On Thursday, June 11, 2026, the School of Marine and Environmental Affairs celebrated the Class of 2026, honoring 29 students who earned their Master of Marine Affairs (MMA) degrees. These graduates now join an esteemed community of nearly 1,000 alumni and world-class policymakers dedicated to building a resilient future in marine and environmental affairs.

The ceremony began with opening remarks from SMEA Director Dr. Nives Dolšak, followed by a speech from nominated class speaker Maddie Gard. SMEA Emeritus Professor Terrie Klinger delivered the keynote address.

This year, we are proud to recognize three exceptional students with awards.

Anna Lewis is this year’s recipient of the 2026 McKernan Thesis of the Year Award for her outstanding thesis, Beyond Supply Chains: A Just Mining Index for Assessing Critical Mineral Sources. Her research explores the environmental, social, and human rights impacts of sourcing critical minerals needed for the global energy transition. Using data from 174 countries, Anna developed a new index to evaluate each country’s ability to support fair and responsible mining practices. Her work highlights the trade-offs between supply chain security, human rights, and environmental justice, offering a valuable tool for shaping future investments and partnerships in critical mineral development.

Hannia Larino and Isaac Olson are this year’s recipients of the 2026 JEDI & Community Service Award for their outstanding leadership in advancing justice, equity, diversity, inclusion, and community at SMEA. Through revitalizing the Diversity Forum, organizing Know Your Rights trainings, and community townhalls, advocating for support for non-citizen students, and creating space for education, dialogue, and solidarity, Hannia and Isaac have helped foster a more welcoming and engaged community. Their dedication to building meaningful connections across cohorts and turning student concerns into action has had a lasting impact on SMEA and reflects a deep commitment to equity, advocacy, and collective care.

Congratulations to the class of 2026!