Congratulations 2025 Program on the Environment Scholarship Awardees!

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Brigitte Worstell, Program on the Environment Undergraduate Scholarship

Brigitte Worstell is an Environmental Studies and Economics double major at the University of Washington, graduating in Spring 2026. This summer she will be a Voluntary Carbon Markets Communications Intern with the Environmental Defense Fund, where she will work on increasing public understanding and trust in carbon markets through accessible and compelling storytelling. Previously, Brigitte interned with the Electrification Coalition, where she developed nonpartisan communications strategies to promote electric vehicle adoption.

On campus, Brigitte served as a content editor for FieldNotes, the student-run undergraduate research journal, where she helped connect other students with science communication opportunities. She currently leads a sustainability consulting team for ClimeCo, researching decarbonization strategies for polyester and cotton supply chains.  She is passionate about equitable climate policy, and her capstone project focuses on identifying the attributes that make voluntary carbon market projects effective and equitable. In her free time, she enjoys hiking, ceramics, and taking care of the many goats on her farm.

Emily Mittenthal, Program on the Environment Undergraduate Scholarship

Emily is a double major in Environmental Studies and Political Science and will be graduating in 2026. She is passionate about sustainable food systems, urban planning and design, and environmental justice. During her time at UW, she has leaned into these interests by volunteering at the university food pantry, co-leading a campus-wide solidarity campaign for immigrant rights, and conducting research on the intersections of environmental justice, urban planning, and Indigenous sovereignty. This summer, she will continue her community work by volunteering at the University District Food Pantry, supporting consistent food access for the local community. Emily believes that building strong connections with local communities and standing up for values of sustainability and justice are essential to creating meaningful, sustainable change. She aims to incorporate these values into shaping her future path.

Maggie Chen, Program on the Environment Undergraduate Scholarship

Maggie is an Environmental Studies major from Ringgold, Georgia, and will be graduating in Spring 2028. Her academic passions lie in environmental justice, climate education, and sustainability. Currently, she is involved in SEED, Symphonic Band, Music for Charity, and the Society for Ecological Restoration, where she will become a site manager in the fall. Outside of UW, she works as Program Developer for Climate Action Families, a non-profit focused on expanding an intergenerational climate movement through educational and community-centered events. Through her time in and out of UW, Maggie has learned about the importance of community in tackling issues that seem greater than ourselves, and she hopes to share this sentiment with others now, and well into the future.

Oliver Girouard, Program on the Environment Undergraduate Scholarship

Oliver, who has lived in Seattle his entire life, will be receiving his degree in Environmental Studies from the University of Washington in 2026. Drawing from his experiences as an environmental camp counselor and Washington Conservation Corps crewmember, Oliver is passionate about sharing the joy of exploring the Pacific Northwest and plans to become an environmental educator. Oliver believes that the youth of today could greatly benefit from more time in nature, especially given our rapidly expanding digital world. He is also passionate about native plant production and circular economies and has been serving as an intern for the SER Native Plant Nursery on campus. While in service at the nursery he has been in charge of designing and implementing a sustainable shade cloth system with minimal waste and renewable materials. Prior to his entry to UW, Oliver was a member of the Honors College at Shoreline Community College where he presented his research on the feasibility of bioplastics in the circular economy at the UW’s Undergraduate Research Symposium. He is committed to learning about climate adaptation strategies and finding ways to educate youth about environmental issues that inspire action rather than despair.

Sarah Desai, Program on the Environment Undergraduate Scholarship

Sarah is an Environmental Studies and Anthropology double major; after graduating in 2026, she intends to attend law school. She is a Program Support Intern for City of Seattle’s Human Services Department. She’s President of Huskies for Kids, a community service based RSO dedicated to fundraising, programming events, and volunteering to help underprivileged youth and families across Seattle. Sarah is a student leader through being on the Residence Education Programming (REP) team, where she helps plan 20+ annual educational events for over a 1,000 on-campus residents. She is also on the Student Advisory Council (SAC) for the College of the Environment, helping to advise Deans on student-related issues. She’s currently finishing up her Anthropology honors thesis, studying the environmental and human health effects of radiation pollution from the Hanford nuclear site through an environmental justice and public policy lens. And this summer she will be working as a Population Health Applied Research Fellow to assess the accessibility of neighborhood parks for King County. In her personal time, she enjoys reading, cooking, and running.

 

Congratulations 2024-2025 College of the Environment Scholarship Awardees!

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Sarah Desai, College of the Environment Scholarship

Sarah is an Environmental Studies and Anthropology double major, graduating in Spring 2026. She’s a Program Support Intern for City of Seattle’s Human Services Department, where one of her current projects is analyzing how climate change will specifically effect King County’s elderly and disadvantaged populations. She’s President of Huskies for Kids, a community service based RSO dedicated to fundraising, programming events, and volunteering to help underprivileged youth and families across Seattle. Sarah is a student leader through being on the Residence Education Programming (REP) team, where she helps plan 20+ annual educational events for over a 1,000 on-campus residents. She is also on the Student Advisory Council (SAC) for the College of the Environment, helping to advise Deans on student related issues. She’s currently working on her Anthropology honors thesis where she’s studying the environmental and human health effects of radiation pollution from the Hanford nuclear site through an environmental justice and public policy lens. In her personal time, she enjoys reading, cooking, and running.

 Sam Pham, Leo Reitan Scholarship

Sam is from Seattle majoring in Environmental Studies and Geography graduating in 2027. This is his second year with the UW Dawgcast where he works with other students to forecast the weather and publish forecast blogs and videos for the greater Seattle area. He has also previously served as a SEED (Students Expressing Environmental Dedication) representative for his residence hall. In his spare time, he also enjoys gardening (at home and his local community garden), fishkeeping, and tidepooling. He is looking to pursue a career in the urban planning sector and use his knowledge of the environment and mapping to seek solutions to today’s urban environmental problems.

Annie Schlanger, College of the Environment Scholarship

Annie Schlanger is majoring in Environmental Studies and Political Science, and will be graduating in Winter 2025. She is from Ellensburg, WA and spent her time growing up being in nature and around animals. Her academic interests include environmental education, agroecology and regenerative food systems. This summer, Annie did her capstone internship with the Pacific Northwest Crab Research Group, doing light trap monitoring for larval Dungeness crabs. She just got back from a study abroad in Ecuador, studying agroecology and Indigenous food systems. In her free time, Annie is the vice president of the UW equestrian team.

 

Shannon Cosgrove, College of the Environment Scholarship

Shannon is a senior majoring in Environmental Studies with a minor in International Studies, preparing to embark on an Honors capstone internship in the upcoming winter quarter. Growing up in Port Angeles, where the mountains meet the sea, she developed strong values of environmental stewardship from a young age. Her past experience as a legislative intern for the Washington State Board of Community and Technical Colleges fueled her passion for advancing social justice and supporting at-risk communities through effective policy initiatives. At the UW, she has cultivated a deep commitment to environmental and climate justice, inspired by the incredible individuals she has encountered here. After graduating in the Spring, she aspires to work in a space where she can leverage her skills to help those most affected by the climate crisis understand environmental policies, encourage collective action, and contribute to the societal change she envisions. Ultimately, she aims to be part of global environmental policy, advocating for sustainable practices on a worldwide scale.

Evelyn Osburn, College of the Environment Scholarship

Evelyn Osburn is majoring in Environmental Studies and Political Science, with a minor in Spanish and will be graduating in Spring of 2025. She comes from beautiful Whidbey Island where she enjoys hiking and going to the beach. She is passionate about the intersection of the environment and public policy, as well as sustainability, environmental justice, indigenous sovereignty movements, and the accessibility of the outdoors. Evelyn has worked to be involved within her community and environmental-related issues in her time at UW. She has served as a Co-Lead for the Nextgen Civic Leader Corps Sustainability & Environmental Justice Team organizing and attending events. She is an undergraduate fellow through the Center for Environmental Politics (research assistant focusing on maladaptation) and through the Center for American Politics and Public Policy (designing original research to be presented in Spring!). Over the summer, she worked as an intern for Zero Waste Washington—a non-profit driving policy and systematic change for a healthy and waste-free world—for her senior capstone project. Lastly, Evelyn has recently become a staffer for the climbing club and hopes to get more individuals from marginalized communities introduced to the outdoors in a safe and inclusive manner! She believes that everyone is a leader, and our individual choices have lasting impacts, so we can all do amazing things.

Leyna Doty, College of the Environment Scholarship

Leyna is a third-year majoring in environmental studies and minoring in nutrition. She’s from Spanaway, Wa and is interested in the impacts that sustainable agriculture has on local communities and the environment. Last summer, Leyna went on a study aboard program to Costa Rica to be immersed and learn about sustainable food systems. She have been involved in UW Dirty Dozen and NetImpact RSOs on campus, and is currently interning on the UW Farm. Leyna hopes to eventually own a small-scale farm with the mission of increasing healthy food access and equity.

Additional scholarship recipients include Oliver Girouard, College of the Environment Scholarship. 

Apply for the Udall Undergraduate Scholarship

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The Udall Scholarship is a $7,000 scholarship for sophomores and juniors who are committed to making a difference in either the environment or Native American/Alaska Native Tribal Policy or Native Healthcare. The scholarship identifies future leaders in environmental, tribal public policy, and health care fields. It is highly competitive, with students participating in their schools’ internal competitions before receiving consideration from the Udall Foundation.

US citizenship or permanent residency required. Four nominations are available for students committed to environmental careers and four for students interested in Tribal Policy/Native Healthcare.

Udall UW Nomination required, apply here: https://new.expo.uw.edu/expo/apply/746

UW deadline: January 15, 2025 – Application opens today, October 15!

National deadline: March 2025

Congratulations 2024 Scholarship Recipients!

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Ava Vaughan, Program on the Environment Undergraduate Scholarship

Ava is pursuing a dual degree in business and environmental studies with a minor in nutrition. She grew up on the Olympic Peninsula of Washington and spent most of her life on Dabob Bay. Her passions include sustainable food systems, conservation, and ESG reporting. During Ava’s time at UW, she has participated in a variety of activities but has focused her time particularly on Net Impact and the Dirty Dozen Student Farm Club. As incoming Net Impact President, Ava will continue her work at the intersection of business sustainability and ethics. She will also continue as the undergraduate student representative for the Population Health Initiative. After graduation in 2026, she intends to pursue a career in corporate sustainability or work in the nonprofit sector.

Cyril Clement, Program on the Environment Undergraduate Scholarship

Cyril is majoring in Environmental Studies and Medical Anthropology and will be graduating in 2026. He is from Bangalore, India, and is interested in the intersections of climate change and public health. He believes that community building is crucial to addressing the biggest issues our world faces. He was the project lead for the first Zero Waste Week, a program with the goal of creating a platform where participants can give the problem of waste generation a more conscious thought and learn about specific actions to mitigate waste production. He co-founded Narcare, a national non-profit and UW student organization that is dedicated to spreading awareness on ways we can protect ourselves and others from the dangers of the opioid crisis. For his anthropology honors thesis, he is exploring the role of health insurance navigators in improving access to healthcare for Washington State’s undocumented residents. He characterizes expanding access to health insurance as an environmental justice policy that can help protect migrant farmworkers from the health risks associated with climate change. Through his further studies and career, he plans to uncover ways to disrupt the policies and systemic mechanisms that contribute to environmental injustice and inequality.  

Sofia Berkowitz, Program on the Environment Undergraduate Scholarship

Sofia Berkowitz is an Environmental Studies major from Denver, Colorado graduating in the spring of 2026. Their focus within the major is on environmental justice and she is planning to minor in Public Policy. She has worked on campus this year with the Campus Sustainability Fund and next year will serve as the Chair of their Committee, as well as well as continuing her leadership role within the Zero Waste Week program. This summer, she is working as the Fundraising and Grants Intern at the non-profit ZeroWaste.Org as a Jackson Munro Public Service Fellow. They hope to use the skills gained through these opportunities to continue advancing local sustainability and equity, both on a social and environmental scale.

Apply Now — Environmental Leadership Scholarships!

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Environmental Leadership Scholarship applications are now open through the Program on the Environment! Applicants must be current ENVIR majors to apply, and must provide a written personal statement as well as a faculty recommendation. The deadline to apply for one of three $2000 scholarships is Wednesday, May 9th. Application link can be found here or by scanning the QR code in the flyer below.

College of the Environment Scholarships Now Open

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College of the Environment undergraduate student scholarships for the 2024-2025 school year are now OPEN! Application can be found here. Applications are due April 21st, 2024 at 11:59PM. Only one application is needed to be considered for all possible scholarships.

General eligibility: All scholarships are both need- and merit-based. Students who wish to be considered must complete the FAFSA or WAFSA form AND demonstrate need based on the University of Washington Office of Student Financial Aid’s assessment of this form. Incoming graduate students will be recommended for applicable scholarships by their academic unit. No individual graduate student applications will be accepted. Current undergraduates may apply for College of the Environment Scholarships annually.

Award amounts: Award amounts for all scholarships will vary depending upon financial need and source of funds, but most awards are between $1,000-$5,000. Awards are distributed over the course of the Autumn, Winter, and Spring quarters the following academic year.

Questions? Email coenvaa@uw.edu.

Apply for Sustainable Forestry Initiative Conference Scholarships

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The Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI) is offering scholarships to attend the 2024 SFI Annual Conference. We invite you to join us for the 2024 SFI Annual Conference in Atlanta, Georgia, June 4-6, 2024, as we celebrate Forests for the Future! https://forests.org/conference/

There will be engaging discussions around the following topics:

  • Creating forests for the future
  • SFI certification in global forest markets
  • Mass timber for climate and communities
  • Conservation of species at risk
  • Climate smart forestry
  • Telling the certification story through product labels
  • Diverse and resilient workforce
  • Urban and community forestry

Interested applicants can apply here: https://pltcanada.org/en/scholarships-2024-sfi-conference/

Applications close on April 6th, 2024. So, register today!

Congratulations 2023-2024 PoE Scholarship Recipients!

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Ariana Milo, Environmental Community Legacy Scholarship & PoE Alumni Council Scholarship

Ariana is an Environmental Studies major from St. Louis, Missouri, and is graduating in 2026. Her focus lies in sustainability, along with interests in ecology and agriculture. She hopes to combine her two major passions — music and the environment — to improve the sustainability of music touring and the industry at large.

 

Elise Oertel, Program on the Environment Undergraduate Scholarship

Elise is an environmental studies major from Pittstown, New Jersey. She also plans to seek a data science minor. After her experience working with the Center for Responsible Forestry and learning about the thousands of old growth forest clearcuts that are devastating local legacy forests, she would love to go into tree and wildlife conservation. She has a passion for the PNW and wants to do her best to protect its historic and remarkable wilderness, as it protects us.

 

Isaac Olson, Program on the Environment Undergraduate Scholarship

Isaac Olson is studying Environmental Studies and Oceanography, graduating in 2024. He is from Snohomish, Washington, and recently engaged in research with Professor Terrie Klinger analyzing forcing factors behind harmful algal blooms in Willapa Bay, Washington. He serves as Undergraduate Assistant for the UW Program on Climate Change, At-Large Representative on the College of the Environment Student Advisory Council, and President of Environmental Policy Student Association at the UW, positions that let him increase interdisciplinary, equitable, and accessible environmental communication and action in the UW community. As a 2022 NOAA Hollings Scholar, he worked with the NOAA Ocean Acidification Program on projects increasing regional ocean acidification communication, and after graduation, he hopes to continue working in environmental communication, politics, or advocacy to inspire equitable, lasting, science-backed societal action.

Amy Whitham, Program on the Environment Undergraduate Scholarship

Amy is an Environmental Studies major and Anthropology minor and will graduate in 2024. She is from Seattle. Her interests are in environmental anthropology, local green jobs, and collaboration between indigenous populations and government to restore traditional land stewardship. Over the summer she took a course at Friday Harbor Labs where she learned about Indigenous Resource Management in the Salish Sea. She was recently involved in a project providing data to King Country in an effort to create an equitable shift to green jobs in the Pacific Northwest. Her passion is to reframe public perception of the environmental movement, motivating people to work toward preserving green spaces in their own neighborhoods. She plans to attend graduate school where she will continue her studies in environmental policy, and work toward developing programs that benefit underserved communities.

Fiona Willmer, PoE Alumni Council Scholarship & Program on the Environment Undergraduate Scholarship

Fiona is an environmental studies and visual communication design dual major, graduating in 2026. She has volunteered at the UW farm, working to implement the practices of sustainable agriculture. She also works for the UW student newspaper as an illustrator and photographer, creating powerful visuals that tell meaningful stories. Last summer she studied abroad in Costa Rica, learning about the complexity of natural ecosystems there and the impacts of climate change in other countries. She represents the college of the environment as an ambassador and intends to pursue a career at the intersection of media and environmental issues.

 

Congratulations Scholarship Recipients!

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Anya Gavrylko, Environmental Community Legacy Scholarship
Anya is an Environmental Studies and Community, Environmental & Planning double major graduating in the spring of 2023. She is from Chicago, Illinois, and is currently working as a research assistant on a project monitoring bird-collisions on campus to bring more bird safe architectural design-based solutions to the University of Washington. Her focus within Environmental Studies is environmental justice, specifically within urban areas. For Anya’s Program on the Environment Capstone she was an environmental justice intern at Lake City Collective, a community organization, and focused on researching solutions for mitigating environmental gentrification. Her senior project for Community, Environmental & Planning is researching the impact of ethnobotanical education on people’s relationship to the natural environment. After graduation, Anya intends on pursuing a career in urban planning, where she hopes to create more channels of communication and trusting relationships between city government and underinvested communities to facilitate community-led and community-oriented environmental justice projects.

 

Gracie Thomsen, Alumni Scholarship
Gracie Thomsen comes from Hoquiam, Washington and is double majoring in English and Environmental Studies, graduating in 2024. Over the summer, Gracie worked with the City of Hoquiam in their water and parks departments and saw firsthand how water quality and economics needs can come into conflict. Seeing how the city of Hoquiam managed these conflicts as well as learning about the infrastructure of Hoquiam’s water supply helped Gracie learn about career opportunities dealing with water pollution and purification. Gracie would love to use both her  English and Environmental Studies degrees and is strongly interested in working environmental education and/or environmental communication.

 

Isaac Olson, Alumni Scholarship and Program on the Environment Undergraduate Scholarship
Isaac Olson is majoring in Environmental Studies and Oceanography, graduating in 2024. He is from Snohomish, Washington, and has engaged in research with Professor Ale Gagnon measuring how fish populations respond to rising anoxia and with Professor Terrie Klinger analyzing the effects of alterations to harmful algal blooms in Willapa Bay, Washington. He serves as Undergraduate Assistant for the UW Program on Climate Change, Undergraduate Co-Chair of the College of the Environment Student Advisory Council, and Co-President of Environmental Policy Student Association at the UW, positions that let him increase interdisciplinary, equitable, and accessible environmental communication and action in the UW community. He will be developing Ocean Acidification Toolkits with the NOAA Ocean Acidification Program this summer as a 2022 Hollings Scholar, and after graduation, he hopes to continue working in environmental communication, politics, or advocacy to inspire equitable, lasting, science-backed societal action.

 

James Moy, Program on the Environment Undergraduate Scholarship
James is an Environmental Studies and Business major graduating 2025. He is from Foster City, California, and is currently working for PeaceTrees as an Academic Intern through the school year. Additionally, James also works at ASUW(Associated Students of the University of Washington) in the communications department as the multimedia curator. James has used his various positions around the campus community to channel messages and values he’s gained through the environmental courses he’s been involved in. Through his work, James has promoted sustainable initiatives around campus and used his passions for media and communication as a way to channel his love of the natural world. After graduation, James hopes to work in consulting, ideally in the intersectionality between business and sustainability as he feels that this is the way he can best contribute to the economy while simultaneously protecting the world around him.

 

Jessica Fragoso, Program on the Environment Undergraduate Scholarship
Jessica is an Environmental Studies student from Waukegan, Illinois who will be graduating in 2024. She is currently focusing her studies on sustainable agriculture. She is planning to intern at several urban agriculture sites throughout Seattle to continue developing her skills in the field. She hopes to dedicate her career to promoting sustainable agriculture and further build the  resilience of food insecure, low-income communities of color, such as her own hometown. 

 

Sandy Reyes Tena, Program on the Environment Undergraduate Scholarship
Sandy is an Environmental Studies and Spanish major graduating in 2024. She is from Yakima, Washington, and is interning with the City of Sammamish Parks and Recreation in a wetland restoration project as part of her Capstone experience. She will also be conducting her own research to compare western and indigenous restoration techniques and bridge the divide between both frameworks. After graduation, Sandy would like to pursue a career advocating for the rights of indigenous people while also doing restoration work to improve ecosystem health in Yakima.

 

Sierra Briggs, Program on the Environment Undergraduate Scholarship
Sierra is majoring in Environmental Studies and is graduating in 2024. She is from Cleveland, Ohio, and has done significant research on the Southern Resident Killer Whales throughout her high school and undergraduate career. She continued to foster this passion at UW’s Friday Harbor Labs, wherein she saw firsthand the issues affecting the Salish Sea. After graduating, she intends on attending law school and pursuing a career in environmental litigation or environmental policy to fight for the Southern Residents.

 

 

Tia Vontver, Program on the Environment Undergraduate Scholarship
Tia is an Environmental Studies major and Political Science minor graduating in 2023. Tia is from Hailey, Idaho, and is currently working with the Washington State Department of Natural Resources to conserve and restore kelp and eelgrass ecosystems as her Program on the Environment Capstone internship. As a part of her Capstone project, she is also conducting research on blue carbon policy to advance the future protection of these vital ecosystems. After graduation, she hopes to make a positive difference through the analysis, development, and implementation of environmental policy

 

Vanessa Martinez, Program on the Environment Undergraduate Scholarship
Vanessa is an Environmental Studies major and will be graduating in 2023. She is from Marysville, Washington, and is currently an intern during the Winter quarter for NOAA Fisheries for the Program on the Environment’s Capstone series. With her internship, she is trying to find key factors in communication that are missing, in order to bridge the gap between various communities and the accessibility of scientific information from accurate and reliable sources. Upon graduation, Vanessa strives to utilize her time spent at the University of Washington by furthering her desire to contribute to public and social outreach that relates to sustainability and conservation.

Congratulations! 6 Program on the Environments receive College of the Environment scholarships

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Congratulations to six students from the Program on the Environment who were recently awarded scholarships and funding for the 2022-2023 school year!  These competitive funds are awarded by the Dean’s office, and represent a significant achievement for the individual students.  We are very excited to recognize the following PoE students whose hard work has earned them such an exciting opportunity!

 

Del Rio Endowed Environmental Studies Scholarship 

The Del Rio Family Foundation established the Del Rio Endowed Scholarship Fund for Environmental Studies to encourage and support students with an interest in the environment who are participating in the Educational Opportunity Program, which promotes academic success and graduation for under represented ethnic minority, economically disadvantaged and first generation college students at the University of Washington. The Foundation hopes that through their studies and participation in real world environmental research and problem-solving, students will broaden their personal horizons to include issues of global concern and will develop a passion and the skill set for making a difference in the world.

PoE Recipients:

• Camille Andrew, Senior, Environmental Studies
• Caitlin (Caity) Rigg, Senior, Environmental Studies

 

Clarence H. Campbell Endowed Lauren Donaldson Scholarship
Clarence H. Campbell established this scholarship in memory of Lauren “Doc” Donaldson to support students in the Schools of Aquatic & Fishery Sciences, Marine and Environmental Affairs, and Oceanography. Professor Donaldson earned his MS and PhD degrees from the UW in 1931. He served on the faculty of the School of Fisheries from 1932 until his retirement in 1973. Doc was a world renowned expert in development of fish stocks, and trained countless students in freshwater fisheries research and management. Clarence Campbell, ’30, established this fund to recognize Doc’s lasting influence.
Recipients (*Denotes continued funding from 2021-22):

PoE Recipients:
• Caleb Flaim, Senior, Oceanography & Environmental Studies

Dani Elenga Environment Scholarship

Sigrid Elenga and Steve Smyth established the Dani Elenga Environment Scholarship in memory of their daughter, Dani Elenga, to encourage and support students with an interest in the environment who are participating in the Educational Opportunity Program, which promotes academic success and graduation for under-represented ethnic minority, economically disadvantaged and first-generation college students at the UW.

PoE Recipients:

• Justice Correa-West, Senior, Environmental Studies
• Josue Olmos, Junior, Environmental Studies

 

College of the Environment Scholarship
This scholarship is made possible by the generosity of donors. The scholarship was created to support both undergraduate and graduate students pursuing degrees in the College of the Environment.

PoE Recipients:
• Kailin Spencer, Senior, Environmental Studies, IS and Marketing

 

Learn more about the College’s undergraduate scholarship program here.