Earth Systems student John Mulrow is the 2009 recipient of the William W. Whitley Citizen Scholar Prize

John Mulrow (BS '09) was named the 2009 Whitley Scholar for his impactful community service and outreach efforts related to the environment and sustainability. John was a leader in sustainability education and outreach at Stanford, in his home town of Wheaton, Illinois, and abroad in Zambia.

John will receive his BS in Earth Systems with a focus in sustainable agriculture and resource management. While at Stanford, John created a student-initiated course entitled "Food, Water, Energy: Tracing Primary Resources in the San Francisco Bay Area". In conjunction with his course, John organized an alternative spring break in the Bay Area that took students to sites related to Stanford's food, water, energy, and waste. The sites included a wind farm, a wastewater treatment plant, the San Jose landfill, and organic farms. John also acted as a project manager and facilitator with FORGE and the UN Refugee Agency. John coordinated donations and developed a plan to create the FORGE Mwange Computer Lab in Zambia. He gave deeply to refugee communities in Africa for more than a year. As well, John created sustainability lessons in his home town through a partnership with School & Community Assistance for Recycling & Composting Education (SCARCE).

While at Stanford, John provided strong leadership to Students for a Sustainable Stanford, coordinated student engagement with waste reduction efforts through the Sustainability Working Group, acted as Sustainability Chair for his fraternity Sigma Nu, and offered sound advice to colleagues as an Earth Systems student advisor. As well, John was the founder and president of the Stanford Hurling Team. John was also a member of the Green Living Council, a dormitory president, and an advisor for the Stanford Community Writing Program.

John's other awards include the Dean's Award for Undergraduate Academic Achievement, a BS with Distinction, an election to Phi Beta Kappa, a MAP Sustainable Energy Fellowship, a Haas Center for Public Service Urban Summer Fellowship, a Richard L. and Patricia R. Balch Undergraduate Scholarship, a Woods Institute for the Environment student grant, and a Ram's Head Theatrical Society Service Award.