Preparing students for future success
Summer internships are a vital part of the law school journey, offering students a chance to explore career paths, develop practical legal skills, and build meaningful professional networks. Through the Hubbell Environmental Law Initiative (HELI), Iowa Law continues to support students passionate about public interest and public service careers in environmental law by providing summer stipends that make these experiences possible. With the support of HELI funding, students pursue summer internships after their first and second years of law school—gaining experiences that help shape their futures and expand their impact.
Over the 2024–2025 academic year, the HELI team built and strengthened partnerships with a broader range of environmental organizations whose work focuses on issues relevant to Iowa and neighboring states. Thanks to these efforts, HELI is proud to support 15 Iowa Law students in securing impactful summer placements for 2025. This year, more than 86% of student placements are with organizations based in Iowa or the surrounding Midwest states.
These students, recognized as Hubbell Scholars, represent the future of environmental leadership. As Hubbell Scholars, they not only receive financial support but also join a growing network of passionate advocates and professionals committed to environmental stewardship and public service. Their work this summer will directly contribute to real-world solutions while building the foundation for their legal careers.
For Summer 2025, students are gaining valuable experience with the following organizations:
Clean Wisconsin
Driftless Water Defenders
Ducks Unlimited
Environmental Investigation Agency
Illinois Environmental Council
Iowa Environmental Council
Minnesota Center for Environmental Advocacy
Missouri Coalition for the Environment
Missouri Department of Natural Resources
Polk County Air Quality Division
Sierra Club – Iowa Chapter
Sierra Club – National Organization
The Nature Conservancy – North America Agriculture Program
University of Iowa's Environmental Compliance
Meet the 2025 Summer Hubbell Scholar Interns
Below are profiles of each student selected for summer support by HELI.
Madison Berndt, Class of 2026
Hometown: Brentwood, California
I will be working with Driftless Water Defenders in Iowa City as they advocate for clean water across Iowa. I am so thankful for the HELI grant I am receiving this summer because it allows me to work for a nonprofit cause I am passionate about! I am excited to learn about environmental advocacy and how to engage the public in policy initiatives. Growing up in California, I often saw the destruction caused by wildfires and drought. It is important to me to learn how to reduce environmental harms and teach others to do the same, so that we can protect nature and all its beauty. In this role I will be responsible for leading a community outreach event where DWD will teach Iowans about what they can do to support our work and protect their water.
Lydia Berry, Class of 2026
Hometown: Des Moines, Iowa
I will be working with the Driftless Water Defenders towards advocacy in Iowa City, Iowa. Specifically, working towards reducing farm-related water pollution-caused threats to public health in Iowa. This will include legislative drafting, legal research, and grassroots advocacy. This funding has provided me with the choice to do environmental work and advocacy - alleviating the financial pressure of immediately jumping into the corporate sphere. I hope to continue giving back - through pro-bono or other work - my entire career. As an Iowan, I understand the pollution in our water systems and quality and am excited to contribute to solving that problem. As an American, I understand it is part of our democratic duty to speak up and hold those in power accountable. It can be easy to assume others will fix our problems but there is empowerment in being a part of the solution yourself. I hope to use my strong legal research and writing skills to take the beliefs and momentum of the Driftless Water Defenders into concrete legal action - through litigation or legislative action.
Lucas Buckrop, Class of 2026
Hometown: Taylor Ridge, Illinois
I will be working at Ducks Unlimited. My work will consist of various types of projects, including researching issues related to real estate, conservation, contracts, fundraising, and taxes. Without this grant, I would not have been able to take an unpaid summer position. I chose to work for Ducks Unlimited because it aligned with both my personal and professional interests. My career goals involve doing work related to real estate and property law or serving as in-house counsel, so being exposed to property and business-related issues will help me gain experience that will benefit me in the long run. Personally, I am interested in land management and conservation, so being able to work for an organization who focuses on these aspects on environmental law was extremely intriguing. By working at Ducks Unlimited, I hope to help the organization increase the amount of land enrolled in conservation programs and protect people’s abilities to hunt waterfowl and other animals sustainably in the future. Wildlife relies on having habitat for survival, so if organizations, such as Ducks Unlimited, did not work to protect these resources, more land would be developed for human use and wildlife would suffer. I plan to use my experience with these practices and issues at Ducks Unlimited to help me assist farmers and landowners enroll in land management programs in the future.
James Feeney, Class of 2027
Hometown: Bettendorf, Iowa
This summer, I am working at Polk County Public Works in the Air Quality Division. My duties will include reviewing new county air quality regulations and the Iowa Administrative Code to help prepare new permit application materials. I will also help prepare new public-facing documents to help the public understand the air quality regulations required within Polk County. This funding will enable me to get valuable experience in working in the field of environmental law. I hope to be able to learn about how the environment is regulated locally, and how the environmental law field can affect Iowan’s everyday livelihood. I hope to work towards creating a healthier world for those around me and for those who will continue to live in it far into the future. As the legal world offers so many different paths, I feel that a path that works for the good of all is one that I want to be on in my life. I hope that this can help the public to see why this field is so important and how their everyday activities have an effect on the world around them.
Julia Hallauer, Class of 2027
Hometown: Houghton Lake, Michigan
This summer, I’m interning with the Iowa Chapter of the Sierra Club, where I’ll be conducting legal research on environmental issues, including nuclear energy regulation and water pollution concerns specific to Iowa. This support will provide me with a genuine opportunity to focus on legal work that impacts communities at the local level, deepening my understanding of the intersection of advocacy and policy in practice. Law is an incredible tool for preserving essential parts of the human experience, including nature. Environmental/public interest work provides me the opportunity to align my professional interests with my personal ones. I’m excited to engage with the law in action, observing both its immediate impact and its potential to advance long-term goals through community-centered work. By embracing a people-focused approach, I hope to gain a clearer sense of how my contributions can create meaningful change and help shape the direction of my future work.
Sean Hilzendeger, Class of 2027
Hometown: West Des Moines, Iowa
I will be working at the Iowa Environmental Council on many topics, potentially including a Swampbuster case. This funding is helping keep me afloat during law school and also made me reach out further from home when I was searching for employment. I think it is important to keep our world habitable and clean for us and future generations. I plan on using this opportunity to the fullest extent and learn as much as possible to become a better lawyer in the future.
Mateen Karimi, Class of 2026
Hometown: Iowa City, Iowa
I will be working at the Office of Environmental Compliance at the University of Iowa. This office is located with the Facilities Management Department at the University of Iowa, which assures that local, state and federal environmental laws are met during the design, construction and operation of UI facilities. Thus, I will be doing all things environmental compliance. This funding will make a huge difference in my education and professional goals. We all depend on our natural resources to stay alive and do the things we love. Being financially supported is simply a cherry on top that allows me and do the things we love, to pursue my passions, gain more competency in this field, and also encourages me to work even harder to make Iowa Law proud. I expect to gain much more insight on the flip side of the coin. Last summer, I worked for an environmental nonprofit, which is hyper focused on clean air, clean water, and environmental justice in the state of Iowa. That perspective is generally a big proponent of command-and-control regulation. This summer I have the chance to see the total flip sign of the coin, the perspective of the regulated. The University of Iowa is a massive university and I now have the opportunity to see how these laws really work in action, not to mention state and local rules and regulations. I think this opportunity will broaden my perspective of what “environmental work” looks like as an attorney and better round out my understanding of where I can make the most impact.
Megan LeBlanc, Class of 2027
Hometown: DeKalb, Illinois
I will be assisting Clean Wisconsin's attorneys and staff with legal research and litigation, especially with clean water issues and energy issues. This internship will further my career goals by allowing me to explore multiple topics in environmental law in depth, develop research and litigation skills, and work with attorneys who are doing incredible work protecting Wisconsin's resources. I will also get to see how the organization advocates for strong environmental policies in the Wisconsin legislature and have the chance to work alongside environmental scientists conducting sound research to back the organization's litigation. My interest in environmental law comes from my commitment to social justice, love of Iowa's prairies, and passion for working with disadvantaged communities who are disproportionately impacted by environmental harm. I am also interested in pursuing a career in environmental law to hold corporations and government entities accountable for their environmental impact.
Gabi Martin, Class of 2026
Hometown: Golden Valley, Minnesota
This internship is an example of the exact type of work I would like to pursue. I have always been interested international environmental law, and through this internship I will be able to gain critical experience in that field. I will have the opportunity to work on critical methods towards protecting our environment for the entire globe. This internship will provide me with essential knowledge and hands-on work in the field of international environmental law. It will provide me with the opportunity to work among an extremely successful environmental law non-profit which effects real and substantial change in this critical moment in our environmental. My interest in environmental law is at the forefront of my motivations for becoming a lawyer and pursuing law school. It has always been my main objective to work towards a better and more stable global environment. In my undergraduate education I received a minor in environmental policy and took many courses relevant to creating forward moving sustainability. Throughout law school I have taken a course in international environmental law, land use, and been involved in the Environmental Law Society.
Cara Meyer, Class of 2027
Hometown: Golden Valley, Minnesota
I will be working at the Minnesota Center for Environmental Advocacy, conducting research and supporting ongoing litigation. Thanks to HELI's funding, I get to spend my summer working at a nonprofit organization doing legal work I care about - and get paid for it. The health and safety of our communities, not just in the future but in the present moment as well, depends on us taking action to mitigate the impacts of climate change. As someone who loves spending time outdoors in all seasons, whether that be cross-country skiing, camping, biking, or going on walks, it's important for me to work towards creating a more sustainable world. One issue MCEA focuses on is environmental justice, which looks at how it is most often marginalized communities who are most exposed to environmental pollution and the chronic health issues this can engender. I look forward to learning more about their efforts and how they collaborate with affected communities.
Veronica Miller, Class of 2026
Hometown: Crete, Nebraska
I will work at Sierra Club in Oakland, CA, with the Environmental Law Program (ELP). The ELP develops and prosecutes the legal strategies for the Sierra Club’s nationwide grassroots campaigns, which focus on promoting smart energy solutions, building safe and healthy communities, and protecting the nation’s wild legacy. ELP law student interns work on many aspects of litigation, including undertaking legal research, preparing written memoranda, and conducting factual investigations. I worked at a firm last summer but felt encouraged after taking Wildlife & Habitat Conservation Law and Administrative Law with Prof. Roesler to explore a public interest opportunity in environmental law. Without HELI's advocacy in promoting positions like these and financial support to make them more accessible, my upcoming summer would look very different. I came to law school because I believe lawyers are some of the best people equipped with the skills to solve some of our communities' most pressing challenges. Working for the Sierra Club combines many of my interests in law school: public interest.
Anthony Mundt, Class of 2026
Hometown: Durant, Iowa
I am working with The Nature Conservancy on their Water Policy Accelerator and North America Agriculture Project. Because of the HELI grant I received, I can afford to gain experience in an area that I deeply care about. Public interest work is important to me because there is no financial incentive to do this kind of work. Public interest work is completely driven by the will to help others live a happy, healthy life. I plan to use this position to create change by helping The Nature Conservancy push for cleaner waters and a healthier human environment.
Pragnya Ramprasad, Class of 2027
Hometown: Pune, Illinois
I will be working at Illinois Environmental Council this summer. I come from a biology background and have always been interested in policy-related work. As such, environmental policy was a natural area of interest for me. I would not have been able to explore this field without the funds to support my living expenses while I am in a bigger city. Environmental work is a field with ever-increasing relevance, both to combat potential environmental crises and to establish policies that will allow us to transition into using more sustainable energy sources. Having lived in many different countries, I have seen first-hand the effect that differing regulations can have. My work in this internship will involve comparative work between policies enacted by different states. I plan to utilize the skills I learn to do similar work on a global scale. I also hope to help the general public better understand how seemingly unrelated policies can affect the environment as a whole.
Shannon Walsh, Class of 2027
I will be working at Missouri Coalition for the Environment, where I will research legislative and regulatory language to inform MCE’s environmental and public health advocacy efforts and assist with policy drafting. I have the long-term goal of working in the field of human rights and/or environmental advocacy. This internship with MCE will improve my legal research and writing skills, especially regarding state and federal policy and legislation that has to do with the environment. I will also gain new skills in community organizing and outreach. The opportunity to meet with state legislators will also give me hands-on experience in networking and advocating in the real world with policy-makers.
John Westfall, Class of 2027
Hometown: Cedar Rapids, Iowa
I will work at the Missouri Department of Natural Resources on a wide range of opportunities to serve and impact the community. Some areas of work we specifically discussed was the areas of land reclamation in areas affected by mining or drinking/clean water, though there were many other areas such as nuclear energy potentially needing more hands. This funding will help me to take part the summer legal placement program at Iowa, which I hope will help me take advantage of this opportunity I have working this summer to learn as much as I can about the practice of environmental law and to grow as a law student. I think environmental law is important to me in part due to growing up in the Midwest, where the environment is hugely important for the community and we see the impact of things like fertilizer run off or soil erosion as existential issues for our economy and health. Events like the 2008 flood or the derecho in 2020 also left an impact on me personally.
Expanding professional networks and impact
The Hubbell Environmental Law Initiative, made possible by the vision and generosity of Iowa Law alumni Charlotte Beyer Hubbell (76JD) and Fred Hubbell (76JD), provides an active platform for interdisciplinary engagement on critical environmental issues. HELI supports students, enhances the environmental law curriculum, and works to raise the bar for environmental leadership in Iowa and beyond.
HELI is proud to continue expanding its network of partner organizations to offer students even more opportunities to make a difference while gaining real-world legal experience. Organizations interested in hosting a summer intern in the future are encouraged to contact HELI at lawmail-heli@uiowa.edu.
Join us in congratulating and wishing our 2025 Hubbell Scholars success as they embark on these exciting professional journeys!