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Leading With Purpose in Community and Environmental Action: Ruby Lenertz, ’25

Today
Laurie Galbraith, College of Social and Behavioral Sciences
A person with short hair and glasses sits on a rock in a sunny outdoor area. They are wearing a sleeveless rust-colored knit top and dark pants, smiling slightly at the camera. Behind them are large concrete arch sculptures, palm trees, and other greenery

Ruby Lenertz — who is graduating with double majors in anthropology and environmental studies and a 4.0 GPA — is the recipient of the fall 2025 SBS Excellence in Leadership and Community Engagement Award, which recognizes a graduating senior who has demonstrated exemplary leadership skills through their involvement on and off campus and their impact on the lives of others.

“Ruby impressed me immediately with her desire to understand climate change because she specifically wanted to shape future policy,” wrote Tony Colella, instructor in the School of Geography, Development and Environment. “She typifies the best qualities of cross-disciplinary advocacy and achievement espoused by the College of Social and Behavioral Sciences.”

Ruby arrived at the U of A with a strong volunteer background, including environmental nonprofit work and LGBTQ+ community advocacy and youth engagement, earning an award for her contributions. 

In Tucson, Ruby poured herself into service and leadership with the same commitment. In a course on climate change, she researched heat-related deaths among vulnerable Tucsonans and prepared an outreach communications package which included a letter to the mayor, social media posts, and call scripts to local government representatives. From former Congressman Raul Grijalva, she earned a Certificate for Congressional Recognition for her dedication to environmental advocacy. Ruby was also named “Young Birder of the Year” by the Tucson Bird Alliance. 

“My time working with environmental non-profits, environmental education, and environmental research has not only cemented my passion and desires to embed myself deep in this field,” Ruby said. “It has also worked to instill in me the belief that effective change and meaningful progress is best achieved by working locally and staying grounded in the needs of surrounding communities.”

Ruby’s dedication to service has also made an impact beyond the local community. During her study abroad program, she volunteered as a student researcher and leader with the Reserva Bosque Libre in Costa Rica. Colella wrote that her “advocacy and leadership led to many positive, improved outcomes,” such as creating a public-facing website and supporting the organization’s fundraising initiatives.

Alongside her role as a project lead with AmeriCorps, Ruby conducted research in the Collaborative Anthropology of Reproduction and the Environment (CARE) Lab and presented that work at the Society for Applied Anthropology Conference as a representative of the lab. She has earned multiple honors, awards, scholarships, and grants—most notably the 2025 Outstanding Undergraduate Student in Environmental Studies.

A confident speaker and collaborator, Ruby participated in the Society for Applies Anthropology conference, was an invited speaker at two seminars put on by the Bio/Diversity Project and served as a panel facilitator for the Women in Science and Engineering’s “Environmental Careers Panel.” 

“Ruby is an engaging, passionate leader in environmental conservation and advocacy, and has demonstrated that leadership at every scale, from the local to the global,” wrote Colella. 

What’s next? Ruby is currently applying for the Master of Arts program in the Environment, Development, and Peace program from the United Nation's University for Peace, located in Costa Rica. 

“I hope to continue working with environmental non-profits to build eco-literacy among current and future generations, shaping policy as I go, all by creating renewed and more profound care and concern for environmental conservation and climate justice initiatives.”

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