Grinnell College student Emily Stiever '09 has been awarded the Udall Scholarship for demonstrated commitment to the environment. The Udall Scholarship is a nationally competitive undergraduate study scholarship sponsored by the Morris K. Udall Foundation.

Stiever, a third-year independent major from Minnetonka, Minn., led the student effort to reduce Grinnell’s carbon footprint and install a wind turbine at the college’s environmental preserve. She helped to establish the Student Environmental Committee to be a liaison to the college administration and completed an internship with the campus environmental coordinator to overhaul the college’s environmental stewardship website.

Stiever hopes to use the Udall Scholarship to enroll in public policy and business programs at the University of California, Berkeley. Her career goal is to play a leadership role in a climate advocacy organization devoted to policy-making and legislation for climate change and environmentally responsible businesses. During a semester in Nicaragua, Stiever observed the impact of climate change on the local economy when devastating heavy rains and flooding hit the already impoverished area.

The Udall Foundation seeks future leaders across a wide spectrum of environmental fields, including policy, engineering, science, education, urban planning and renewal, business, health, justice, and economics. The Udall Foundation honors Congressman Morris Udall’s 30-year career in public service and his commitment to natural resources.