​James H. Davis and Cabot scholarships recipient Madison Hinkle, of Morgantown, WV, is a third-year law student at West Virginia University College of Law.

Hinkle says her passion for the environment developed growing up on the eastern panhandle.

“From nature camp as a kid, to hikes on the Appalachian Trail with my dad, and exploration of Appalachia’s state parks whilst in college, I’ve always been a lover of the outdoors. While obtaining my degree in biology during my undergraduate career, my passion for the protection of the planet and its natural resources grew. I knew I wanted to dedicate my career to fighting on behalf of the environment,” Hinkle said.

While at WVU, she learned about the impacts of fracking, coal extraction and chemical spills, worked on a capstone project on acid mine drainage and interned with the Appalachian Citizens’ Law Center in Whitesburg, Kentucky. She served as president of the WVU Environmental Law Society in 2020-2021 and was a representative for the faculty sustainability committee at the College of Law. She was recommended to the scholarship committee by WVU professor, James Van Nostrand.

“She has been one of the most outstanding students during my ten years at WVU in terms of being an all-around great person to have in the building: she is passionate about energy and environmental issues, a strong performer in the classroom, a natural leader, and well-liked and respected by her fellow students,” Van Nostrand said.