Udall Foundation honors two environmental studies students
St. Olaf College student Mari McClelland ‘16 has been named a Udall Scholar for 2015–16, and student Kalyn Dorheim ‘16 earned an honorable mention.
Udall scholarships are awarded to students who have demonstrated leadership, public service, and a commitment to careers related to the environment, American Indian health care, or tribal public policy. This year 50 students from 43 colleges and universities across the United States received the award.
McClelland has the opportunity to travel to Tucson, Arizona, in early August to receive her award and meet policymakers and community leaders in environmental fields, tribal health care, and governance. Both Dorheim and McClelland will have access to the Udall alumni network.
McClelland is an environmental studies and Asian studies major and president of the St. Olaf environmental studies honor house. Last summer she completed a National Science Foundation Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) program in Guangzhou, China, that focused on the biological and chemical remediation of e-waste recycling byproducts.
“A ton of my learning has come from great experiences I’ve had living, working, and studying in East Asia,” says McClelland. “I took a gap year as an exchange student in Taichung, Taiwan, had the REU opportunity in Guangzhou, and studied abroad this Interim in the St. Olaf course Environmental Sustainability in Japan.”
This summer McClelland will participate in a Collaborative Undergraduate Research and Inquiry program at St. Olaf. Under the supervision of Assistant Professor of Economics Seth Binder, McClelland and Udeepta Chakravarty ‘17 will research Earth’s human carrying capacity.
McClelland also writes for the Manitou Messenger and dances with the St. Olaf swing club, and last September she participated in the People’s Climate March in New York City. She plans to pursue a graduate degree in environmental economics and/or policy.
Dorheim is a biology and environmental studies major and a member of the St. Olaf women’s swim team. She also volunteers with Supporting Special Needs, a club that collaborates with the Laura Baker House in Northfield and raises awareness for people with special needs. Dorheim plans to become an environmental educator.