Students Receive National Honors

Truman Scholar

Tristan A. Nunez ’05 became Lewis & Clark’s eighth Truman scholar earlier this spring. Nunez, who is double-majoring in international affairs and environmental studies, is one of 77 students nationwide to receive the highly coveted $26,000 award.

Truman scholars are selected for their intellectual ability, leadership potential, and likelihood of “making a difference.” Recipients must have outstanding communication skills, be in the top quarter of their class, and be committed to careers in government or the public sector.

Nunez, who grew up in Ritter, was home-schooled. He is a member of the Dr. Robert B. Pamplin Jr. Society of Fellows and is a Dean’s List scholar. He is also a two-time winner of the Morris K. Udall scholarship (see Udall Scholars below).

Nunez has been involved in numerous activities on campus including Model United Nations, the Organization for Peace and Politics, and The Meridian, Lewis & Clark’s student journal of international affairs. His activism and academic interests focus on the intersection of economic globalization, environmental protection, and human rights.

“The Truman scholarship is a tremendous award,” says Nunez. “It will enable me to pursue the education I’ll need to be an effective activist for social and environmental justice in the international arena.” 

Nunez plans to pursue a dual-degree program in international environmental policy, with a master’s degree from the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University and a law degree from the Boalt Hall School of Law at the University of California at Berkeley. 

Two Goldwater Scholars

Angela P. Blum ’05 (left), a chemistry major, and Elizabeth X. Kwan ’05, a biochemistry major, are among 310 students nationwide to receive Goldwater scholarships. Since 1995, 12 other Lewis & Clark students have received the prestigious award, which is based on academic merit.

Kwan, from South Pasadena, California, chose to attend Lewis & Clark because of the opportunity to collaborate with professors on research projects. She has worked closely with Greg Hermann, assistant professor of biology, on research aimed at identifying and characterizing the activity of genes that may function to assemble, stabilize, and maintain lysosomes in the worm C. elegans. Kwan plans a career in biomedical research.

Blum, from Sumner, Washington, plans to become a profes-sor of organic chemistry. She has worked closely with Louis Kuo, professor of chemistry and department chair, on research focusing on organometallic complexes. Blum credits James Duncan, professor of chemistry, with mentoring her interest in teaching.

The one-year scholarships will cover the cost of tuition, fees, books, and room and board up to a maximum of $7,500 per year. 

Coro Fellow

Political science major Maggie Sullivan ’04 has been named a Coro fellow. The recent graduate will take part in a postgraduate public affairs program, with an emphasis on civic leadership, through the Coro program.

Sullivan, from St. Paul, Minnesota, will spend nine months at the Coro center in Pittsburgh. She received a $9,000 stipend to cover living expenses, and, upon successful completion of the fellowship, she will earn three semesters of graduate school credit from Carnegie Mellon University’s Heinz School of Public Policy and a scholarship to complete graduate school at Carnegie Mellon. Coro’s center in Pittsburgh focuses on civic leadership.

Sullivan attended the XIV International AIDS Conference in Barcelona in July 2002, and she works with nonprofit AIDS organizations in Portland. “Lewis & Clark has given me encouragement, direction, and opportunities to pursue my interest in research into HIV/AIDS,” Sullivan says. She plans to pursue a medical degree and a master’s degree in public health. 

Two Udall Scholars

Brian Erickson ’06 (left), a biology major, and Tristan A. Nunez ’05, a recently named Truman scholar, have received 2004 Morris K. Udall scholarships. The Lewis & Clark College students are two of 80 students nationwide to receive the $5,000 award. They are the College’s third and fourth Udall scholars.

“Receiving a second Udall scholarship reaffirms my commitment to the environment and to protecting it through public advocacy,” Nunez says. “The scholarship brings together national student leaders committed to the environment, and it opens many doors to career opportunities through ties to policymakers, scientists, and activists.”

Erickson, from Kirkwood, Missouri, came to Lewis & Clark for the College’s strong academic programs, including environmental studies and biology. He worked with other students to help the campus achieve compliance with Kyoto Protocol standards for reductions in greenhouse gas emissions. He suggested methods of emissions reduction for the campus, lobbied for funding to purchase carbon offsets, and launched an educational campaign to explain the protocol’s relevance to the campus community. He plans to pursue a doctoral degree in animal behavior and become a researcher.

“For me, the Udall scholarship is really motivating,” says Erickson. “I feel that, by receiving the award, my environmental activism has been acknowledged and I’m being encouraged to continue. It means that what I’ve been doing, both as a student and as an activist, is important.”