Udall Foundation Scholarships

The Udall Foundation awards scholarships to college sophomores and juniors for leadership, public service, and commitment to issues related to the environment or to Native American nations. The Udall scholarship honors the legacies of Morris Udall 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 Udall Scholarship provides up to $7,000 for eligible academic expenses, a Scholar Orientation in Tucson, Arizona, and access to the vast Udall Alumni Network.

Institutional Nomination

The Udall Scholarship does not accept direct applications; students must be nominated by Temple University’s Udall Scholarship Committee.  Please see below for application instructions for nomination.

Campus Deadline

January 20 annually

Eligibility and Selection Criteria

For the Environment category

Open to full-time sophomores or juniors who are US citizens or permanent residents. The Udall Foundation reviews applicants for their leadership, public service, and commitment to issues related to the environment.

For the Tribal Policy or Native Health categories

Open to full-time sophomores or juniors who are Native American or Alaska Native. The Udall Foundation reviews applicants for their leadership, public service, and commitment to issues related to Native American nations. (For the purposes of the Scholarship, a Native American or Alaska Native is any individual who is: Is enrolled in a state or federally recognized tribe or band; One or more of your parents or grandparents was an enrolled member of a state or federally recognized tribe or band; Is a permanent U.S. resident or U.S. citizen who is a member of the First Nations of Canada.)

Campus Application Instructions and Checklist

The Udall scholarship requires institutional nomination. Applications made directly to the awarding body will not be considered. Interested candidates are encouraged to meet with Barbara Gorka, Director of Fellowships Advising, well before the January 20 internal deadline.

Submit the following application components by January 20.

1. Campus Waiver and Agreement

2. Udall Scholarship Application

To access the application, you must first meet with the Director of Fellowships Advising, Barbara Gorka (barbara.gorka@temple.edu). Complete the online application and submit your draft by the internal deadline. We recommend that you prepare your short essay responses and your Udall essay in Word, and then cut and paste when you are ready to submit. Before you begin to write, review this advice from the Udall website. Note that although you are answering a series of short essays, these should read together as one narrative. This means that you need a consistent story line that threads together your interests, experiences, and goals. The application also includes the Udall Essay. In the Udall essay, discuss a significant public speech, legislative act, book, or public policy statement by Congressman Morris K. Udall or Secretary of Interior Stewart L. Udall, and its impact on your field of study, interests, and career goals. The Udall Papers at the University of Arizona may serve as a resource. Maximum 800 words, single-spaced.

3. Transcripts

Submit to Barbara.gorka@temple.edu an unofficial copy of your Temple transcript or academic record. If you earned transfer credit for work at a previous institution, summer school, or study abroad (on a non-Temple program), please provide an unofficial transcript as well. If you are selected for nomination, you will need to submit an official transcript that includes your fall grades.

4. Three Letters of Recommendation

Your references should provide letters of support to Barbara Gorka in Fellowships Advising (barbara.gorka@temple.edu) as PDFs by the campus deadline. The selection committee looks for sustained participation in environmental or tribal activities, assumption of leadership roles and evidence of initiative, service to the community, and coursework or research that complements activities and career goals. Please ask your letter writers to address these criteria. You are encouraged to provide your letter writers with this Information for References from the Udall Foundation. Letters should be directed to “The Udall Selection Committee,” and ideally printed on letterhead. We encourage students to submit more than three letters for the campus deadline. The committee will select which three support the nominee’s candidacy most effectively.

Campus Contact

Barbara Gorka

Director, Scholar Development and Fellowships Advising

Email: barbara.gorka@temple.edu
Phone: 215-204-0708

Visit the Udall website

Scholar Development and Fellowships Advising