University of Washington senior Maria Givens was one of 12 students from across the country selected to be a 2012 Native American Congressional Intern by the Udall Foundation, the organization announced April 9.
Givens, who is pursuing a double major in political science and American Indian studies, will complete an intensive 10-week internship in the Washington, D.C., office of U.S. Senator Tom Udall this summer.
The internship program is intended to provide American Indian and Alaska native students with an inside view of the federal government. It is known for placing students in positions in Senate and House offices, committees, Cabinet departments, and the White House. Givens was selected by an independent review committee of nationally recognized Native educators and tribal policy leaders on the basis of academic achievement and a commitment to careers in tribal public policy.
Since 1996, 198 American Indian and Alaska Native students from 104 tribes have participated in the program.
Givens, from the Coeur d’Alene tribe of Northern Idaho, is interested in environmental issues, especially the cleanup of tribal lands and the possible effects of climate change on reservations. She is a member of First Nations at UW, the Native American student group on campus.
The Udall Foundation is an independent federal agency established by Congress in 1992 to provide federally funded scholarships for college students intending to pursue careers related to the environment, as well as to American Indian students pursuing tribal public policy or health care centers.
More information about the Native American Congressional Internships is available on the Udall Foundation web site.