Udall Undergraduate Scholarship

Udall Scholarships provide the Scholar up to $7,000 for tuition, room and board, or other educational expenses. Recipients also participate in a four-day Udall Scholars Orientation in Tucson, Arizona to meet with other Scholars, elected officials, and other environmental and tribal leaders. All Scholars will be required to attend this event in August. Travel from the Scholar's home or school, lodging, and meals will be provided by the Foundation. Lastly, Scholars benefit from access to an active and growing  alumni network of environmental, Native American health and tribal policy professionals through the Udall Alumni listserv.

Honorable Mentions receive access to the alumni network.

To be eligible, students must meet all of the following criteria:

Be committed to a career related to the environment, OR committed to a career in tribal public policy OR Native American health care.

• Only Native Americans and Alaska Natives are eligible to apply in tribal public policy or Native American health care.
• Native American students studying tribal public policy or native health do not need to demonstrate commitment to the environment.
• Likewise, students pursuing environmentally related careers do not need to be Native American, nor do they need to demonstrate commitment to tribal public policy or Native health.
• Applicants should be aware that the Office of the Dean of Student Affairs is involved with the campus review process.  Students with serious social or academic violations, such as those that are included as part of their permanent record at Bowdoin, are advised to consult with the Director of Student Fellowships and Research early in the process.  Students may also consult with their dean for guidance.

At the time of application, be a matriculated sophomore or junior-level student at a two-year or four-year accredited institution of higher education, pursuing a bachelor's or associate's degree. (See "Who Can Apply" for more detailed information.)

Meet the following requirements:

• Have a college grade-point average of at least a "B" or the equivalent.
• Be pursuing full-time study during the current academic year.
• Be a U.S. citizen, U.S. national, or U.S. permanent resident.

Bowdoin’s Internal Selection Process. Since Bowdoin is allowed to nominate annually only six students in total regardless of category for the Udall Scholarship, the Committee will review the materials listed below to select Bowdoin’s six nominees. To be considered, applicants must notify Gina Pappas of their interest in applying so that Gina may register them in the Udall Foundation's online application system. Please note that the online application will be available after October 1.

By the “Initial Bowdoin Deadline” (see above), applicants must electronically submit PDFs of the following items to Gina Pappas (gpappas@bowdoin.edu). 

• A completed draft of a Udall Undergraduate Scholarship application form, except for the 800 word essay and letters of recommendation. Do not submit the full essay or letters of recommendation at this stage in the application process. (Through the Udall online application system, applicants can create a PDF of the application at any time, which can be emailed to the Office of Student Fellowships and Research.)
• A very brief statement (no more than a half page) describing how civility, integrity and consensus -- three core values that guided the work of Congressman Morris K. Udall and Secretary of Interior Stewart L. Udall -- resonate with you today and how you exemplify at least one of these values in your personal and professional life.
• The names of the three people who will be submitting letters of recommendation and their relationship to you
• Unofficial academic history from Polaris
• Current resume
• Signed and witnessed "Permission Form and Waiver"

Please note that, while all applicants are expected to submit their application by the Initial Bowdoin Deadline for review by the selection committee, under some extenuating circumstances late applications may be accepted. Please contact Eileen Johnson or Cindy Stocks for more information.

Please be reminded that Bowdoin’s Honor Code applies to the fellowship application process.

Materials for the Final Application. If you receive Bowdoin’s nomination, it is your responsibility to continue revising and collecting your materials and to inform your recommenders of the relevant deadlines.

By the Final Bowdoin Deadline (see above), Bowdoin's nominees must submit an online Udall application which consists of:

• An institutional nomination form from your faculty representative;
• An 11-question application form;
• An 800-word essay addressing the following prompt: "The public service careers of Congressman Morris K. Udall and Secretary of Interior Stewart L. Udall were guided by the core values of civility, integrity, and consensus. Tell us how these three characteristics resonate with you today and how you exemplify at least one of these values in your personal and professional life.";
• A current college transcript and transcripts for other colleges attended (unofficial is fine);
• Three letters of recommendation. Recommenders should electronically submit letters, signed and on letterhead, directly to Gina Pappas (gpappas@bowdoin.edu). 

More on the selection process.  Applicants are notified of their final status during the later part of March. 

Ayana Harscoet '21
A biology and environmental studies major with a minor in English, Ayana is passionate about conservation in all its interdisciplinary complexity, approaching conservation issues as an ecologist, writer, and activist. On campus, she organizes for climate justice with Bowdoin Sunrise, leads outing club trips, researches bumblebee behavior, works for the Sustainability Office, and co-leads the Naturalists, Multiracial Student Union, and Miscellania. A Doris Duke Conservation Scholar, Ayana seeks to understand the ways social inequities impact conservation practice and plans to pursue graduate study at the intersection of science communication, biocultural conservation, & environmental justice.

Margaret Lindeman '15
An earth and oceanographic science and mathematics double major, Margaret has received numerous academic honors from Bowdoin and beyond. Margaret is particularly interested in climate change science and, through her leadership positions with Green Bowdoin Alliance and Climate Awareness Movement Group, she is already working to educate the Bowdoin community. Margaret believes that all strategies and policies to address sea level rise must be based on reliable scientific data, and the Udall Scholarship recognizes her potential to be a leader in the environmental field. Margaret plans to pursue a Ph.D. and enter academia.

Erica Berry '14
As an English and environmental studies coordinate major, Erica is interested in applying her passion for narrative to environmental issues, believing that storytelling can teach where science fact alone falls short. She is an Editor-in-Chief of the Bowdoin Orient  2013-14, and has interned in media for the environmental nonprofit Oceana. The Udall Scholarship recognizes Erica's environmental leadership and commitment thus far, and endorses her vision for how journalism can broaden discourse about the intersections between man and environment.