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Kelsey Ouellette (’14), of Winthrop, Maine, an environmental studies major/education minor, has been selected as this year’s recipient of The Camden Conference’s Mathew R. Simmons Scholarship.

Ouellette, a Dean’s list student throughout her college career, has demonstrated her involvement in her field with activism on a variety of environmental and social issues, including serving as vice-president of the student environmental group, Earth’s ECO, and participating as a member of UNE’s Habitat for Humanity Club.

Rick Peterson, Ph.D., associate professor and assistant chair in the Department of Environmental Studies, describes Ouellette’s “commitment to high quality academic work, enthusiasm and passion for learning and strong critical thinking skills.”

Applicants for the scholarship were asked to submit a short essay on why they would like to attend the conference. Ouellette wrote: “The Conference will help me understand more about political issues of food and water around the globe, which I can then relate back to my work.  I am especially interested to learn about how politics differ globally in relation to this topic and how I might be able to make a difference in this sector.”

The Simmons Scholarship was created by the Camden Conference in memory of Mathew R. Simmons, a longtime supporter of the conference and keynote speaker at the 2002 conference. The scholarship provides the chance for a student to attend the conference, lodging in Camden, and opportunities for the student to interact with speakers, conference attendees, and other students.

The mission of the Camden Conference is to foster informed discourse on world affairs through year-round community events, public and student engagement, and an annual weekend Conference.