OSU student named Udall Scholar

Ariel Leff, a mechanical engineering major at Oklahoma State University, has been named a 2013 Udall Scholar for his commitment to the environment. A junior from Tulsa, Leff is active through Engineers Without Borders at OSU in bringing clean drinking water to villages in Central America with the use of filtration systems. 

“Ariel has completed research, field work, and shown leadership in a variety of situations, close to home and around the world—all of which were keys to his selection,” said Bob Graalman, director of the Scholar Development Office at OSU. 

Leff is one of only 50 students in the U.S. selected from 488 candidates for the Morris and Stewart Udall Fellowships, which recognize the best sophomore and junior students in the country who will make a difference in environmental protection or in Native American medicine/tribal policy. Each Udall scholarship provides up to $5,000 for the scholar’s junior or senior year.  

“I’m really excited and honored to receive the Udall since the competition was so tough this year. I’m also very grateful to all the people who helped me along the way,” said Leff.

Leff and other students at OSU who have won similar awards in the past two years will be congratulated at 4 p.m. Friday, April 26, in the Sequoyah Room at the OSU Student Union with a plaque dedication. Following that event, the new Halligan Scholars Wall of Fame, 2^nd floor of the Atrium, will be re-opened with a ribbon-cutting. Faculty, students, and staff are welcome to attend and celebrate the achievements of OSU’s most-decorated students, along with their faculty mentors.

Leff will join the other 2013 Udall Scholars on August 7-11, in Tucson, Ariz., to receive their awards and meet policymakers and community leaders in environmental fields, tribal health care, and governance.

“Ariel was determined throughout the process to make his case for receiving this award, and his intelligence and effort are typical of students who take on this kind of challenge,” said Graalman, who invites students interested in this and similar scholarship programs to contact the Henry Bellmon Office of Scholar Development, 334 Student Union, phone (405) 744-7313 for more details.