April 6, 2023 | By Jake Jenkins | law.msu.edu
Michigan State College of Law student, Rory Wheeler, ’25, has secured the Morris K. Udall and Stewart L. Udall Native American Congressional Internship.
The Udall Internship honors the legacies of Morris Udall and Stewart Udall, whose careers had a significant impact on American Indian self-governance and health care, as well as the stewardship of public lands and natural resources.
This program provides American Indian and Alaska Native students with the opportunity to gain practical experience with the federal legislative process to understand first-hand the government-to-government relationship between Tribes and the federal government. The internship is funded by the Native Nations Institute for Leadership, Management, and Policy.
“It means a lot to me as the first Seneca Nation citizen awarded this,” Wheeler said. “I am super proud to be able to represent my Nation and our Spartan community in this role.”
With this position, Wheeler aims to advance his future as an attorney to provide adequate legal aid for his fellow peers through this opportunity.
“I hope to use this opportunity to learn more about Federal and Congressional affairs, build meaningful connections with my fellow interns, and further develop my advocacy and leadership skills to help tribal nations,” he said.
Wenona Singel, director of the Indigenous Law & Policy Center, expressed her excitement for Wheeler and endorses the Udall committee’s decision for choosing the right candidate.
“We’re proud to see that the Udall Foundation and the Native Nations Institute for Leadership, Management, and Policy have recognized Rory,” Singel said. “Udall interns represents the best and brightest of tribal members who show promise for academic achievement, leadership, and commitment to careers in tribal public policy and he possesses each of these qualities in spades, and we’re excited for his future”
