An OU junior has been selected as a 2019 Udall Scholar, a scholarship given to sophomore or junior college students committed to careers related to the environment, Native American public policy or health care.
Maya Henderson is pursuing a bachelor's degree in environmental sustainability in the OU College of Atmospheric and Geographic Sciences with a special interest in studying urban environmental concerns in order to develop plans for green urban development, according to an OU press release.
Henderson's career goal is to create viable frameworks for green city development after earning a Ph.D. in geography. She is also a citizen of the Seneca-Cayuga Nation, according to the release.
Henderson told The Daily she aims to "amplify the voices of indigenous people and indigenous ecological knowledge, especially within the environmental field."
The national scholarship competition is conducted by the Morris K. Udall Foundation, which was authorized in 1992 to "honor the late congressman from Arizona who promoted environmental issues and worked to strengthen Native American tribal self-governance," according to the release.
This year, the Udall Foundation awarded $7,000 scholarships to 50 students nationwide for the cost of tuition, fees, books, and room and board.
Henderson told The Daily receiving the Udall is a huge honor and complement, but the award has deeper meaning to her.
"As a Haudenosaunee student working in the environmental field, the achievement of this award is extremely meaningful," Henderson said. "The power of community is proven by the fact that two native students have won the award consecutively, Daniel Hayden in 2018 and me in 2019."
Henderson's recent research activity focuses on public perceptions of sustainability and green initiatives. In 2018, this research led her to co-author an article in The Southern Climate Monitor, along with Professors Angela Person and Randy Peppler, the newsletter published by the Southern Climate Impacts Planning Program, according to the release.
Henderson is president of the university's Geography and Environmental Sustainability Club and the vice chair of the liaison committee for OU's Green Week event. She also volunteers with Norman's Art Walk Recycling Pick Up group and with the American Indian Studies Association, and serves on the cultural committee of Gamma Delta Pi, an American Indian sorority.
Update: This story was updated at 12:30 p.m. April 12 to reflect Henderson's interview responses with The Daily.