January 25, 2006
Erin McDonald of Concord to Research Greenhouse Gas Emissions at UNC Asheville

Raleigh & Asheville, NC (January 25, 2006) - NC Beautiful and UNC Asheville are pleased to announce that Erin McDonald was recently named a NC Beautiful Undergraduate Environmental Research Scholar. She will receive the Governor and Mrs. Dan K. Moore Fellowship, a $3,000 scholarship for research on greenhouse gas emissions.

McDonald is one of four UNC Asheville students to receive the prestigious recognition from NC Beautiful, a North Carolina non-profit organization dedicated to supporting environmental stewardship from the mountains to the coast.

“Erin is a dedicated student who is truly concerned about North Carolina’s environment,” says Jane Rogers, NC Beautiful managing director. “Her passion aligns with that of our organization. We are thrilled to support a student whose efforts will positively impact the future of our state.”

McDonald attended Central Cabarrus High School in Concord, NC as well as NC School of Science and Math in Durham. She is a junior at UNC Asheville working towards a degree in environmental studies with a concentration in natural resource management and policy. Her research will focus on updating the greenhouse gas emissions calculations for UNC Asheville including that of animal products such as pork and chicken. McDonald plans to apply to UNC Asheville’s Study Abroad Program to study successful environmental policy in other countries.

“With the support of an organization that makes the quality of North Carolina’s environment a top priority through the funding of undergraduate research, I will be able to focus more on school and on creating a quality, presentable research project.” says McDonald.

The Governor and Mrs. Dan K. Moore Fellowship is offered to Environmental Studies students at UNC Asheville, due to the strength of this department. The research money is designed to support a student’s tuition fees, room and board so they can more effectively concentrate on their area of study.

ABOUT NC BEAUTIFUL
NC Beautiful is a non-profit environmental education organization interested in protecting North Carolina’s natural beauty and good environmental stewardship. Governor and Mrs. Dan K. Moore founded it in 1966. Governor Easley serves as honorary chair of the Board of Directors, which is comprised of volunteers from across North Carolina. NC Beautiful sponsors other programs to promote beautification and stewardship. It also provides $1,000 incentive grants to teachers and $10,000 research fellowships to graduate students studying environmental sciences at North Carolina universities, and manages a research-focused scholars program at the undergraduate level. For more information about programs in which your community, schools, and citizens can participate, contact NC Beautiful at PO Box 10155, Raleigh, NC 27605; call 919-828-3028; or e-mail ncbeautiful@bellsouth.net.