UA’s Lilly Roehrig Earns Pretigious Udall Scholarship

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — University of Alabama junior and Black Warrior Riverkeeper intern Lilly Roehrig has been awarded a 2026 Udall Undergraduate Scholarship.

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Roehrig was one of 65 students nationwide selected for the honor recognizing future leaders in environmental, tribal public policy and health care fields.

The native of Kaukauna, Wisconsin, is the second UA student in the last two years to receive the prestigious scholarship.

She is pursuing dual degrees in environmental science and English, along with a minor through the Honors College’s Blount Scholars Program.

Roehrig is also enrolled in UA’s Accelerated Master’s Program, working toward a graduate degree in environmental and natural resources.

“I am humbled to have been selected for the Udall Scholarship and thrilled to work with my fellow 2026 awardees and Udall alumni as I move forward in my career,” Roehrig said. “This honor has not only affirmed to me that I can become a leader in my field, but also that interdisciplinary work is both valuable and necessary.”

The Udall Undergraduate Scholarship Program honors the legacies of Morris K. Udall and Stewart L. Udall, whose careers focused on Native American self-governance, health care and conservation of public lands and natural resources.

Roehrig currently serves as president of the Forest Stewards Guild, where she coordinates efforts supporting local forest ecosystems.

She also works as poetry editor for the campus digital magazine Ripple Arts Review. Her poetry has appeared in the campus journals Dewpoint and SPACE: A Student Journal for Public Audiences.

Apart from her pursuits at The Capstone, she is also a celebrated intern with Black Warrior Riverkeeper.

"Lilly was an outstanding intern for us in 2025 and actually volunteered at many of our litter cleanups and events before and after her internship," Black Warrior Riverkeeper Executive Director Charles Scribner said.

Following graduation, Roehrig plans to pursue a career in public service and conservation with an interdisciplinary approach to environmental issues.

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