Cooper Rodgers Named Inaugural Wyss Scholar

Lewis & Clark Law School is pleased to announce that Cooper Rodgers ’19, is the inaugural Wyss Scholar at the law school. In early fall of last year, the Wyss Foundation selected Lewis & Clark and its Environmental, Natural Resources, and Energy Law program as one of the first law schools to be included in the Wyss Scholars Program.

The Wyss Foundation is a private, charitable organization dedicated to western public lands issues, and its Scholars Program supports graduate-level education for the next generation of leaders in western land conservation. JD students in their second year at Lewis & Clark who are interested in natural resources and public lands issues on western lands, may apply to serve as Wyss Scholars.

Cooper grew up in Southern California, specifically in the Santa Monica area. The memorable moments of his childhood include spending time in the Santa Monica Mountains, and viewing Red-Tailed Hawks, Mule Deer, and Coast Live Oak. His relationship to the land led him to learn about the need to conserve and preserve those special places. In high school, he started an internship with the Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy and started working in public land conservation.

“Meaningful public service became my long-term career goal. During college I majored in Environmental Science, but came to realize that the hardest battle for our environment is in the courtroom.”

While at Lewis & Clark Law School, Cooper has volunteered with the Natural Resources Defense Council, externed with Klamath-Siskiyou Wildlands Center, and participated in the Earthrise Law Center clinic. He is also pursuing the Environmental, Natural Resources, and Energy Law Certificate.

Like so many students interested in environmental law at Lewis & Clark Law School, Cooper is deeply involved in the many academic, experiential, and clinical opportunities the Environmental Law Program has to offer.

“The incredible opportunities I have had to do substantial legal work have shown me that public interest conservation law is my home. My work has shown me places in the West I once never knew existed, but now are part of my identity.”

Lewis & Clark’s Environmental, Natural Resources, and Energy law program is proud to work with the Wyss Foundation in cultivating students, like Cooper, who will be the leaders and change-makers in western land conservation.