August 3, 2023 (Washington, D.C.) – The Congressional Sportsmen's Foundation (CSF), the nation's leading authority in developing and defending legislation that protects and advances our outdoor traditions, is pleased to announce the launch of the Collegiate Sportsmen and Women's Coalition (CSWC). A network of individual student-led organizations facilitated and supported by CSF, the CSWC is complementary to existing outdoor conservation organizations by offering a new approach focused on policy education and engagement that provides members with hands on experience that they can carry forward into their future careers. Students from diverse backgrounds and interests will have the ability to come together and learn about the important role that hunting, angling, recreational shooting and trapping play in fish and wildlife conservation while also gaining first-hand experience in pro-conservation advocacy efforts. The foundation for this program began in 2020, with a pilot coalition at Mississippi State University (MSU). The MSU coalition has been very successful since its launch and was even a finalist for the best new student organizations on campus in its first year of activities. This was “proof of concept” for CSF and the CSWC, leading to the development of the national network of Collegiate Sportsmen and Women’s Coalitions to establish coalitions at a diverse array of college campuses around the country. Richard Childress, CSF Chairman of the Board said, “One of our community’s greatest needs as we look towards the future of America’s outdoor sporting traditions is educating our youth about the impact of hunting, angling, trapping, and recreational shooting on wildlife conservation. This, coupled with the Collegiate Sportsmen and Women’s Coalition’s commitment to providing students with the unique opportunity to engage on the public policy front, will provide today’s young adults with the tools they need to be impactful conservation leaders and responsible sportsmen and women into the future.” To aid in the development of this national network and to support the leaders of individual coalitions, CSF has now hired a dedicated staff member. Prior to moving into her new role as the CSWC Coordinator, Isabella Mucci served as CSF’s Southeastern States Coordinator, where she began working to build a CSWC coalition at her Alma Mater, the University of Mississippi. In just a few short months, the Ole Miss Collegiate Sportsmen and Women’s Coalition went from concept to reality and is now the second Coalition to join the national network. This student-led organization takes a new approach to engaging college students in support of our outdoor sporting heritage with CSF’s guidance as an established conservation leader. Ole Miss CSWC President Jake Tipton spoke about the importance of this student-led organization, saying “Leadership in the sportsmen and women’s community means not only promoting the importance of hunting, angling, recreational shooting, and trapping, but also educating and engaging a diverse range of individuals in the policy initiatives and conservation efforts that impact our shared passions. My goal as a leader in the Collegiate Coalition is to share my passion for the outdoors with other Ole Miss students and create leaders to further enhance the mission of the Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation.” If you are interested in learning more this program or bringing the Collegiate Sportsmen and Women’s Coalition to your campus, please contact Isabella Mucci at imucci@congressionalsportsmen.org or visit www.congressionalsportsmen.org to learn more. | 
