The GWC is delighted to announce that Riley Varner has received the 2024 Gary C. Bryner Award. Gary Bryner served as Director of what was then called the Natural Resources Law Center.聽 He came to Colorado after a successful career as a Professor of Political Science at BYU, and while he left the Center鈥檚 Director position in 2001 he remained a regular presence at Center events, even serving a sabbatical year at the Center.聽 Gary possessed two attributes that became the inspiration for the Bryner Award.聽 First, he had a deep love and passion for the study of natural resources and he knowledgeably engaged people on a wide range of resource topics.聽 What set Gary apart, however, was his deep sense of humanity, and his kindness and generosity toward others.聽
The Bryner Award honors a graduating student who shares Gary鈥檚 passion for natural resources law and his kindness to others.聽 Riley Varner fits the bill.聽 As a law student, Riley successfully focused on natural resources law, having held positions at the Justice Department鈥檚 Environment and Natural Resources Division, the Colorado Attorney General鈥檚 Offices Natural Resources & Environment Section, and the Department of Energy鈥檚, Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy.聽 What makes Riley such a great choice for the Bryner Award, however, is the kindness and enthusiasm that he showed toward fellow students, especially those interested in climbing.聽 Riley was a competitive climber in college and he led the University鈥檚 climbing program as an undergraduate.聽 As a law student, Riley shared his passion for climbing with like-minded students, but also with those who came into law school with no climbing experience.聽 In the process, he made many life-long friends. Riley Varner is a great ambassador for the University of Colorado Law School and an outstanding choice for the Gary Bryner Award.