Hi! I’m Nolan Dietz Velarde (he/him), a senior at the University of Miami double-majoring in Political Science and Philosophy with minors in Environmental Science & Policy, International Affairs, and Music Business. I care about turning good ideas into fair policy, especially where law, climate, and community well-being all meet. I founded and now lead the Collegiate Law Journal at UM to give students a rigorous platform for legal writing and debate. I also serve as an Associate Justice on the UM Student Government Supreme Court, where I focus on clear reasoning and accessible governance. Beyond campus, I’ve written and translated climate research for NOAA and investigated heat-mitigation and water-access policy for Miami-Dade County. I’m Hispanic/Peruvian, LGBTQ+, and the first in my family to pursue law. I’m working toward law school and a career advancing accountability and environmental justice while mentoring students who share these goals. Support through scholarships reduces financial pressure and lets me keep investing time in building institutions that outlast me, elevating others’ voices, and learning from the communities I serve. Thank you for considering me.

• Community Policy Advocate & Researcher

  Civic & Social Organization · Civic Synergy

  Jan 2023 – Jan 2023

• Heat Mitigation & Adaptation Researcher

  Government Administration · Miami-Dade County

  Jan 2023 – Jan 2024

• Project OceanScope Researcher

  Leisure, Travel, & Tourism · Royal Caribbean Group

  Jan 2023 – Jan 2024

• Housing & Residential Life Summer Conferences Administrator

  Higher Education · University of Chicago

  Jan 2024 – Jan 2024

• Atlantic Oceanographic & Meteorological Laboratory Communications Researcher

  Government Administration · National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration

  Jan 2024 – Jan 2024

• Advocacy
• Politics
• Volunteering
• Philanthropy
• Entrepreneurship

• Author

  University of Miami College of Arts & Sciences · Environmental/Natural Resources Management and Policy

  2023 – 2023

  Research topic:

  Ethical Considerations in Geoengineering Strategies to Combat Climate Change

• Research Fellow

  US-China Education Trust · International Relations and National Security Studies

  2023 – 2024

  Research topic:

  WWF & Greenpeace in U.S.-China Environmental Diplomacy

• Author

  Columbia Undergraduate Law Review · Law

  2023 – 2023

  Research topic:

  Redefining Liability in the Age of Climate Migration

• Author

  University of Miami Department of Philosophy · Philosophy

  2025 – Present

  Research topic:

  From Cells to Code: Metaphysics, Moral Status, and the Possibility of AI Rights

• Campus Organizing Fellow

  Advocacy · Yes on 4 Florida

  2024 – 2024

  Mission:

  Drafted and executed campus-wide voter engagement campaigns, coordinating coalition partnerships, managing logistics for registration drives, and training interns in women’s autonomy ballot initiatives.Drafted and executed campus-wide voter engagement campaigns, coordinating coalition partnerships, managing logistics for registration drives, and training interns in women’s autonomy ballot initiatives. NOAA: National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration logo

• Garden and Compost Coordinator

  Volunteering · Green U at the University of Miami

  2024 – 2024

  Mission:

  Directed environmental programming through campus-wide sustainability events, managing interdepartmental collaborations with ECO Agency and Gifford Arboretum, and maintaining on-campus garden and composting sites.

• Management Intern, Lobbyist

  Public Service (Politics) · The CLEO Institute

  2024 – 2024

  Mission:

  Directed legislative outreach on climate justice, assisting leadership in preparing for state advocacy meetings by compiling legal fact sheets, analyzing proposed bills, and tracking policy developments in environmental law.

• Student-Athlete Tutor & Mentor

  Volunteering · University of Miami Athletics Development

  2025 – Present

  Mission:

  Provided academic tutoring and mentorship to student-athletes across multiple disciplines, supporting coursework comprehension, time management, and exam preparation.