OU law student recipient of Udall Congressionall Internship

A University of Oklahoma College of Law student, Aaron L. Fournier, is the recipient of a 2017 Udall Foundation Native American Congressional Internship assigned to the Bureau of Indian Affairs within the U.S. Department of the Interior. A member of the Chickasaw Nation and a native Oklahoman, Fournier works for his tribe at the South Central Climate Science Center on the University Research Campus. He is one of 12 American Indian and Alaska Native college, graduate and law students accepted into the program nationally.

"I am very excited for the opportunity to learn how the Bureau of Indian Affairs operates, and I am honored to have been selected into the Udall Foundation's internship program. I am looking forward to an exciting summer living in Washington, D.C., while working with federal employees who share my passion for promoting tribal sovereignty," said Fournier.

At the South Central Climate Science Center, Fournier assisted in authoring a handbook for university researchers interested in cultivating relationships with Oklahoma tribal members, while respecting native customs. He also conducts science camps that introduce Native American children to weather, climate and natural sciences by allowing them to participate in interactive experiments. In the future, he plans to work in Washington, D.C. where he can use his degree to advocate for increased tribal sovereignty.

Provided by University of Oklahoma