PEA’s student celebration is set for Thursday

The Public and Environmental Affairs academic unit invites any and all members of the University community to feel free to join them Thursday (April 30) from 4 to 6 p.m. in the University Union Alumni Rooms, when the faculty and staff will be celebrating some of the program’s top students. They’ll recognize students involved in internships, research, teaching and independent studies, along with graduating seniors and community partners and supervisors. Several awards will also be handed out, including Outstanding Student, Outstanding Teaching Assistant, and Community Partner of the Year. Refreshments will also be served during the program. Those honored will include:

• Outstanding Student Award: Gretchen Klefstad
“Gretchen is a Public Administration minor who will also be graduating with a Nonprofit Management Certificate. She is a high-achieving student who has memberships in multiple honor societies… Notably, she created a ‘campus crew’ for the national nonprofit organization Love Your Melon, which operates on a ‘buy one give one’ philosophy, donating hats for every hat purchased to children battling cancer…”

• Outstanding Teaching Assistant Award: Gina Vlach
“Gina is a triple major in Environmental Policy and Planning, Public Administration and Political Science. She is an extremely high-achieving student who has also proven to be an asset to other students learning through her experience as a teaching assistant. This semester, Gina assisted Dr. Elizabeth Wheat in her Environmental Politics and Policy course. Dr. Wheat said Gina had been “exceptional and instrumental” in making the course a success…”

• Community Partner Award: The Village of Bellevue
“…The Village of Bellevue is a longstanding partner of the Public and Environmental Affairs department. The Village has supported our students through service learning opportunities and by serving as an internship site for students to gain quality professional experiences….”