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NEWS
| For immediate use | June 15, 1998 -- No. 504 |
Local Angles: Greensboro, St. Louis
Two UNC-CH students win Morris K. Udall Scholarships
By RICHARD RAY
UNC-CH News Services
CHAPEL HILL -- Two students from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill were named 1998 Morris K. Udall Scholars recently, joining an elite group of undergraduates linked by academic excellence and an interest in environmental public policy.
Brad L. Saunders, a rising senior from Greensboro majoring in environmental sciences and engineering, and Laura M. Wisland, a rising senior from St. Louis majoring in public policy analysis, were among 75 winners announced this month by Terrence L. Bracy, chair of the board of trustees of the Morris K. Udall Scholarship and Excellence in Environmental Policy Foundation.
Winners were selected from a pool of 370 students nominated by the faculties of colleges and universities nationwide. Sixty-five of this year's scholars plan careers in environmental public policy, six in health care, and four in tribal public policy. Each winner will receive a one-year scholarship to cover tuition, books, and room and board, up to a maximum of $5,000.
Congress established the scholarship in 1992 to honor former U.S. Rep. Morris K. Udall's legacy of public service and environmental protection. The program aims to encourage outstanding students interested in environmental public policy careers, as well as Native Americans pursuing careers in health care or tribal policy.
Udall, whose life included stints as an NBA athlete, lawyer and banker, settled into the job of Arizona congressman from 1961 to 1991. He fought for the environment throughout his political career, helping designate millions of land acres as protected wilderness. His Alaska Lands Act, passed in 1980, doubled the size of the National Park system.
The Morris K. Udall Scholarship, now in its third year, benefits 75 students annually from the United States and Puerto Rico.
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Note: Saunders will be in Kenya until late June but then can be reached at his home in Greensboro at 336-644-1678.
(Ray is a 1998 graduate of the UNC-CH School of Journalism and Mass Communication)
Contact: Laura J. Toler: 919-962-8589