From Doris Duke Conservation Scholars to YSE Class of 2023: Meet Six Future Environmental Leaders

This fall, the Yale School of the Environment welcomed six Doris Duke Conservation Scholars into the class of 2023. The Doris Duke Conservation Scholars Program at Yale, led by Professor of Environmental Justice and Senior Associate Dean of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Dorceta Taylor ’85 MFS, ’91 PhD, is a two-year experiential learning summer program for undergraduate students from diverse backgrounds. During the first summer, scholars pursue an environmental research project; the second summer places scholars in a paid internship at a local environmental organization. Though scholars come from all over the country and possess all variety of interests, “it really is one big family,” according to Te’Yah Wright, an incoming student at YSE. Below are brief sketches of Wright and five of her colleagues exploring what it means to be a Doris Duke Scholar and how the program helped open the door to YSE.

Ryan Anderson — ’23 MEM

Hometown
Salt Lake City, UT

Focus at YSE
People, equity, and the environment; policy; urban

 

Kiera Quigley — ’23 MEM

Hometown
Davisburg, MI

Focus at YSE
Environmental justice in urban settings

 

Julia Talamo — ’23 MEM

Hometown
Miami, FL

Focus at YSE
People, equity, and the environment; urban

 

Destiny Treloar — ’23 MESc

Hometown
Fort Lauderdale, FL

Focus at YSE
Food justice

 

Jayson Velazquez — ’23 MESc

Hometown
Paterson, NJ

Focus at YSE
Environmental justice in low-income communities of color

 

Te’Yah Wright —  ’23 MEM

Hometown
Jackson, MS

Focus at YSE
People, equity, and environment; policy