2021 Wyss Scholars Selected

(Washington, DC) March 9, 2021 - The Wyss Foundation is proud to announce the 2021 Wyss Scholars. The Wyss Scholars Program supports the graduate-level education of a new generation of leaders in western land conservation. Wyss Scholars learn the latest in conservation law and policy and apply that knowledge in careers at land management agencies and nonprofit conservation groups.

Wyss Scholarships are awarded to students currently enrolled at one of the six host schools: Lewis and Clark (Law), Northern Arizona University (Environmental Science and Policy), University of Colorado (Law), University of Michigan (Law and School for the Environment and Sustainability), University of Montana (Law, Environmental Studies Program and College of Forestry and Conservation), Yale University (Law and School of Forestry and Environmental Studies).

Wyss Scholar Selected at Lewis and Clark College

Lewis and Clark College selected a new Wyss Scholar from its Law School. Matthew Campa attended the University of California, Santa Barbara for his undergraduate studies, where he received a degree in Environmental Studies. While in college, Matthew co-founded the Environmental Justice Alliance, the first campus-based, student-led environmental justice organization at the school. While at law school, he has served as a student board member for the Northwest Environmental Defense Center and co-chair of its Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion committee.

Wyss Scholars Selected at Northern Arizona University

Two new Wyss Scholars were selected at Northern Arizona University. Javis Davis received his Bachelor of Science in Geology from Fort Lewis College in Durango, Colorado. Javis is a U.S. Navy veteran who grew up on the White Mountain Apache Tribal Reservation. While at Northern Arizona University, Javis is researching policies associated with public lands and tribal watershed and water resource management. Jessica Archibald attended Northern Arizona University for her undergraduate studies, where she received a Bachelor of Science in Environmental Studies and Sustainability and a Bachelor of Arts in Modern Languages. While completing her graduate studies, Jessica’s research is focused on the social-ecological aspects of landscape management, conservation, and restoration, with specific emphasis placed on understanding and developing the potential for collaboration and community led initiatives.

Wyss Scholar Selected at the University of Colorado

The University of Colorado selected a new Wyss Scholar from its Law School. Johnsie Wilkinson earned a Bachelor of Arts from the Honors College at the College of Charleston, where she majored in Urban Studies and Historic Preservation and Community Planning with a minor in Environmental and Sustainability Studies. As a Colorado Law student, Johnsie has worked on air quality and environmental injustice issues in the Natural Resources, Energy, and Environmental Law Clinic. This summer, Johnsie will be working for the Colorado Attorney General Office’s Natural Resource section on a variety of natural resources and public land issues.

Wyss Scholars Selected at the University of Michigan

The University of Michigan selected four new Wyss Scholars. Gillian Moore has a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Chicago in Philosophy and Visual Arts, where she focused her research on environmental ethics and aesthetics and centered her art practice on her growing environmental concern for the American West. Gillian has worked for the U.S. Forest Service as a wildland firefighter in Central Oregon as well as stints in Colorado, New Mexico, and Alaska. Hannah Paton completed her Bachelor of Arts in Economics and Environmental Studies at Bucknell University in Lewisburg, Pennsylvania. At Michigan Law, Hannah is a co-chair of the Environmental Law Society, a student in the Environmental Law and Policy Clinic, and a Notes Editor on the Michigan Law Review. She is particularly interested in the areas of public lands, land use, water rights, and rural law. Augusta received a Bachelor of Arts from Environmental Sciences and Native American Studies from Dartmouth College, and Augusta is a citizen of the Oglala Sioux Tribe. Augusta has worked with many grassroots organizations focusing on the empowerment of Indigenous people in North America, including Brave Heart Society, Native Organizers Alliance and Native Vote, and the U.S. Department of Arts and Culture. Amanda Wheelock has a bachelor’s degree in Geography and Environmental Studies from Dartmouth College. As a Wyss Scholar at the University of Michigan, Amanda is focused on strengthening her expertise in policy development and implementation, collaborative natural resource management, and conservation ecology to best prepare her for a career working to ensure that public lands across the West are truly public lands for all.

Wyss Scholars Selected at the University of Montana

Four new Wyss Scholars were selected at the University of Montana. Sawyer Connelly received his Bachelor of Arts in Environmental Science from Colorado College. In 2015, Sawyer was selected as a Wyss Fellow, hosted at Backcountry Hunters & Anglers, where he established the Backcountry Hunters & Anglers collegiate program and Hunting for Sustainability program, as well as assisted with communications, fundraising, and grassroots conservation strategies. Kirsten Gerbatsch received her Bachelor of Arts in American Environmental History from Reed College in Portland, Oregon. Kirsten will work with the Earthjustice Northern Rockies Office team for her 2021 summer internship, engaging in a regional, ecosystem-based litigation program focused on protecting wild public lands in the Northern Rockies from industrial development. Audrey Glendenning holds a bachelor’s degree in Environmental Science and Policy from University of Maryland, with a minor in Spanish Language, Culture, and Professional Contexts. At the University of Montana, Audrey has worked as a Policy Clinic Researcher at the Bolle Center for People and Forests. Amy Katz has a bachelor’s degree in Environmental Science from Bates College. For her summer internship, Amy plans to work with Heart of the Rockies, where she will facilitate conversations around rural development and landscape conservation design in Western Montana.

Wyss Scholars Selected at Yale University

Yale University selected four new Wyss Scholars. Helia Bidad completed a Bachelor of Science at University of California, Berkeley, in Society and Environment. At Yale Law School, Helia is co-chair of the Yale Environmental Law Association, the Food Law Society, and the Middle Eastern and North African Law Students’ Association. Lani Chang attended Colorado College for her undergraduate studies, where she earned a Bachelor of Arts in Environmental Science. She is currently a Master of Environmental Management candidate at the Yale School of the Environment, focusing on water and public land conservation in the American West. She is currently a writer for the Yale Environment Review and student representative for the Student Affairs Committee. Kyle Lemle earned his undergraduate degree in Environmental Studies and International Development Studies from Brown University. Kyle currently serves as a consultant for the US Climate Alliance and The Nature Conservancy, supporting states on strengthening climate mitigation strategies on natural and working lands. 

For more information about the Wyss Scholars program please go to our website at: https://www.wyssfoundation.org/scholars

About the Wyss Foundation - The Wyss Foundation is a private, charitable foundation dedicated to supporting innovative, lasting solutions that improve lives, empower communities, and strengthen connections to the land.