Chemical Engineering Major Wyatt Vaughn Named Udall Scholar

LAWRENCE — A junior at the University of Kansas has been named a 2026 Udall Scholar. 

The Udall scholarship recognizes students who demonstrate leadership, public service and commitment in the fields of tribal public policy, Native healthcare or the environment. KU's 2026 Udall Scholar is Wyatt Vaughn, a junior double majoring in chemical engineering and English-creative writing.

Wyatt Vaughn, son of Erin and Derek Vaughn of Olathe, serves as an officer on the KU Engineering Student Council, president of KU's social network of aspiring poet-scholars (SNAPS) and an undergraduate researcher in the Susan Stagg-Williams research group. Vaughn also participates in the University Honors program, conducting research across multiple disciplines.

The Udall Undergraduate Scholarship is a federal scholarship that honors the legacies of Morris Udall and Stewart Udall, two former Arizona lawmakers whose careers influenced American Indian self-governance, healthcare and the stewardship of public lands and natural resources. 

The Udall Foundation administers the program. Selected scholars will receive access to the Udall Alumni Network and attend a four-day scholar orientation in Tucson, Arizona. Students must be nominated by their university to apply, and universities are limited in the total number of nominations they can make. 

At KU, the nomination process is coordinated by the Center for Undergraduate Research & Fellowships within Academic Affairs–Undergraduate Education. Students interested in applying next year should email curf@ku.edu. The next application cycle will begin in spring 2027. Sophomores and juniors may apply.