Three Cornell University students have received the 2006-07 Morris K. Udall Scholarship.

Tony Marks-Block '07 and Meredith Odato '08, from the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, and Matthew Perkins '08, from the College of Engineering, were among the 80 students selected nationwide for the honor, given by the Morris K. Udall Scholarship and Excellence in National Environmental Policy Foundation.

The students garnered awards up to $5,000 each from a field of 445 nominations from 224 institutions. The students' selection places Cornell among only five U.S. institutions to have more than two Udall scholars. Since 1998 Cornell students have won 24 Udall scholarships.

"I want to be an environmental educator who empowers marginalized communities to be active and knowledgeable in the political and planning process concerning environmental issues," said Cornell winner Marks-Block of San Francisco.

A natural resources major, Marks-Block founded the Environmental Justice Working Group at Cornell, is a member of the Farmworkers Advocacy Coalition, has interned with Literacy for Environmental Justice, and served as a site leader with Raising Education Attainment Challenge (REACH), a youth-tutoring program. Marks-Block has been on the dean's list since fall 2004 and received the Arthur H. and Karin A. Nelson and Lorey I. Lokey scholarships.

He was recommended by Barbara Bedford, senior research associate, and Professor Marianne Krasny, both in the Department of Natural Resources.

Odato, of Landisburg, Pa., plans to attend law school, become a policy-maker for Pennsylvania's wildlife or conservation agencies, and seek an elected state office.

"In order to gain further field experience, I may serve as an environmental protection officer or conservation specialist in the United States Coast Guard after graduating from Cornell," said Odato, a natural resources major with a concentration in resource policy and management.

Odato is a Cornell Presidential Research Scholar and involved with Cornell's Catholic Fellowship, Italian American Organization and Society of American Foresters.

Jody Enck, Peter Smallidge and Charles R. Smith, research associates in natural resources, recommended Odato.

Perkins, from Guilford, Conn., said he intends "to protect the Earth's natural resources with a career of research and business development in sustainable energy technologies," and he plans to put his skills to work in China.

Perkins is former president of the Cornell student group Kyoto Now! and a member of Cornell's Glee Club, the Cornell Biodiesel Initiative and solar decathlon team. The materials science and engineering major interned at the Yale School of Forestry and Environmental Studies as well as Chevron Energy Solutions. Perkins has remained on the dean's honor roll since fall 2004 and is a Bert Hopkins Environmental Science Prize recipient.

Ulrich Wiesner, professor in materials science and engineering, recommended Perkins.

In addition to the awardees, two students received honorable mention: Arts and Sciences College Scholar Lisa Gilbertson '07 and Ding Kong '08, from the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences.

Students applying for the Udall scholarship must be endorsed by Cornell to participate in the national competition. Those interested, and faculty with recommendations, should visit http://www.career.cornell.edu/fellowships/descriptions/udall.html and contact Beth Fiori, fellowship coordinator in Cornell Career Services, at btf1@cornell.edu or 255-6923.