A native of Appalachia, raised with an awareness of the environmental and economic impacts of coal mining has been named a Rotary International Scholar and will study sustainability in Scotland.
Meredith DiIoia, of Christiansburg, who graduated from the University of Virginia in May with a bachelor’s degree in global environments and sustainability, plans to pursue a Master of Science degree in sustainability transitions at the University of Aberdeen.
“I believe that climate change is one of the biggest issues that our world faces today,” she said. “By combining my undergraduate education in environments and sustainability with my future postgraduate education that will emphasize the way different industries can sustainably transition, I believe I will be equipped to help our world adapt to the current and future impacts of climate change.”
The one-year program in Scotland “will allow me to learn from current experts,” DiIoia said.
DiIoia’s background has guided her onto this path.
“As a native of Appalachia, I grew up seeing the negative effects of coal mining in the region,” DiIoia told the Rotary. “Consequently, I intimately understand the effect environmental degradation has on a community as I watched it happen in my own life in Appalachia. Also, the lack of access to educational resources in Appalachia taught me the power that comes from traditional academic knowledge, and that education is almost as valuable as the environment.”
While pursuing her undergraduate degree, DiIoia volunteered with Appalachian Sustainable Development, a nonprofit organization dedicated to the health and wellness of the Appalachian region. There, she witnessed firsthand the power local communities possessed, and how those communities harnessed that power for change.
She continues to volunteer with the organization, she said.
A member of the UVA Office of Sustainability’s Civic Engagement Subcommittee, DiIoia’s capstone project involved creating a holistic sustainability plan for the University-owned Morven Farm.
“The plan included achieving UVA’s Sustainability Goals, which focused on stewardship, discovery and engagement for UVA students,” she said.
Rebecca Deeds, Morven’s programs director , said she was impressed with the work DiIoia’s team performed.
“I met with the project team several times to help guide the study,” Deeds said. “I was struck by how Meredith and the student team were imaginative and creative, but also realistic and good listeners. They ensured the recommendations were action-oriented and built upon our strong programming foundation on sustainability topics. They were also able to complete what I view as a professional-level study within one short semester.”
Joan Gore, chair of the Rotary Global Grant Scholarship Selection Committee and a retired UVA faculty member, said DiIoia’s background and her response to it are an important element in the selection process for this $40,000 scholarship.
“Meredith’s creative integration of her personal experience and her education, and how she has made use of these experiences, eminently qualify her for this grant, which will enable her to fulfill her life goals in the environmental field,” Gore said. “Her personal experience living in Appalachia and seeing the environmental degradation caused by the systemic effects of coal mining extraction has made supporting the environment a primary and passionate goal for Meredith. Her background has shown her the impact environmental degradation has on not only the physical environment, but the communities that exist within these physical environments, too.”
Rotary’s opportunity, DiIoia said, will help her pursue a sustainability career.
“I am so excited and grateful for this incredible opportunity,” she said. “I still have a hard time believing that I have received this scholarship, which will help me achieve my goals and dreams, something that would not have been possible without the award.”
At UVA, DiIoia also volunteered with Charlottesville Area Riding Therapy and was a member of the Environmental Justice Collective, a space for the larger UVA community to discuss environmental injustice. She was on the Dean’s List multiple semesters.
DiIoia said she would not be able to continue her education without the Rotary Scholarship.
Chris Elliott, chair of Rotary Piedmont Council and assistant dean at the McIntire School of Commerce, said the three Rotary Clubs in Charlottesville and Albemarle County have been amazed by the caliber of students applying to and receiving Rotary Global Grant Scholarships each year.
“Meredith DiIoia clearly is an accomplished student and we are thrilled to support her commitment to study and develop expertise in climate change and environmental management,” he said. “The committee was particularly struck by her recent experiences with the Appalachian Sustainable Development organization – where she sought to combine her interests in sustainable development and environmental management with a local community-facing organization advocating for lasting change and responsible stewardship of resources.
“We are eager to hear how Meredith will focus her leadership and service to people, communities and the planet moving forward.”
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Article Information
April 19, 2024
