Iyana Vhané
Appalachian School of Law
Iyana Vhané, recipient of the Mary Sue Schulberg Scholarship and the Sharon Daniels Scholarship, is entering her third year at Appalachian School of Law this fall, says her interest in energy and natural resources law emerged from a fundamental belief: to serve humanity, we must first protect the environment that sustains us all. Vhané said her education, participation in the National Energy & Sustainability Moot Court Competition, work at Google and Amazon, studying internationally, and even working through a personal setback have all lead to transferable skills critical for effective advocacy.
“I am not pursuing environmental law because it’s prestigious or lucrative, but because I believe in boots-on-the-ground advocacy that directly serves communities affected by resource extraction and environmental degradation,” Vhané said in her scholarship application personal statement. “Upon graduation, I intend to apply my skills in a role where I can work directly with affected communities, translating complex environmental regulations into practical solutions.”
The Mary Sue Schulberg Scholarship is giving annually in remembrance of Mary Sue, a former president and longtime valuable member of EMLF. The Sharon Daniels Scholarship was established in 2018 in honor of retiring longtime Executive Director, Sharon Daniels.