ENROLLED
2018 Regular Session
HOUSE RESOLUTION NO. 89
BY REPRESENTATIVE COUSSAN
A RESOLUTION
To commend Louisiana State University student Madelyn Smith of Lafayette, Louisiana, on
being named a 2018 Udall Scholar.
WHEREAS, Madelyn Smith is a junior at LSU majoring in natural resource ecology
and management with a concentration in conservation biology with minors in painting and
drawing; and
WHEREAS, Madelyn Smith is a part of the Louisiana Service and Leadership
Scholars Program, which prepares Ogden Honors College students for leadership in public
service, social justice, and environmental sustainability; and
WHEREAS, Madelyn Smith was a 2017 Udall Scholar, is the president and founder
of the Sierra Student Coalition at LSU, and was previously awarded the Roger Hadfield
Ogden Leaders Award; with funds from the latter, she published a book, Louisiana Gone,
which documents the sociocultural effects of wetland loss through interviews and portraits
of Louisiana coastal natives; and
WHEREAS, Ms. Smith is a team leader for Spring Break International and a member
of the Minority Women’s Movement; she has served as an ESL tutor for many years; she is
also a research intern with Coastal Voices, an audio documentary series that explores the
relationships between people, land, and water in Louisiana; and
WHEREAS, upon graduation, Ms. Smith plans to pursue a master's in environmental
management with a specialization in human dimensions, and she hopes to explore how the
environment influences local culture and to create policy that positively affects the
environment in Louisiana and its threatened coast; and
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WHEREAS, Congress established the Udall Foundation in 1992 as an independent
executive branch agency to honor Morris K. Udall's lasting impact on the United State's
environment, public lands, and natural resources, and his support of the rights and self-
governance of American Indians and Alaskan Natives; Madelyn Smith is one of two Udall
Scholarship recipients from LSU; and
WHEREAS, this prestigious honor is awarded based on the candidate's commitment
to a career in the environment, Native American health care, or tribal public policy; the
candidate's leadership potential, academic achievement, and record of public service are also
vital factors in determining scholars.
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the House of Representatives of the
Legislature of Louisiana does hereby commend Madelyn Smith upon being named a 2018
Udall Scholar; does hereby recognize and record for posterity her exceptional academic
achievements and singular contributions; does hereby express enduring appreciation for the
tremendous pride and honor she brings to her community and state; and does hereby extend
to her best wishes for continued success in all of her endeavors.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a suitable copy of this Resolution be transmitted
to Madelyn Smith.
SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
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