UM Student Honored for Commitment to Environment

COLLEGE PARK, Md. - The Morris K. Udall Foundation awarded University of Maryland junior Amalia Pleake-Tamm one of 81 national Udall Undergraduate Scholarships for her superior academic accomplishments and valuable efforts to aid the environment.

Pleake-Tamm is an environmental science and policy and English language and literature double major. A native of St. Leonard, Md., she is also a graduate of the College Park Scholars Environmental Studies program.

Currently serving as the president of the student organization College Park Environmental Group, Pleake-Tamm recently coordinated an environmental education program in local elementary schools and has worked with the Chesapeake Biological Laboratory.

Scholarship contenders were evaluated on their academic achievement, leadership experience, and commitment to pursuing careers related to the environment, health care or tribal public policy.

"I plan to study environmental law& and am interested in bringing scientists and legislators together to form policies that are effective and can withstand political attacks," Pleake-Tamm said.

Congress established the Morris K. Udall Scholarship and Excellence in National Environmental Policy Foundation in 1992 to honor the vast legislative accomplishments and civic contributions of the Arizona congressman.

Professor Wendy Whittemore, associate director of the Environmental Science & Policy Program and UM´s Udall Scholarship faculty advisor, remembers Congressman Udall´s career. "Helping to continue his work through the encouragement of students aspiring to the same goals is rewarding," she said.

More than 200 colleges from across the country nominated 436 student candidates. The 81 undergraduates were each awarded a $5,000 scholarship, while 50 students received an honorable mention and a $350 prize.

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