By Cindy Weiss, CLAS Today

Colin Carlson ’12 (CLAS), the young environmental activist who began his college career at UConn when he was only 12, has won a fourth major national scholarship, the Pearson Prize.

He is one of 20 students around the country to receive the $10,000 prize, which is awarded to students who demonstrate leadership in community service.

Earlier this year, Carlson won a prestigious Goldwater Scholarship, given for academic merit in the sciences, mathematics, and engineering, and a Truman scholarship, which acknowledges college juniors for their leadership and dedication to careers in public service. Last year, Carlson received a Udall Scholarship for his commitment to the environment. Continue reading →

By Sheila Foran

Though still an undergraduate, Nikisha Patel has already made an impression on the world of botany. Patel was recently named a winner of a 2011 Young Botanist Award from the Botanical Society of America, one of about 30 students chosen nationally for this recognition, which is usually restricted to graduating seniors. Continue reading →

By Sheila Foran

Isabella Pilato speaks thoughtfully and with perfect diction. She is eloquent when she defends the importance of a liberal arts education. And when she talks about her love of music, or the role that home schooling played in preparing her for college, or living off campus with her sister – a UConn sophomore majoring in music history – she does so with an easy, self-deprecating sense of humor. Continue reading →

By Jenni Saunders ’11 (CLAS)

Ever since she was young, Alexandra Kuehnle has dreamed of serving her country.

“In eighth grade, I wanted to be an astronaut,” she says, “but my grandfather said I had to be in the military for that. Since then, I’ve wanted to serve.” Continue reading →

By Nan Cooper and Karen A. Grava

Two UConn juniors with a passion for the environment have been selected to receive a Udall Foundation Scholarship. Ethan Butler, a chemical engineering major in the School of Engineering, and Katherine Tsantiris, an environmental science major in the College of Liberal Arts Sciences, are among 80 students nationwide to win the highly competitive scholarship.

Established by Congress in 1992, the Morris K. Udall and Stewart L. Udall Foundation celebrates the 30-year legacy of the Udall brothers, both of whom represented Arizona in the House of Representatives and championed environmental reform. The Udall scholarships, which carry an award of $5,000, are open to U.S. college students who intend to pursue careers in environmental subjects, Native American health care, or tribal public policy. Continue reading →