Osage awarded Udall Internship in Washington, DC
Internship recipient says his career goal is Native American law and working for the Osage Nation
Adam Trumbly, Osage citizen, attends law school at the University of Florida in Gainesville, Fla.
By ON Communications
Gainesville, Fla. (April 6, 2016)— This summer Adam Trumbly, an Osage citizen, will join eleven other Native American graduate and law students to work and live in Washington, D.C., as a selected participant for the Udall Foundation Native American Congressional Internship. Trumbly is currently a law student at the Levin College of Law at the University of Florida in Gainesville, Fla.
“I spent a lot of time last year reaching out to individuals in the field of tribal law and a few recommended that I research the Udall Internship,” said Trumbly about how he became interested in applying. “I was familiar with the Udall name from different law classes and from following politics but that had been the first I had heard about the opportunities that the Udall family had established for Native American students. After reviewing their website and discussing it with other individuals, I was sold.”
The internship experience compliments Trumbly’s career and education goals. He said after law school he wants to give back to the Nation that supported his education. “My goal is to work for and with the [Osage] Nation…I expect to work in tribal law my entire career.”
With the opportunities that the Udall Foundation offers Trumbly plans to become an advocate for Native American Law and become as informed as he can about the government-to-government relationship between Native sovereign nations and the federal government.
Udall Foundation
Established in 1992 by the U.S. Congress, the Udall Foundation awards scholarships, internships, and fellowships, “for study in fields related to the environment,” to honor Morris K. Udall and Stewart Udall. Morris, former Arizona Rep., was a legislative leader in the arena of environmental protection. Stewart, also a former Arizona Rep. and former Sec. of the Interior, also supported and led efforts to protect the environment and Native American rights related to environmental protections.
The mission of the foundation is to, “provide programs to promote leadership, education, collaboration, and conflict resolution in the areas of environment, public lands, and natural resources in order to strengthen Native nations, assist federal agencies, and other to resolve environmental conflicts, and to encourage the continued use and appreciation of our nation’s rich resources.”
University of Florida & Federal Indian Law
Currently, Trumbly is at the Levin College of Law at the University of Florida where he is working towards a Juris Doctorate. He is President of the Native American Law Student Association and actively trying to bring Federal Indian Law courses to the school. “It appears it’s going to happen but the school has not set a definitive timeline,” he said about the courses being seriously considered by the college.
Recruiting more Native law students to the University of Florida is something Trumbly is passionate about. “I have been working to recruit more Native American students, educate fellow students and faculty about [Native American law] issues effecting our communities, and highlighting the importance of tribal law [education].”
Before attending the University of Florida, Trumbly earned his Bachelors of Science and Masters of Science in Criminal Justice from the University of Central Florida. He said his research there focused on domestic violence and policing on Native American reservations.
Osage Family
Trumbly said he grew up near Orlando, Fla., and most of his Osage culture and history experience and education has been learned through books and films. Despite the distance and loss of contact, Trumbly has a deep sense of pride and dedication to his Osage people. That is why his career path includes working for the Nation. He is a descendent of Julian Trumbly through Charles Trumbly I, II, and the III, who is his father. His family moved away from the Osage Reservation around the time of the Reign of Terror in the early 1900s when Osages were being stalked and murdered for their oil royalties.
“Thanks to the internet, I have been able to reconnect with our Nation and have been actively trying to educate myself on our family's history. After I finish law school, I plan to move to [the Osage Reservation] and learn as much as I can about our Nation and my family,” he said.
Trumbly lives in Gainseville with his fiancé, Mallie.
For more information about the Udall Foundation Native American Congressional Internship go to www.udall.gov.
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