Congratulations to Leel Dias, CC’27 and Mitchell Dees CC’26, who have both received an Honorable Mention by the Udall Undergraduate Scholarship program!
Administered by the Morris K. Udall and Stewart L. Udall Foundation, the Udall Scholarship honors college sophomores and juniors who exhibit exceptional leadership, public service, and a commitment to careers in environmental fields, tribal public policy, or Native American health care. The program seeks to identify and support students who are dedicated to addressing critical issues impacting the environment and Native communities through innovative solutions and public service.
Leel Dias, CC'27, has received a 2025 Udall Scholarship Honorable Mention
Mitchell Dees, CC'26, has received a 2025 Udall Scholarship Honorable Mention
Originally from Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Mitchell Dees CC’26 is a citizen of the Chickasaw Nation and a Kluge Scholar at Columbia, where he majors in Neuroscience and Behavior with a concentration in East Asian Languages & Cultures. His academic and career interests lie at the intersection of Native American health equity, mental health advocacy, and neurobiological research. At Columbia’s Irving Cancer Research Center, he works in the Gabriele Bartoli Brain Tumor Lab, studying treatment approaches for glioblastoma. Deeply committed to advancing Indigenous health and increasing Native representation in the field of medicine, Mitchell plans to pursue an MD to serve Native communities, with a focus on expanding access to psychiatric care in tribal and rural communities. His commitment to advocating for Indigenous health and representation in medicine is shaped by his heritage, his journey as an Eagle Scout, and the resilience he regularly witnesses within the people he meets through his clinical and research work.