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Pair of sophomores chosen for environmental justice program

The Office of Fellowships is pleased to announce that Khadija Ahmed (Medill ’25) and Sara Yen (WCAS ’25) have been chosen for this year’s cohort of the Environmental Justice Summer Scholars Program! This summer, Khadija and Sara will participate in the ten-week program sponsored by the University of Maryland, in College Park. 

Photo of Khadija AhmedKhadija is a sophomore at Northwestern pursuing a BS in journalism and environmental sciences with a passion for environmental justice. This year, Khadija has been part of the DeBerry Civic Scholars cohort, in which she discusses meaningful public service that address issues of power/privilege and racial inequities while learning from community leaders. Through the program, Khadija has volunteered at Gale Community Academy in Rogers Park and is involved with related community initiatives.

Recently, she assumed the position of delegate development co-chair for Northwestern University Community for Human Rights, an organization focused on advocating for global human rights that hosts an annual conference with students from and outside of Northwestern. For last year’s conference, in which Khadija was a delegate, the theme was The Space Between Us: Land, Migration, and Human Rights. Last summer, Khadija was a research assistant through the Undergraduate Research Assistant Program and helped conduct a literature review on the scaling of makerspaces. Khadija is also part of the Medill Investigative Lab in Chicago and writes occasionally for The Daily Northwestern

This summer, as an intern at the Center for Community Engagement, Environmental Justice, and Health (CCEEJH), Khadija will strengthen her skills in science communication, community science, and environmental justice policy with the opportunity to engage in field work. She believes this program will make her a better journalist and a better advocate for environmental justice.

Photo of Sara YenSara is a sophomore studying chemistry and environmental policy and culture. Growing up in the San Francisco Bay Area, Sara saw years of wildfires, which spurred her interest in climate change and a career in environmental policy. She hopes to use her interest in understanding the science behind climate change to educate her decisions as a future environmental policy maker. Sara wants to ensure that the fight against climate change engages in environmental justice and prioritizes the communities most affected by the climate crisis.

Outside of class, Sara conducts Earth science research in the Jacobson lab. In a self-directed project, she analyzes Ca and Sr isotope data of dolomite to understand the mineral’s formation and role in the carbon cycle. Sara presented a research poster at the 2022 Great Lakes Student PaleoConference to work on her science communication skills.

As co-chair of the energy efficiency subcommittee in Associated Student Government’s sustainability committee, Sara leads a group of students to work on projects on campus to reduce energy consumption. In her free time, Sara volunteers with the Sierra Club Chicago Group’s political team. She enjoys learning about community organizing and speaking with political candidates about the environmental policies people are trying to pass.

University of Maryland logoThe Environmental Justice Summer Scholars program is a paid, annual internship sponsored by the CCEEJH. The program selects up to twenty undergraduate students who are passionate about environmental and climate justice. Over ten weeks, students will be paid $5,000 and gain skills in research, science communication, community science, capacity building, and their own career planning. Workshops and training will be provided virtually, with some fieldwork experiences offered in person.

Khadija and Sara are the first Northwestern students to receive this award.

Contact Jason Kelly Roberts at jason-roberts@northwestern.edu to learn more about the Environmental Justice Summer Scholars Program.