Undergraduate Academic Affairs

April 10, 2009

UW undergraduates selected for prestigious Morris K. Udall Scholarships

Undergraduate Academic Affairs

2009 Udall Scholars

Congratulations 2009 Udall Scholars Cecilia Gobin and Sarah Ellison and Udall Honorable Mention Geoffrey Morgan (pictured from top to bottom).Photos by Jennifer Au and Somer Kreisman

The past accomplishments and future promise of three University of Washington undergraduates are being recognized with scholarships from the Morris K. Udall Foundation.

From a pool of 515 candidates nominated by 233 colleges and universities, senior Sarah Ellison and junior Cecilia Gobin were selected Udall Scholars and sophomore Geoffrey Morgan received honorable mention. Each scholarship provides up to $5,000 for one year; honorable mentions will receive a $350 award. The Foundation selected 80 students from 66 colleges and universities as Udall Scholars and 50 students as honorable mentions.

Udall scholarships are awarded to students based on their commitment to careers in the environment, health care or tribal public policy; leadership potential; and academic achievement. Since 2001, ten UW undergraduates have been named Udall Scholars and four earned honorable mention.

Sarah Ellison, Senior, Udall Scholar
Majors: Environmental Studies and Political Science
Minors: Environmental Science and Resource Management
Hometown: Colbert, WA
UW Honors Student, Dean’s List

Sarah highlights her experiences learning about sustainability in an ecovillage and organic farm in Aurovile, India. She also worked on organic farms in England, Ireland, and Greece, and studied in Spain. Sarah is a backcountry ranger at the North Cascades National Park, founder of the outdoors club We the Wild Things Go, and a regular volunteer with the Seattle Aquarium.

Cecilia Gobin, Junior, Udall Scholar
Major: American Indian Studies
Minors: Anthropology and History
Hometown: Tulalip, WA
2008 Udall Scholar, Dean’s List

A first-generation college student and active member of the Tulalip Tribe, Cecilia plans to attend law school and work as an attorney representing her tribe or other tribal governments. She volunteers to share Tulalip tribal culture and history with the general public, preserve West Coast and Coast Salish culture, and educates Tulalip youth on the importance of salmon fishing to tribal culture and economic subsistence. Cecilia also enjoys playing the piano, watching movies, spending time with family and friends, and going to the beach.

Geoffrey Morgan, Sophomore, Udall Honorable Mention
Majors: Civil and Environmental Engineering and International Studies
Hometown: Maple Valley, WA
UW Honors Student, Mary Gates Scholar, Rieser Fellowship, Shigemura Award

Geoffrey was studying in Sichuan Province, China when the 2008 earthquake struck. Instead of returning home, he and a fellow undergraduate started a relief effort to get school supplies and aid to kids in the area. Geoffrey is currently a board member of China Earthquake Aid, president of the Cool Mountain Education Club, a member of Engineers Without Borders, EarthCorps, the Mountain to Sound Greenway and researches sustainable development in rural areas. He loves extreme sports and plans to compete in an Ironman triathlon this summer.

About the Office of Merit Scholarships, Fellowships, and Awards
The Office of Merit Scholarships, Fellowships and Awards helps UW undergraduates develop the tools and personal insights necessary to match their goals with local and national merit-based scholarship opportunities. National scholarship opportunities include the Fulbright, Goldwater, Marshall, Rhodes, Truman scholarships and many others. The office is part of the Center for Experiential Learning in Undergraduate Academic Affairs.

About the Morris K. Udall Foundation Undergraduate Scholarship
The Morris K. Udall Foundation is an independent federal agency that was created by Congress in 1992 to honor Congressman Udall’s legacy of public service. Congressman Udall served in the House of Representatives for three decades, a career distinguished by civility, integrity and consensus. 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 our national wilderness. Congressman Udall also championed the rights of Native Americans and Alaska Natives, using his leadership in Congress to strengthen tribal self-governance. The Foundation’s education programs are supported by a trust fund in the U.S. Treasury and contributions from the private sector. The Udall 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.