Clarence Beckwith Distinguished Alumni Award: Andrew Bauer

Andrew Bauer has served with distinction as a Conservation Officer for the Michigan Department of Natural Resources for 23 years. Assigned to Berrien County since 1991, he says the work is as challenging as it is satisfying. His job duties change seasonally, enforcing the State of Michigan’s hunting, fishing, marine safety, off-road vehicle, and snowmobile laws throughout Southwestern Michigan. Conservation Officers are fully sworn police officers and can enforce all laws throughout the state of Michigan.

Andrew’s additional roles for the Department of Natural Resources include Field Training Officer, Background Investigator, Charter Boat Inspector, and State Park Ranger Academy Instructor. He has been involved in several large-scale investigations that have led to prosecutions for unlicensed charter boats, illegal wildlife kills, and firearm violations. Andrew’s supervisor and sergeant, Zach Doss, says that he “epitomizes the dedicated employee, always willing to help and go the extra mile to get the task at hand completed with pride.” When Andrew was named the Shikar Safari’s International Conservation Officer of the Year in 2001, he was surprised because he was much younger than many former awardees. He says that this award was his proudest moment, being in the company of the other awardees, who are “very hardworking, creative people.”

Andrew earned his Associate in Business Administration with honors from Lake Michigan College and a Bachelor of Science in Business Management from Grand Valley State University.

The Clarence Beckwith Distinguished Alumni Award was presented to Andrew Bauer in 2015.