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A legal career in land conservation may often feel unattainable for recent law school graduates. The pressure to pay off student loan debt, coupled with the often-lower paying salaries in public interest jobs, could prompt them to look elsewhere. However, thanks to the Wyss Scholars Program, funded by the Wyss Foundation, one Colorado Law student each year receives generous financial assistance to cover the cost of one-third of law school tuition and expenses, as well as funds for internship opportunities and professional development support.

The program's impact will soon grow; starting in fall 2025, the Wyss Foundation will fund two Wyss Scholars at Colorado Law each year. 鈥淭he Wyss Scholars Program is a strategic and impactful partnership between Colorado Law and the Wyss Foundation,鈥� said Chris Winter, executive director of the Getches-Wilkinson Center, who oversees the Wyss Scholars Program. 鈥淭hrough the program, scholars get exactly the right kind of support that can make a difference in the trajectory of their careers. We鈥檙e very grateful for the support of the Wyss Foundation, and we are thrilled that the students at Colorado Law have this opportunity.鈥�

Wyss Scholarships are awarded to promising leaders in United States land conservation. Scholars learn the latest in conservation law and policy and apply that knowledge in careers at land management agencies and nonprofit conservation groups often with a focus on the protection of public lands. Lawyers in this field provide legal and political counsel on a broad range of land and water use issues鈥攚ork that is critical to ensuring the protection of public lands now and into the future.

Colorado Law is one of only six public institutions in the U.S to host the Wyss Foundation Wyss Scholars Program. The program has had a profound impact on scholarship recipients' lives since the first Wyss Scholar was selected in 2018. For these students, this funding has been instrumental in the path they have taken both during their final year of law school and in the two years following.[鈥淏eing selected as a Wyss Scholar was huge for a number of reasons,鈥� explained Eric Dude 鈥�19. 鈥淧ublic interest and environmental law work is not very lucrative for law students, so the scholarship allowed me to search for more interesting internship opportunities while I was still in law school.鈥�

The summer after being selected as a Wyss Scholar, Dude interned for the Access Fund, a national climbing advocacy organization, where his work centered around protection of national monuments and sustainable recreational access. Dude shared that without the financial support of the Wyss Scholars Program, he would not have been able to take advantage of such an opportunity.

The case was similar for Colorado Law's 2020-21 Wyss Scholar Alex Hamilton 鈥�21, who was able to work an unpaid externship during his 3L year for a Wyoming nonprofit focused on state and federal public lands policy.

鈥淭he stipend allowed me to work at Wyoming Outdoor Council and do more coursework instead of taking a paid job,鈥� Hamilton explained. 鈥淚 was able to do something a little more in my wheelhouse, despite not being paid for it.鈥�

After graduation, Dude and Hamilton accepted jobs in their desired fields. While the funding played a huge role in the direction of their early careers, Dude emphasized the overall value of being affiliated with the Wyss Scholars Program.

鈥淟ots of people have resumes in law school that say they are interested in environmental law,鈥� Dude shared. 鈥淏ut, to say 鈥業'm part of the Wyss program鈥� is to say public lands is my focus, I know and understand public lands law, and I want to do something specifically in that area.鈥�

Dude believes that he was able to get his dream job as an attorney-advisor at the U.S. Department of the Interior Solicitor鈥檚 Office because of his Wyss Scholarship.

鈥淎s far as setting up your career, the Wyss program is huge in ways I don't think you appreciate when you first get named a Wyss Scholar,鈥� Dude said. 鈥淭here is a whole network of scholars, and to say that you have dedicated your life to public lands work helps people know you are serious about it and not just seeking a job.鈥�

Dude has remained at the Solicitor's Office since he was first hired after graduation. He currently works for the Solicitor's Office Rocky Mountain Region in Denver, where he counsels the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and National Park Service on various public lands issues.

Hamilton also experienced the significant positive impact of the scholarship program upon graduation. He worked for the U.S. Forest Service through the Presidential Management Fellowship鈥攖he federal government's premier leadership development program for advanced degree holders鈥攁s a forest planner for the Cibola National Forest in New Mexico.

鈥淚t was nice to have the Wyss Scholarship because I was hired at a much lower salary than if I had taken an attorney position,鈥� Hamilton explained. 鈥淚t filled that gap for me, which was critical.鈥�

Hamilton eventually transitioned from his role at the U.S. Forest Service to working for the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Office of General Counsel as an attorney-advisor. He shared that the scholarship provided a strong impetus to stay in public lands work, in part because the payment disburses over the first two years of the recipient鈥檚 practice.

鈥淭he longer you are in this field, the more expertise you get and the easier it is to stay,鈥� Hamilton said. 鈥淚 can鈥檛 really imagine leaving a career in federal lands management at this point. It is so interesting, so rewarding, and having the knowledge that I was going to have that support the first couple of years from the Wyss Scholarship program was great.鈥�

The success of past Wyss Scholars not only demonstrates the prestige and impact of the program itself, but also the depth and breadth of Colorado Law鈥檚 natural resources and environmental law program.

For more than half a century, environmental and natural resources law have been a key part of the Colorado Law curriculum. The program has ranked consistently among the very best in the nation, most recently being named a top 10 program in environmental law by U.S. News and World Report.

Both Dude and Hamilton shared that they were drawn to Colorado Law because of the strength of its environmental law program. The world-class faculty, engaging curriculum, and experiential learning opportunities provide students with the support and expertise they need to have successful careers at law firms, corporations, nonprofit organizations, and governmental agencies.

鈥淚 was not someone who always thought law school was the path,鈥� Dude shared. 鈥淲hen I made that decision, I specifically wanted to make a career in public lands and researched schools that were strong in that area鈥攁nd Colorado Law was at the top of the list.鈥�

Last spring, Mariah Bowman 鈥�25 was named Colorado Law鈥檚 2024-25 Wyss Scholar. She is eager to combine her love for the land with her overwhelming certainty that climate action is the best thing we can do for it.

鈥淚 was thrilled to be selected for the Wyss Scholars Program this year,鈥� Bowman shared. 鈥淭he program will help me pursue my interests at the intersection of public lands and climate policy. I am really looking forward to meeting other Wyss Scholars, past and present, and continuing to learn about public lands law and policy."

Last summer, she interned with the U.S. Department of Justice Environment and Natural Resources Division. She hopes to dedicate her career to conservation work and believes the Wyss Scholarship will be instrumental in this pursuit.

The Wyss Scholars Program continues to bolster Colorado Law as a top-ranked institution for environmental law. We are thrilled to see the success of our past Wyss Scholars and look forward to
seeing what future scholarship recipients will accomplish as they embark on their careers.