the way I pitched it to the president,” he said. “All the best science, rules and regulations and management schemes in the world don’t mean anything unless we have conservation enforcement officers who are committed to the environment and committed to protecting it.

“Some of the officers have military backgrounds, and some of those positions are becoming more and more competitive. So having our graduates be qualified, where they have the background in political science and criminal justice with training in either marine sciences or environmental sciences, really makes sure we have that pipeline of dedicated Conservation Enforcement Officers.”

Powers said with that extensive training, the officers will be able understand the science behind why there are slot limits and other restrictions on certain species of fish and wildlife.

“If they write a violation, they can explain why they had to do these types of things,” he said. “Chris is really the epitome of a really smart, really committed marine conservation officer. Trying to give students a head start on all those things Chris learned to become the professional he is, that’s the idea.”

Powers said USA is in the middle of a fundraising campaign to raise $1 million to provide 10 competitive scholarships annually that would be available to sophomores through seniors.

“We wanted to create an endowment that will last forever,” he said. “We want really bright students to consider this as a career. The Blankenship Scholars program is inspired by Chris and designed to recognize the legacy of the Blankenship family. This will provide the training to be the next Marine Resources officer, maybe be the next Marine Resources Director or the next Conservation Commissioner.

“Plus, you get to train not only in a marine environment but also land management, forestry, freshwater fishing and hunting. We think it’s a unique program, and who wouldn’t want a job in the outdoors.”

Powers said the university hopes to be able to offer the first Blankenship Scholars endowment in August 2027.

“Being able to provide scholarship money to these students is a very positive thing,” said Commissioner Blankenship, who said the scholarship he received at USA made a big difference in his career path. “Instead of going somewhere else, where I would have had to take a loan to pay for my education, having that scholarship definitely was a deciding factor to attend South, and I was so thankful to receive it. Graduating with no student debt gave me a leg up starting out. I think getting my education at the University of South Alabama is one of the best decisions I’ve made.

“And we’ve continued our relationship with Dr. Powers and the university and the great work they continue to do in marine sciences. It’s exciting, and I’m glad to be a part of it.”

USA will announce the University of South Alabama Blankenship Scholars program at a reception to honor Commissioner Blankenship from 5:30-7:30 on September 21 at the Grand Bohemian Mountain Brook in Birmingham.

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