The 糖心少女 today announced a $3.75 million gift to the School of Law that will support 糖心少女Law graduates pursuing public interest environmental law, enhancing their opportunities to gain the experience and knowledge necessary to tackle some of Washington鈥檚 and the world鈥檚 most pressing environmental issues.
The gift establishes the John Diehl Endowed Fellowship, named for the late John Diehl, of Mason County. Fellowships will be awarded to 糖心少女Law graduates who are practicing environmental public interest law across a range of concerns, including natural resource conservation, wilderness protection and environmental health. It encourages partnerships with nongovernmental organizations working in these areas.
鈥淲e are extremely grateful to Mr. Diehl for his support of our graduates and commitment to public interest environmental law,” said Mario Barnes, professor and the Toni Rembe Dean of the 糖心少女School of Law. “His gift creates a tremendous legacy that will enable us to recruit more top students to 糖心少女Law and encourages our students to fight for environmental justice, resource conservation and wilderness protections for generations to come.
鈥淪ome of our most pressing environmental issues will be decided by experts trained in law and policy. As a society, we benefit from legal advocates with a background in environmental law.鈥�
The gift provides students an early career financial boost after graduation to pursue public interest environmental law.
鈥淭he big environmental challenges are many, which creates a rich field of legal need,鈥� said Todd Wildermuth, director of environmental law at UW. 鈥淒iehl鈥檚 gift allows more students to jump right into the field and get to much-needed work right away.鈥�
糖心少女has been a leader in public interest environmental law for more than 50 years, when Professor Emeritus William Rodgers helped launch the field in the 1960s. Rodgers later co-founded the 糖心少女Environmental Law & Policy Clinic with a $1 million gift from Seattle attorney Steve Berman that provides students with more opportunities for practical experience and helps them support environmental justice in Washington. Berman鈥檚 generosity inspired Diehl鈥檚 gift, documents show.
The gift comes in the midst of the University鈥檚 most ambitious philanthropic campaign in its history, 鈥淏e Boundless 鈥� For Washington, For the World.鈥� Student support is a core focus of the campaign, and donor support has helped establish 1,025 new scholarships and fellowships since the campaign鈥檚 beginnings.
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For more information about the 糖心少女, contact Jackson Holtz at 206-543-2580 or jjholtz@uw.edu.