Udall Scholarship

The Udall is a national scholarship honoring the legacies of brothers Morris and Stewart Udall, whose careers had a significant impact on Native American self-governance, health care, and the stewardship of public lands and natural resources.

The scholarship is open to college sophomores and juniors for leadership, public service, and commitment to issues related to either Native American nations or to the environment.

The following criteria are used to select Udall Scholars:

  • A strong commitment and deep passion for the either the environment or for tribal policy or Native health care.
  • A strong character (the Udall Factor) – evidence of leadership potential, a service orientation, and integrity.
  • A strong trajectory: career goals, activities and service demonstrating that the student has begun to work towards a career that will allow him/her to make significant contributions to either environmental issues or her/his tribe, tribes in general, or Native Americans in general through political or public service, community action, or scientific advances.’

Students selected as Udall Scholars:

  • receive up to $7,000 for academic expenses.
  • receive access to the Udall Alumni Network: an association of change-makers, working in Indian country and environmental fields, sharing innovative ideas, professional advice, and job and internship opportunities.
  • spend five days in Tucson, Arizona, at Scholar Orientation: extending their professional network, meeting other scholars and alumni, and learning new skills.

Eligibility Criteria

General

  • Are you working towards positive solutions to environmental challenges -or- to issues impacting Indian country?
  • Have you demonstrated your commitment to one of these areas through public service?
  • Do you inspire and motivate others to take action?
  • Are you committed to making a difference through civility and consensus building?

Candidates for the Environment

  • Are you interested in conservation, environmental stewardship, or environmental policy?
  • Have you demonstrated your commitment to the environment through participation in campus activities or service to your community?
  • Are you working towards a career that will enable you to address environmental issues on a local, national, or global scale?

Candidates for Tribal Policy

  • Have you demonstrated your commitment to Indian country through participation in cultural activities and service to your community?
  • Are you working towards a career that will enable you to make a difference for your tribe or for Native Americans and Alaska Natives?
  • Are you enrolled in a state or federally recognized tribe or band or is one or more of your parents or grandparents was an enrolled member of a state or federally recognized tribe or band?
  • Are you a permanent U.S. resident or U.S. citizen who is a member of the First Nations of Canada?

Candidates for Native American Health Care

  • Are you a permanent U.S. resident or U.S. citizen who is a member of the First Nations of Canada?
  • Are you interested in improving health care practice and delivery in Indian country, or contributing to health care policy and research?
  • Have you demonstrated your commitment to Indian country through participation in cultural activities and service to your community?
  • Are you working towards a career that will enable you to impact health care for your tribe or for Native Americans and Alaska Natives?
  • Are you enrolled in a state or federally recognized tribe or band or is one or more of your parents or grandparents was an enrolled member of a state or federally recognized tribe or band?

The URI campus process

The Udall Scholarship requires institutional nomination, a process coordinated by the Office of National Fellowships & Academic Opportunities. College campuses and institutions are limited to four nominations per category (environmental or Native American issues) per cycle. Our campus has a pre-application process to select its nominees.
The campus pre-application includes:

  • Several short essays
  • A resume
  • A list of potential letter writers (no letters are submitted at this stage)
  • Unofficial transcripts from all undergraduate work
  • The campus nomination pre-application deadline is 4 pm on the first Reading Day of the Fall Semester each year.
Udall pre-application

Once nominees are selected and notified, they will meet individually fellowships advisor Kathleen Maher to develop a timeline for approaching the full application including essays and letters of recommendation. Nominees spend a great deal of time during the months of January and February working on revisions of their application materials with feedback from Kathleen Maher and faculty mentors.

Our Success

Nine URI students have been named Udall Scholars since 1998 and another six received honorable mention.

Perhaps you will be next!

Interested students are encouraged to contact the Udall campus representative, Kathleen Maher at kmaher@uri.edu for more information.  To be considered for nomination, students must submit the pre-application by the campus deadline.