The Morris K. Udall Foundation has selected Vanderbilt University students Jeremy Doochin and Rebecca S. Maddox among its crop of 2009 Udall Scholars.
The foundation awarded scholarships to 80 sophomores and juniors from 66 colleges and universities. Each scholarship provides up to $5,000 for one year. Doochin and Maddox are rising seniors at Vanderbilt and are among three students from Tennessee universities awarded scholarships this year. For a full listing of the scholars, visit www.udall.gov.
Morris K. Udall served in the U.S. House of Representatives for 30 years and his love for the environment resulted in numerous pieces of legislation, chief among them the Alaska Lands Act of 1980, which doubled the size of the national park system and tripled the country’s national wilderness. He also championed the rights of Native Americans and Alaska Natives, using his leadership in Congress to strengthen tribal self-governance. The foundation, an independent federal agency, was created by Congress in 1992 to honor Udall’s legacy of public service. The foundation’s education programs are supported by a trust fund in the U.S. Treasury and contributions from the private sector. The foundation also includes the U.S. Institute for Environmental Conflict Resolution, which assists in resolving conflicts related to the environment, public lands and natural resources.
The Udall Scholar competition is open to sophomore and juniors who have either demonstrated commitment to careers related to the environment, tribal public policy or Native American health care. Students interested in being considered for nomination for the 2010 scholarship competition should contact Lyn Fulton-John in the Office of Honor Scholarships by December 15, 2009.
The scholars will assemble Aug. 5-9 in Tucson, Ariz., to receive their awards and meet policymakers and community leaders in environmental fields, tribal health care, and governance.
The 2009 class of Udall Scholars was selected from among 515 candidates nominated by 233 colleges and universities. Among the class, 70 scholars intend to pursue careers related to the environment, six Native American/Alaska Native scholars intend to pursue careers in tribal public policy and four Native American/Alaska Native scholars will study health care.
The foundation seeks future leaders across a wide spectrum of environmental fields, including policy, engineering, science, education, urban planning and renewal, business, health, justice and economics. The foundation also seeks future Native American and Alaska Native leaders in public and community health care, tribal government and public policy affecting Native American communities, including land and resource management, economic development and education.
Doochin, who is from Nashville, is majoring in environmental economic policy at Vanderbilt. He is a two-time Udall
Scholarship winner, having previously won the scholarship as a sophomore. Doochin has done extensive work with the Tennessee American Chestnut Foundation to revive the American chestnut tree. His discovery, at a young age, of six American chestnuts in his backyard propelled his interest in these rare trees. He also has served on the boards of numerous environmental advocacy organizations. In 2008, he became the youngest member elected to the Sierra Club National Board of Directors, where he works to determine policy and strategy for more than 1.3 million members and supporters. He is also a participant in Vanderbilt’s Ingram Scholarship Program, which requires students to commit to volunteerism while at Vanderbilt and to demonstrate a commitment to combine a career in business or a business-related field with community service.
Maddox, who is from Huntsville, Ala., is double majoring in women’s and gender studies and earth and environmental science at Vanderbilt. She is currently researching gender, justice and climate change mitigation policy. Her professional goal is to work at the intersection of climate change, justice and the environment so that women in the global south do not bear the burden of climate change. She also works to promote sustainability as the vice president of education for Vanderbilt student group SPEAR (Students Promoting Environmental Awareness and Responsibility). As co-president of Vanderbilt Student Volunteers for Science, an organization with more than 600 members, she also works to create environmental science lessons for middle- to low-income communities with large minority populations.
There have been more than 1,000 Udall Scholars since the first awards in 1996. Past recipients from Vanderbilt University include Jeremy Doochin (2008), Jenny Magill (2006) and Star Wallin (2005).
Media contact: Princine Lewis, (615) 322-NEWS
princine.lewis@vanderbilt.edu