Amber Holland, a two-time UNCP graduate, has earned an Udall Foundation Native American Congressional Internship.

The announcement was made by the prestigious Udall Foundation and the Native Nations Institute. Holland was one of 12 students selected nationwide. They were selected by an independent review committee on the basis of academic achievement and a demonstrated commitment to careers in Tribal public policy.

The Udall Interns will complete an intensive nine-week internship this summer in Washington, D.C. Special enrichment activities will provide opportunities to meet with key decision makers.

Holland will complete an internship in the Office of the Solicitor and Bureau of Indian Affairs’ division in the U.S. Department of the Interior.

Holland, a native of Clinton and member of the Lumbee Tribe, is pursuing a juris doctor and Indian Law certificate at the University of New Mexico School of Law. She has worked with the U.S. District Court and the Hon. James Browning, the Indian Law Resource Center in Washington, DC, and New Mexico Department of Cultural Affairs.

She completed a Bachelor of Arts degree in Social Studies Education with a minor in American Indian Studies in 2007 and Master of Arts in Social Studies Education in 2012, both at UNC Pembroke. Prior to law school, she was an educator in the   Robeson and Wake county public school systems.

Holland is pursuing a career in Indian law concentrating on cultural preservation.

The Udall Internship honors the legacies of Morris Udall and Stewart Udall, whose careers had a significant impact on American Indian self-governance and health care, as well as the stewardship of public lands and natural resources. The Native American Congressional Internship Program provides Native American and Alaska Native students with the opportunity to gain practical experience with the federal legislative process in order to understand firsthand the government-to-government relationship between tribes and the federal government.