Ashly Hanna, a 2017 graduate of Skyline High School and a Hunkpapa Lakota from Standing Rock Sioux Nation, has again won the Udall Undergraduate Scholarship, making her the first two-time winner of the scholarship.
“I am humbled to be a two-time Udall scholar,” said Hanna, who is now in her junior year at the University of North Dakota majoring in criminal justice and American Indian studies.
The Udall Undergraduate Scholarship is awarded by the Udall Foundation in honor of brothers former U.S. Rep. Morris K. Udall and former U.S. Secretary of the Interior Stewart Udall. Together, the brothers focused their efforts and influence on Native American issues and environmental concerns.
During her time at UND, Hanna developed a program called One Step Forward that is a student-led mentoring program for Native American high school students in the Grand Forks, N.D. school system.
Winners of the scholarship must show “promise for making significant, substantial, and positive impact in Native American communities.” according to the Udall Foundation.
Nearly 430 candidates were nominated for the scholarship from 199 colleges and universities in 2020; 55 were chosen. The winners get $7,000 to use in their junior or senior years and are invited to Tuscon, Ariz. for a five-day Scholar Orientation where they meet and learn about the Udall legacy.
"When I think about Udall, I think about community," Hanna said.
"Last year, my visits at the Scholar Orientation with 55-plus incredible scholars made me look differently at how I approach life. I no longer expect that only the government can help solve social problems; I now look local – I look to my community and at surrounding communities."
