DIS Blog
This fall’s Green Scholarship recipients
This year marks the first year of impact for the DIS Green Education Fund, following its launch last year.
At DIS, we’re committed to making education more accessible while empowering students to become sustainability leaders in their careers and communities. This bold three-year initiative expands scholarships for students pursuing sustainability-focused studies at DIS and fully funds participation in the Arctic Experiential Studies: Greenland Summer Session.
Read on to meet some of the Fall 2026 Green Scholarship recipients, students selected for their commitment to addressing the world’s complex environmental challenges and their demonstrated engagement in confronting the climate crisis. Through the Green Scholarship program, these students were recognized for their leadership, academic interests, and dedication to sustainability.
Amaya Baral, University of Vermont
Core Course: Sustainable Development in Northern Europe
Major: Environmental Studies
“I aim for my work to remind communities of the power we hold to live according to our means, and create for ourselves what may not be available to us. Part of this also includes redefining the concept of sustainability from individuals’ obligation to collective responsibility and institutional accountability, and to make space for imagination in times of darkness.”
Hope Dragseth, Scripps College
Core Course: Architecture Foundations Studio
Major: Environmental Analysis & Art History
“Through my academic and extracurricular work, I have begun exploring how social and environmental justice intersects with the arts—the foundation of my future profession. During my time abroad, I aim to prioritize this philosophy and build connections with like-minded individuals who value using architecture as a tool for sustainability.”
Jocelyn Morgenstein, Duke University
Core Course: Climate, Glaciers, and Human Impact
Major: Earth and Climate Sciences
“While I am not yet sure if I want to pursue a career in environmental policy or climate research, I know that sustainability is at the forefront of everything I dream of doing. I am constantly contemplating what a feasible “green” future looks like, and while I don’t have a perfect answer yet, I know studying sustainability in Copenhagen with the help of the Green Scholarship will be an invaluable opportunity to learn and gain unique insight that I will carry into my work far beyond this semester.”
Kiraly Vega, University of Missouri
Core Course: Engineering Sustainable Environments in Scandinavia
Major: Mechanical Engineering
“Today, sustainability is often discussed alongside ideas of carbon footprint, renewable energy, and technological innovations. All of these are important to sustainability, but they do not reach into the very core of the issue. At its core, sustainability shapes how people live every day. It determines the quality of air they breathe, the water they drink, the soil they walk and grow food from, the energy they can afford, and the world they interact with.”
Sarayu Buchireddygari, Virginia Tech
Core Course: Urban Design Studio
Major: Architecture
“My goal of a career focused on sustainability is driven by the understanding that the built environment holds immense power to either exacerbate or alleviate the challenges we face. The moments of crisis in Ecuador, Turkey, and California continue to remind us of the future need for thoughtful, informed decisions. Through continued research, community engagement, and global learning, I am committed to contributing to a future where design not only responds to disaster but actively works to prevent it.”
Teresa (Tuyen) Nguyen, Dickinson College
Core Course: Globalization and European Economies
Major: Data Analytics & Quantitative Economics
“Vietnam shaped the question. The United States provided me with the analytical tools. DIS is where I will further develop my skills into climate expertise.”
Patrick Branley, Saint Joseph’s University
Core Course: Climate, Glaciers, and Human Impact
Major: Environmental Science
“In a time when environmental challenges are increasingly urgent, I’m motivated by my belief that meaningful change is possible. Through education, collaboration, and a commitment to equity, we can create systems that respect both the planet and the people who depend on it.”
Ruby Sheaffer, Macalester College
Core Course: Polar Biology
Major: Political Science & Environmental Studies
“I am looking forward to using my time abroad to complement the environmental and sustainable education I’ve already started at Macalester. Often, agriculture and environmentalism are pitted against each other, but my childhood in agriculture proves otherwise. The worlds of agriculture and environmentalism are deeply connected, and I want to explore how agriculture can be a tool, not a liability, to a climate-smart future.”