Campus Connection

Margot Higgins receives Prairie Springs Environmental Excellence Award

Margot Higgins developed her interest in indigenous rights while conducting her dissertation in Alaska while a graduate student at UC-Berkeley. Now, she is creating the same opportunity for UW-La Crosse students to find their niche within the environmental field. 

Higgins, a teaching professor of environmental studies, has been honored with the 2025 Prairie Springs Environmental Excellence Award for her significant strides in integrating environmental justice into academic programming, fostering student activism, and strengthening Indigenous partnerships on campus and beyond. 

“When I started the environmental justice program at UWL, it was barely a topic of conversation,” Higgins says. “Our program has come a really long way.” 

Not only did Higgins establish a requirement for environmental studies minors to complete one environmental justice course, but she also designed four new courses within the department that satisfy those credits. 

Higgins’ commitment to environmental justice is deeply rooted in her academic journey. While shaping UWL’s curriculum, she drew inspiration from her own education, specifically her doctorate program at UC-Berkley. 

“My time as a PhD student really opened my eyes to environmental justice,” Higgins explains. “When I headed to the program, I had a shallow understanding of what environmental justice was. The program and my mentor turned my thinking upside down, which is why I haven’t been afraid to do that for others at UWL.”

Beyond curriculum development, Higgins has spearheaded initiatives that foster deeper engagement with Indigenous knowledge and advocacy. Her efforts gained momentum after organizing a campus visit for award-winning author Robin Wall Kimmerer — an event that drew a large crowd from Wisconsin and neighboring states. 

“While Dr. Kimmerer was here, I watched her have such a powerful impact on students, faculty and community members,” Higgins says. “There are many ways that we have not engaged in Indigenous knowledge, which tends to step outside of our Western conception of conducting research and teaching students. Dr. Kimmerer created a bridge for people by not dismissing the idea that Western science is valuable, but rather, calling for an integration.” 

Following the event’s success, Higgins and her colleagues formed the Indigenous Actions Collective, a committee dedicated to expanding Indigenous education and programming on campus.  

“I felt inspired to do something with the momentum from Dr. Kimmerer’s visit,” Higgins explains. "I wanted to make sure we had a way to move toward and create actual change on campus, even if that meant only starting with small successes.”  

The Indigenous Actions Collective has been meeting for nearly a year, advancing several key initiatives. Their efforts include establishing a dedicated space on campus for Indigenous students, shaping policies around ceremonial practices, refining the land acknowledgment statement, expanding Indigenous programming and securing funding to host a monthly Indigenous speaker series. A longer term goal for the group is forming a center for indigenous studies and the environment.

“Chancellor Beeby suggested expanding the committee, which we have now done, and extended an invitation for the committee to help shape UWL’s strategic plan,” Higgins shares. “The support is really exciting for us.” 

In addition to her Indigenous advocacy efforts, Higgins is also focused on experiential learning, making subjects she teaches less abstract and more applicable to solving environmental problems. In her environmental activism class, she equips students with leadership skills for nonprofit and government work. Each year, she takes students to Madison to engage with elected officials on pressing environmental issues.  

“This year, students created zines about the Knowles-Nelson Stewardship Program (a longstanding statewide conservation initiative) that they then handed to their elected officials,” Higgins says. “They were creative, it was different, and I think it was an impactful experience for them and memorable for our representatives.” 

Higgins finds fulfillment in watching students discover their passion for environmental justice. She takes pride in being a mentor and advocate, just as others have been for her throughout her education and career. 

“I feel extremely grateful for all the people that have supported me, particularly committee members and colleagues,” Higgins says. “I’ve felt really supported while doing this work.” 

Read about the winner of the Prairie Springs Student Excellence Award, Courtney Osmek.

Read more about the Prairie Springs Excellence Award.