Orchard Lake student named Hollings Scholar at MSU

Contact: Kristin K. Anderson, University Relations: (517) 353-8819, or ander284@msu.edu

EDITOR’S NOTE: A high resolution photo of Campbell is available electronically from Pam Jahnke at (517) 432-0304 or jahnkep@msu.edu

Oct. 2, 2006

EAST LANSING. Mich. — Allison Campbell, Orchard Lake, grew up with a lake in her back yard and a father who instilled in her a love of fishing, hiking, snowshoeing and environmental stewardship.

The recipient of a 2006 Hollings Scholarship, Campbell, a junior at Michigan State University, now combines her college education and work experiences with her desire to advocate for responsible and sustainable use of natural resources. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration awarded the scholarship.

“This responsibility lies with both business and government to meet the needs of the present, while ensuring future generations are able to meet their needs,” Campbell said.

“Today’s leaders need to examine issues from different perspectives,” she said. “When views from multiple players are incorporated, effective environmental management can be achieved because everyone has a vested interest in the situation’s success.”

Campbell, daughter of Albin and Penny Campbell, is among approximately 100 students nationwide to be named a 2006 Hollings Scholar. The program includes up to $8,000 for full-time study, possible reappointment for a second year of study and a 10-week internship with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration or an affiliated agency.

The Ernest F. Hollings Undergraduate Scholarship Program, recognizing the former Democratic U.S. senator from South Carolina, is intended to increase undergraduate training in oceanographic and atmospheric sciences, research and technology. Another program goal is to increase public understanding of these topics.

“I am excited to have this internship, because I will have hands-on experience in the field that goes beyond my major,” Campbell said. “It’s a tremendous opportunity to work and study with key scientists and leaders who are working to preserve our natural resources.”

Campbell is majoring in international relations in the James Madison College with specializations in international development and Latin American and Caribbean studies through the College of Social Science. She also is a member of the Honors College.

She said working at wilderness lodges in Denali National Park in Alaska furthered her interest in the environment.

“I spent two summers in Alaska and saw the conflicts and tension between groups with different viewpoints toward preserving resources and stimulating economic growth,” she said. “We have to be able to find a balance and strategize to maximize the interests of all concerned parties.”

Besides her work in Alaska, Campbell has had opportunities to broaden her interests in environmental polices at home and abroad.

She organized a series of local events to raise awareness of international sustainable development, which featured the Rwanda coffee produced through MSU’s Partnership to Enhance Agriculture in Rwanda through Linkages.

She also was named one of 30 college women internationally to attend a National Wildlife Federation Women for Sustainable Development conference.

Campbell has seen the policy side of life through her internship in the Lansing office of U.S. Sen. Carl Levin and as a member of the Associated Students of Michigan State University, James Madison College Senate and the MSU Model United Nations.

She also has worked on environmental projects in Chicago, Mexico City and Nicaragua. She is on the leadership team for the Michigan Sustainability Coalition that is creating an umbrella organization to support all progressive and environmental student organizations and advocate for sustainable policies on campus.

Among her other MSU activities, she was a member of MSU’s Big Ten Rowing championship team in 2004-05.

Campbell plans to pursue a graduate degree in environmental management and policy with a focus on economics. She hasn’t ruled out a career working in higher education, the World Bank, the United Nations or even making documentaries.

“Whatever approaches I take,” she said, “I will strive to further environmental stewardship and create better social and economic decisions that take into consideration the role of our valuable, yet finite resources.”

For more on the Hollings Scholarship program, visit the Web at http://www.orau.gov/noaa/HollingsScholarship.

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Michigan State University has been advancing knowledge and transforming lives through innovative teaching, research and outreach for 150 years. MSU is known internationally as a major public university with global reach and extraordinary impact. Its 14 degree-granting colleges attract scholars worldwide who are interested in combining education with practical problem solving.