ENRL Graduate Program Announces 2010 Scholarships: Lauren Suerth Wins Col. Jan and Marjorie Laitos Award, Rocio Urbina Wins Marilyn Alkire Award

Lauren Suerth (top photo) and Rocio Urbina (bottom photo), students in the Environmental and Natural Resources Law Graduate Program at the University of Denver Sturm College of Law, have been awarded named scholarships.

Lauren Suerth has been chosen as this year’s recipient of the Col. Jan M. and Marjorie G. Laitos Scholarship. Established in 1997, this scholarship supports students of outstanding merit who demonstrate a sincere commitment to the study of natural resources and environmental law.

Ms. Suerth received her BS in Community and Regional Planning from Iowa State University and served as a member of AmeriCorps National Civilian Community Corps before beginning her masters studies. Ms. Suerth is currently pursuing a Master of Resources Law Studies and works as a research assistant and as a blogger for the College of Law’s Rocky Mountain Land Use Institute TriplePundit Blog. We are extremely proud of Ms. Suerth and are confident she will be greatly successful in a future career in sustainable development and community planning.

Rocio Urbina has been chosen as this year’s recipient of the Marilyn Alkire Scholarship. Established in 1998 by Marilyn Alkire, a 1977 JD graduate, this scholarship is awarded to an LLM candidate who demonstrates the potential for making significant contributions to the field in his or her future career.

Ms. Urbina, who is an international student from Perú, received her LLB from the Pontificia Universidad Católica de Perú and worked as a legal assistant at the Office of the Comptroller General of Perú and as a tax advisor for the Peruvian Internal Revenue Service. Ms. Urbina is currently pursuing her LLM in Environmental and Natural Resources Law and Policy and works as a case manager for a local law firm. Ms. Urbina plans to return to Perú after her LLM studies and hopes to work for the Peruvian Government. We feel truly honored to have her in the program and are certain she will continue to accomplish great things in the natural and environmental law areas.

Lucy Daberków
Assistant Director
Environmental and Natural Resources Law Graduate Program

Four University of Denver Law Students Win Prestigious Rocky Mountain Mineral Law Foundation Scholarships

Four University of Denver Sturm College of Law students in the Environmental and Natural Resources Law (ENRL) program have earned prestigious scholarships from the Rocky Mountain Mineral Law Foundation (RMMLF).

The scholarships, which were announced today, are awarded to students enrolled at one of the 30 laws schools affiliated with the RMMLF. The award winners demonstrate, among other things, "a commitment to the study of natural resources law." The RMMLF, which is one of the leading practitioner-oriented organizations of its kind in the world, includes many of the world's preeminent oil and gas and mining attorneys.

The recipients of the Spring 2011 RMMLF Scholarships are:

• Raven Adams, a JD student who expects to graduate in May 2012.
• Alex Aidaghese, an LLM student originally from Nigeria who expects to graduate in May 2011.
• Luis Antonio La Rosa Airaldi, an LLM student from Peru who expects to graduate in May 2011.
• Rocio Urbina-Linares, an LLM student from Peru who expects to graduate in May 2011.

Don C. Smith, Director of the ENRL program, said, "To win a Rocky Mountain Mineral Law Foundation scholarship is one of the top honors that any student studying in the field of natural resources can aspire to. Consequently, we are extremely proud of each of these students not only for what he or she has accomplished so far, but also for what they will likely contribute to the natural resources field in the future. Our winning students reflect the depth and diversity of DU's ENRL program, with one of the winners from the U.S. and the other three orignially from Nigeria and Peru."

Lucy Daberkow, Assistant Director of the ENRL graduate programs said, "Recruiting the best students for our program is one of our top priorities. Clearly, the RMMLF recognizes their potential in future careers as natural resources practitioners."

For many past recipients, the award of a RMMLF scholarship is one of the highlights of their academic career. It is worth noting that 24 scholarships in total were given to students applying from the 30 law schools that are affiliated with the Foundation. Four of the 24 were awarded to Sturm College of Law students.