Trace Eberhardt named a 2020 Udall Scholar

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Trace Eberhardt

Civil engineering rising senior Trace Eberhardt has been selected as a Udall Scholar by the Udall Foundation, which awards scholarships of as much as $7,000 each to college sophomores and juniors for leadership, public service, and commitment to issues related to Native American nations or to the environment. 

Eberhardt has been involved in sustainable engineering and energy and water efficiency efforts since his freshman year. For two years he has served as chair for the annual Dump and Run event, which allows Ohio State residential students to donate unwanted items during move out that will later be sold to students moving into residence halls the following semester. His efforts resulted in more than 20,000 pounds of clothing being diverted from landfills and achieving a waste diversion rate of 71%, more than doubling the university's diversion rate of 35%. Eberhardt also has worked with Student Life Energy Management to perform water audits on campus dorms. He aims to be a professional engineer specializing in energy-efficient projects.

In April, Eberhardt received Ohio State Office of Student Life's Scarlet, Gray and Green Student Leadership Award for his involvement with major sustainability efforts on campus.

This year, 429 students applied for the Udall Undergraduate Scholarship, and 55 students from 48 colleges and universities were selected. Universities may nominate four students applying for the environmental award, and four students applying to the tribal policy or Native healthcare award. A 16-member independent review committee selected this year's group of Udall Scholars on the basis of commitment to careers in the environment, Native health care, or Tribal public policy; leadership potential; record of public service; and academic achievement. The review committee also awarded 55 Honorable Mentions.

Each scholarship provides up to $7,000 for the Scholar's junior or senior year and membership in a robust alumni network. The 2020 Udall Scholars plan to assemble August 4-9 in Tucson, Arizona, to meet one another and program alumni, learn more about the Udall legacy of public service, and interact with community leaders in environmental fields, Tribal health care, and governance.

Since the first awards in 1996, the Udall Foundation has awarded 1,733 scholarships totaling $8,860,000.

Eberhardt is Ohio State's 15th Udall Scholar. Students interested in applying for the Udall Scholarship, or other national awards, should contact fellowships@osu.edu.

Categories: AwardsStudents