CFO Travel Award Allows for a Unique Opportunity at the CFO Convention

CFO provides travel awards for youth and students to attend scientific conferences, birding camps, training workshops, and other educational endeavors to promote the education of the next generation of bird enthusiasts, researchers, and conservationists. To learn more about the travel awards and other CFO grants, please visit the CFO website.

Moira Wistera, an undergraduate at MSU Denver, was selected as the artist for the 2026 CFO Convention in Loveland, CO. Through that initial connection, Moira became a CFO member, joined the CFO convention planning committee, and successfully applied for a travel award to attend the convention.

By Moira Wisteria

My time at the convention was a time well spent, I will treasure the memories and connections I made during the time at the convention and while volunteering.

Reflecting on the night of the banquet, specifically, I have never experienced such a thunderous level of applause from a room full of people like that before. It was hard to keep my composure – I was about to cry! It was such a wonderful, heartwarming experience and such a gift to receive. I have faced a lot of hardship in my life, which includes recent events that violently affected me. To receive such an ovation like that really made me feel like what I’m doing matters, and that people value my work and my presence in this world.

I also pushed myself physically, going on a field trip to Lory State Park was the first time I had gone on a mountain hike in over ten years, and I even did better than I did ten years ago!

I’d like to add that trip leaders Carly Crow and Andrew McFadden were very attentive to the needs of our group. I really appreciated that extra care as someone who has mobility issues due to a very weakened ankle. Having guides with extensive knowledge and attention to detail like that is important when considering ability of the participants.

My only regrets were missing the other field trips I was registered for! I was really looking forward to both, but as a chronically ill person, sometimes I don’t have a choice in when I get to do things. I’m very grateful to both of those guides for being understanding of this, and hopefully I’ll be able to join on one of your trips next year!



I’d like to thank CFO for the opportunity to attend the Loveland convention this year. I’d also like to thank Kaily Taylor-Meek, Megan Jones Patterson, Christy Carello, Chuck Hundertmark, and everyone on the conventions committee that I got the honor and joy of working with. It was such an amazing opportunity to meet so many bird nerds like me, and I’m looking forward to being a part of the convention next year!