Last updated: April 3, 2024
Article
Liz Putnam: The Visionary Behind the Creation of the Student Conservation Association
NPS Photo
When looking at the achievements and legacies of women throughout our nation’s history, there are so many to honor and commemorate. In the conservation world, Elizabeth (Liz) Putnam is known by many for creating the current model of conservation and service corps when she founded the Student Conservation Association (SCA) in 1957.
The foundation for what would become the SCA began in 1953 when Liz, at the age of 20, proposed the concept as part of her senior thesis during her undergraduate studies at Vassar College. This new organization was modeled after the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC), which was established by President Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1933. The CCC gave thousands of men the opportunity to work on environmental conservation projects after World War I. It was time for people from all backgrounds and experiences to be part of the conservation movement.
Liz based the SCA framework off of the successful conservation work projects from the CCC, with a focus on protecting public lands, and adding inspiration from her own love for the outdoors. With the help of Martha Hayne Talbot, a former Vassar alumna, Liz’s thesis became a reality in 1957. With the support of National Park Service officials, and the first SCA crew, made of volunteers at the time, began at Grand Teton National Park and Olympic National Park that year.
Since then, the SCA has engaged over 100,000 individuals, including high schoolers, college students, and recent graduates in preserving the environment, national parks, and green spaces nationwide. The SCA is a partner of other federal, state, and local resource management organizations across the country that continue to help protect endangered species, conserve urban green spaces, and restore landscapes devastated by natural disasters.
Students and young individuals have gained hands-on experience in a variety of fields within public sites and national parks, such as maintenance action team projects, wildlife protection, historic preservation, and natural and cultural resources. These experiences have taught them environmental stewardship, provided them with technical skills, and created lifelong friendships.
Today, Liz is still a member of the SCA’s Board of Directors as a guiding force. Throughout her career, and even after, she has won various awards and honors for her support to youth and young adults from all walks of life. In 2010, President Obama awarded Liz the Presidential Citizens Medal at a White House ceremony. This is one of the nation’s highest civilian awards. She became the first conservationist to receive this award.
Over the years, Liz has been honored for her work and legacy. In ️1982, Liz was given the President’s Volunteer Action Award by President Reagan. In 2006, the SCA earned the U.S. Department of the Interior’s Take Pride in America volunteerism award. In 2009, the SCA was named one of America’s “best green jobs programs for youth” by the U.S. Conference of Mayors. In 2012, Liz won The Corps Network’s Legacy Achievement Award, and in 2016, she was presented with The Wilderness Society’s Robert Marshall Award. In 2022, the National Park Service organized a special virtual event to celebrate 65 years with the SCA, where former SCA alumni came together to reflect on their experience during their program and where they are now.
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The foundation for what would become the SCA began in 1953 when Liz, at the age of 20, proposed the concept as part of her senior thesis during her undergraduate studies at Vassar College. This new organization was modeled after the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC), which was established by President Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1933. The CCC gave thousands of men the opportunity to work on environmental conservation projects after World War I. It was time for people from all backgrounds and experiences to be part of the conservation movement.
Liz based the SCA framework off of the successful conservation work projects from the CCC, with a focus on protecting public lands, and adding inspiration from her own love for the outdoors. With the help of Martha Hayne Talbot, a former Vassar alumna, Liz’s thesis became a reality in 1957. With the support of National Park Service officials, and the first SCA crew, made of volunteers at the time, began at Grand Teton National Park and Olympic National Park that year.
Since then, the SCA has engaged over 100,000 individuals, including high schoolers, college students, and recent graduates in preserving the environment, national parks, and green spaces nationwide. The SCA is a partner of other federal, state, and local resource management organizations across the country that continue to help protect endangered species, conserve urban green spaces, and restore landscapes devastated by natural disasters.
Students and young individuals have gained hands-on experience in a variety of fields within public sites and national parks, such as maintenance action team projects, wildlife protection, historic preservation, and natural and cultural resources. These experiences have taught them environmental stewardship, provided them with technical skills, and created lifelong friendships.
Today, Liz is still a member of the SCA’s Board of Directors as a guiding force. Throughout her career, and even after, she has won various awards and honors for her support to youth and young adults from all walks of life. In 2010, President Obama awarded Liz the Presidential Citizens Medal at a White House ceremony. This is one of the nation’s highest civilian awards. She became the first conservationist to receive this award.
Over the years, Liz has been honored for her work and legacy. In ️1982, Liz was given the President’s Volunteer Action Award by President Reagan. In 2006, the SCA earned the U.S. Department of the Interior’s Take Pride in America volunteerism award. In 2009, the SCA was named one of America’s “best green jobs programs for youth” by the U.S. Conference of Mayors. In 2012, Liz won The Corps Network’s Legacy Achievement Award, and in 2016, she was presented with The Wilderness Society’s Robert Marshall Award. In 2022, the National Park Service organized a special virtual event to celebrate 65 years with the SCA, where former SCA alumni came together to reflect on their experience during their program and where they are now.
Have a question about Youth or Young Adult Programs? Please e-mail us. Learn more about what we do. Be sure to follow us on Facebook, X, and Instagram.