photo by: Journal-World file

A sign at the entrance to Haskell Indian Nations University is shown in this file photo from Friday, Aug. 5, 2016.

A career services counselor from Haskell Indian Nations University has been named to an Environmental Protection Agency advisory council with the aim to foster more diversity in the agency.

Angelina Adams was appointed to serve a two-year term on the EPA’s inaugural Historically Black Colleges and Universities and Minority Serving Institutions (HBCU-MSI) Federal Advisory Council.

The 20-member council, made up of a mix of representatives from businesses and staff from universities that have traditionally served students from underrepresented groups, will provide independent advice and recommendations to the EPA on strategies to help diversify the agency’s workforce, support the professional development of environmental leaders and ensure that HBCUs and MSIs receive the resources and support they need to thrive.

EPA Administrator Michael S. Regan said the group will be “invaluable” in ensuring all communities have a voice in environmental stewardship.

“Each member brings a wealth of experience, knowledge, and a deep commitment to advancing environmental justice and helping to diversify contributions to environmental policies,” Regan said in a press release.

Meghan A. McCollister, the EPA’s Region 7 administrator, said Adams’ perspective as an Indigenous individual and her experiences at Haskell, one of the 32 tribal colleges and universities in the U.S., are crucial for helping represent diverse voices.

“She has been a fierce advocate for her students while highlighting the importance of preparing them to engage in the stewardship of land and resource management,” McCollister said.

McCollister added that Adams already had some experience of working with the EPA, providing valuable insights in how to better engage students at a minority-serving institution and Indigenous communities.

Adams said she felt honored to accept the position and said that she would not be in the position to take her term on the council without the support of the students she served at Haskell.