Growing up, West Virginia University junior Colin Street spent summers exploring the outdoors, experiencing the wonders of nature that would help shape his future.

On a path toward a career in environmental policy and public service, the Morgantown native and Honors College student has been awarded a Udall Scholarship, a national award recognizing college sophomores and juniors committed to leadership, public service and issues related to the environment.

Street is the University’s first Udall Scholar since 2021, and one of only seven in WVU history. As a Scholar, he is among 65 students in the United States to be awarded $7,500 to use toward his education.

“Colin’s commitment to serving WVU and the Mountain State is evident in everything he does,”  WVU President Michael T. Benson said. “He is a dedicated student advocate who leads with integrity and civility as a member of the WVU Board of Governors and president of the WVU Student Government Association, and we are so proud to see him recognized nationally with the prestigious Udall Scholarship.”

A triple major in political science, environmental and energy resources management and multidisciplinary studies, Street said his academic pursuits are connected by one overarching goal.

“I want to make people’s lives in West Virginia better,” he said.

For Street, that starts with better understanding the institutions, industries and communities that are important to the state.

“West Virginia’s reliance on extraction industries has had significant drawbacks on the state’s environmental health and quality of life,” he said. “There’s a deep cultural connection to coal and natural gas in the state, and I think we can respect the hard work that people do in those industries while recognizing the harms those industries also cause.”

In Street’s mind, understanding and participating in state government is one of the best ways to advocate for change within the Mountain State.

As a freshman, he had the opportunity to intern in former U.S. Sen. Joe Manchin’s office, an experience that shined a light on how limited staffing and resources can affect policymaking at the state level.

“A lot of our elected officials have to share offices with each other and don’t have the staff they need to help them get organized and serve their constituents as effectively as possible,” he said. “To me, that identified policy capacity is a primary issue in preventing our state legislature from addressing a lot of the environmental issues we have in West Virginia.”

To help address that challenge, Street took on an independent study conducting policy research on data center regulation for Monongalia County Delegate Evan Hansen. His work examined how other states regulate data centers and explored ways to strengthen protections for communities related to water usage and local oversight.

“I got to do research on state code and how other states, particularly Maryland and Virginia, have regulated data centers to see what amendments we could propose to help give more power to people that have to live with the ramifications of data centers,” he said.

The culmination of Street’s project was working with a drafter to write several bills that were proposed during this legislative session.

“Being able to identify a problem (policy capacity) and then leverage my own education at WVU to help create a solution helped me better connect with the University’s land-grant mission to serve the state.”

On campus, his service as SGA president has helped deepen his appreciation for the role institutions can play in improving people’s lives and building civic engagement.

“If people come to understand that their student government can make a positive difference in their lives, then they will come to expect that kind of positive change from their actual institutions after their time in college,” he said. “I believe this is key to fighting the political apathy a significant amount of young people face today.”

As a Udall Scholar, Street is especially inspired by the scholarship’s namesakes, former U.S. Representatives Morris “Mo” Udall and Stewart Udall and their emphasis on public service.

“You don’t need to do one thing that’s going to change the world,” he said. “As long as you take the steps needed to make individual people’s lives better, eventually you will reach that goal.”

Support for Street’s application was provided by the WVU ASPIRE Office, which helps students pursue nationally competitive scholarships.

-WVU-

lw/5/15/26

MEDIA CONTACT: Lindsay Willey
Director of Marketing and Communications
WVU Honors College
304-293-2100; Lindsay.Willey@mail.wvu.edu

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