Neena Shell ’26 has been awarded a fellowship to study tribal public policy from the Morris K. Udall and Stewart L. Udall Foundation. The prestigious Udall Undergraduate Scholarship Program identifies future leaders in the environmental, tribal public policy and health care fields.
Shell, a Mellon Mays undergraduate majoring in Native American and Indigenous studies and women’s, gender and sexuality studies, says the news left her speechless.
“It reaffirmed that studying Native American and Indigenous studies and dedicating my life to working for my communities was the right choice,” says Shell, a citizen of the Dina, or Navajo Nation.
Shell was among 55 students selected from a pool of more than 400 candidates based on their leadership potential, record of public service, academic achievement and commitment to careers related to local issues or the environment. The scholarship provides networking opportunities, workshops and up to $7,000 for academic expenses.
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She reaffirmed that studying Native American and Indigenous studies and committing my life to working for my communities was the right choice.
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Neena Shell ’26
A longtime flautist and ballerina, Shell had intended to study music and dance. But she had also considered law, and during a gap year before college, she solidified her plan.
One of her cousins ​​had attended Dartmouth, and as she learned about the community and academic opportunities, “it all seemed to fit together really well,” says Shell, who hasn’t hung up her shoes, though—she’s currently Dartmouth’s president. Classical Ballet Theatre.
At Dartmouth, she is inspired by N. Bruce Duthu ’80, the Samson Occom Professor and chair of American and Indigenous Studies.
“Professor Duthu is one of the best indigenous legal scholars in the world, so it is truly an honor and a privilege to have him as a mentor,” says Shell, whose future plans include a doctoral program or law school and works to support the Navajo Nation. “To see him give back to his community, both at home and here at Dartmouth, is really something special and something I want to be able to do one day.”
As an Energy Justice Clinic research associate working with the Mapuche-Williche indigenous community in Chile, Shell has gained a global perspective on indigenous law. And her classes on women, gender and sexuality have helped her envision a better future for how indigenous people are treated within the U.S. legal system, she says.
This summer, Udall 2024 scholars will gather in Tucson, Arizona, for an orientation and begin building a network, “which is really important in this kind of work,” says Shell. “You have to create them, in a sense, kinship professionally to support each other.”
Reflecting on the opportunity, Shell credits the Department of Indigenous and Native American Studies, the Native American Program, led by Adria Brown, and her peers and family who have “always pushed and supported” her.
“I wouldn’t be able to do what I do here at Dartmouth without their support.”
Named for former U.S. Rep. Morris Udall, D-Arizona, and former Interior Secretary Stewart Udall, who served in the Kennedy and Johnson administrations, the Udall Foundation honors the brothers’ legacy of outstanding national leadership in environmental and Native American policy .
For information on how to apply for Udall and other programs, contact the Dartmouth Scholarship Advising Office.
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