Central Arizona Project and Udall Foundation Announce CAP Udall Scholarship Winner
Posted: 4/30/2015
The Udall Foundation and the Central Arizona Project (CAP) are pleased to announce that Shaandiin Parrish, a junior at Arizona State University (ASU), has been selected as the 2015 CAP Udall Scholarship Award winner. Ms. Parrish, a member of the Navajo Nation, studies political science and public policy at Arizona State University in Tempe.
The Udall Foundation and the Central Arizona Project formed a partnership in 2013 to ensure that American Indian college students in Maricopa, Pinal and Pima counties have the opportunity to receive scholarships in support of natural resource management and tribal public policy education in the American Indian communities that have entitlements to CAP water. CAP will fund a $5,000 Scholarship each year that an eligible student is selected for a Udall Scholarship. According to Philip Lemanski, executive director at the Udall Foundation, the CAP Udall Scholarship will assist both organizations in realizing their mutual objective of strengthening Native Nations in order to achieve their self-determination, governance, and human capital goals.
Ms. Parrish was recognized by the Udall Scholarship review committee for her commitment to public service to Native communities, and her exemplary outreach to Native youth. She is a leader in several Native American student groups at ASU and is currently the 2nd attendant for Miss Indian Arizona. As an ASU Student Ambassador, Ms. Parrish has been an active and diligent participant in the Tribal Nations Tour, traveling to tribal communities in Arizona to encourage college attendance and academic preparation. Ms. Parrish intends to pursue a graduate degree in education policy and contribute to a bilingual curriculum that will help preserve the Navajo language.
"Ms. Parrish’s encouragement of the next generation of leaders is precisely the rationale behind CAP's support for this important scholarship initiative," said CAP General Manager David Modeer. "I am pleased she is so actively engaged in education and outreach efforts."
A 14-member independent review committee selected this year's group of Udall Scholars on the basis of commitment to careers in the environment, American Indian health care, or tribal public policy; leadership potential; academic achievement; and record of public service. The review committee also awarded 49 Honorable Mentions. Each scholarship provides up to $5,000 for the Scholar’s junior or senior year. Since the first awards in 1996, the Udall Foundation has awarded 1,465 scholarships totaling $7,320,000.
The 2015 Udall Scholars will assemble August 5-9, in Tucson, Ariz., to receive their awards and meet policymakers and community leaders in tribal health care, tribal governance, and environmental fields. Ms. Parrish will be recognized by the Central Arizona Project for her contributions at the awards banquet on August 8.
For a listing of the 2015 Udall Scholars and Honorable Mentions and more information on the Foundation and related programs, visit www.udall.gov or contact Paula Randler at (520) 901-8564 or randler@udall.gov.
About the Udall Foundation
The Udall Foundation is an independent federal agency that was established by Congress in 1992 to provide federally funded scholarships for college students intending to pursue careers related to the environment, as well as to American Indian students pursuing tribal public policy or health care careers. In 1998, the Foundation grew to include the U.S. Institute for Environmental Conflict Resolution, created by Congress as the federal government’s only program focused entirely on resolving federal environmental disputes. The Foundation also operates the Parks in Focus program, connecting underserved youth to nature through photography.
For additional information, please visit About us or contact Jane Curlin at 520-901-8565 or curlin@udall.gov.
About the Central Arizona Project
CAP is the steward of central and southern Arizona's Colorado River water entitlement and a collaborative leader in Arizona's water community. The 336-mile long CAP canal system brings about 1.6 million acre-feet of renewable Colorado River water to its customers—cities, businesses, agriculture and Indian communities—in Pima, Pinal and Maricopa counties. An acre-foot of water is about 326,000 gallons. For additional information, please contact Kathryn Royer at 623-869-2390 or kroyer@cap-az.com.
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