Over $30K awarded in Natural and Applied Sciences Scholarships
The University of Wisconsin-Green Bay honored the best-of-the-best Natural and Applied Sciences students at the annual scholarship reception held on Jan. 30. Twenty-five students were awarded a total of $31,150 in scholarships that nearly doubled last year’s total of $15,200.
The scholarships recognized student achievement in academics, research, and overall excellence. The new scholarships introduced this year include the Todd and Julie Bartels Scholarship, the Chad Moritz and Beth Meyerand Scholarship, and the Faith Technologies, Inc. Scholarship for Engineering Technology.
Next year, Natural and Applied Sciences will introduce five new scholarships, and anticipate awarding 30 scholarships totaling over $35,000.
Student recipients are as follows:
Kristine Berry, a senior, Environmental Science major and Political Science minor from Mishicot, received the $1,350 Brown County Waste Transformation Team Scholarship. Berry has been active with three internships, including myActions, the Residence Life Green Committee, and the Manitowoc Recycling Facility. She will be traveling to Sweden to tour recycling facilities and research Swedish recycling efforts to compare them to recycling efforts in the U.S. Berry is also pursuing the Certificate in Environmental Sustainability and Management through the UW-Green Bay Environmental Management and Business Institute.
Krystal Clark, a junior, Environmental Science major and Chemistry minor from Menominee, Mich., received $1,400 from the Alfred O. and Phyllis E. Holz Scholarship. Clark spent four years volunteering at the DeYoung Family Zoo in Wallace, Mich. and is a member of the Public and Environmental Affairs Council at UW-Green Bay. She has also been involved in two community service projects in Menominee, Mich. Clark intends on pursuing opportunities in environmental consulting, pollution control and prevention, and remediation and reclamation.
Matthew Malcore, a junior, Environmental Science and Environmental Policy and Planning major from Green Bay, received $1,400 from the Alfred O. and Phyllis E. Holz Scholarship. He is also pursuing the Environmental Sustainability and Business Certificate through the UW-Green Bay Environmental Management and Business Institute (EMBI). Malcore has been an active member of the Public and Environmental Affairs Council since fall of 2012 and completed an internship with the UW-Green Bay EMBI and Zeus Recycling in the spring of 2014. Malcore set up and managed a plastic-film recycling program on campus. His main areas of interest are environmental problems and solutions, specifically related to renewable energy.
Ashley Morin, a junior, Biology major with an Animal Biology emphasis and Environmental Science minor from Green Bay, received $1,000 from the Morgan/Macaluso Family Scholarship in Natural Sciences and $1,500 from the Herbert Fisk Johnson Scholarship for Excellence. This year, Morin worked for the United States Department of Agriculture in Wildlife Services as a biological science technician. Through this internship she assisted with the capture and relocation of nuisance black bears and then studied the correlation between black bear captures and recent changes in the forests near capture areas. In addition, she was inducted into the Phi Kappa Phi honor society during the fall 2014 semester.
Molly Dederich, a junior, Mathematics major with Education and Spanish minors from Menomonee Falls, received $1,500 from the Herbert Fisk Johnson Scholarship for Excellence. Dederich is involved with the UW-Green Bay Optimist Club, serving as co-president for two years. Through the Optimist Club, Dederich has worked at various community volunteer events, including Terror on the Fox and Kid’s Autumn Adventure. In the future, she is interested in becoming a middle school math teacher.
Christa Kananen, a senior, Geoscience major and Environmental Science minor from Sobieski, received $1,500 from the Herbert Fisk Johnson Scholarship for Excellence. Kananen gained experience working as a Northeast Wisconsin Water Pretreatment Intern and has completed an independent study mapping groundwater levels in Marinette County, Wis. She will present her research at the Wisconsin chapter of the American Water Resources Association’s annual conference this spring.
Angela Smet, a sophomore, Environmental Science major and Human Biology minor from Green Bay, received $1,500 from the Herbert Fisk Johnson Scholarship for Excellence. During 2014, Smet regularly volunteered at Paul’s Pantry with her daughter and converted her front yard into a large garden to be shared with low-income neighbors. Smet’s main concerns are the effects of air and water pollution and the irreversible impacts on the environment. She would like a career in protecting the quality of life and the future health of our ecosystems.
Jessica Finger, a senior, Biology major with an Animal Biology emphasis and Environmental Science minor from Green Bay, received the $500 Moose Lodge Rod and Gun Club Scholarship. Finger served nine years as a combat medic in the United Stated Army, achieving the rank of sergeant. After deciding against reenlistment, Finger moved back home and returned to school. She has since worked with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the DNR, and the Brown County Land Conservation rescuing northern pike from a wetland in Suamico. Finger also assisted a UW-Green Bay graduate student in collecting field data for her research project. She has been involved with a personal project for several years helping to increase the bluebird population by constructing nesting boxes and bird feeders at the Barkhausen Waterfowl Preserve with her five year-old daughter. Finger plans to begin a career that involves animal conservation or the preservation of our natural resources and the environment.
Brianna Messner, a junior, Mathematics and Spanish major and Education minor from Seymour, received $1,000 from the Todd and Julie Bartels Scholarship. Messner plays on the Phoenix Women’s Soccer Team, and hopes to someday coach high school soccer. She is a member of several student organizations, including the Spanish Club, the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee, and honor societies Phi Eta Sigma and Phi Kappa Phi. As a freshman, Messner participated in the Academic Enrichment Experience and worked with Prof. Greg Davis to study how math is involved in sports. She presented research at the Academic Excellence Symposium last April. In the future, Messner hopes to become a high school math teacher.
Michael Pietraszek, a senior, Biology major and Environmental Science minor from Green Bay, received $1,550 from the James E. Casperson/Environmental Science Alumni Association Scholarship. Pietraszek’s main areas of interest are conservation biology, land use issues, and how biology relates to the organization of human society. To gain experience he volunteers at the Wildlife Sanctuary and the Humane Society, and is a member of the Round River Alliance and has assisted graduate students in their research. Pietraszek hopes to attend graduate school and eventually work in wildlife conservation.
Roberta Reif, a junior, Biology major and Environmental Science minor from Peshtigo, received the $400 Bradford L. Cook Memorial Scholarship. Reif has been actively pursuing hands-on experiences including assisting a graduate student with her fish biodiversity thesis project, aiding studies conducted by the Department of Natural Resources, and taking courses such as Stream Ecology. She is treasurer and secretary of the UW-Green Bay chapter of Ducks Unlimited, and helped the organization raise over $5,000 last year for wetland conservation. Her future goal is to become a wildlife biologist and work for the Department of Natural Resources in Wildlife Management.
Jeremiah Shrovnal, a junior, Environmental Science major and Environmental Science minor from Green Bay, received $1,000 from the Chad Moritz and Beth Meyerand Scholarship. Shrovnal is a member of several student organizations on campus, including the UW-Green Bay chapter of the American Fisheries Society the Round River Alliance and the Honeybee Initiative for Viable Ecosystems. He has also assisted with the ongoing Cofrin Biodiversity Center snake research project. As a member of the UW-Green Bay chapter of the American Fisheries Society, Shrovnal assisted with a Manitowoc-based pre-restoration sampling project that involved surveying aquatic populations in the wetlands. He also helped with the Chinook salmon spawning at the Strawberry Weir fishery in Sturgeon Bay, by catching and documenting fish that returned to the hatchery this fall. He plans to attend graduate school for Fisheries and Wetland Ecosystem Conservation and Restoration.
Gabriel Michaels, a senior, Mathematics major with History and Education minors from Green Bay, received the $1,000 Lee and Kathy Anderson Scholarship for Engineering Technology. Michaels has been involved in two research projects, including developing a website to remember soldiers from Brown County who served in World War I, and creating a historical time map of the pollution of the Fox River in order to determine if it will ever approximate its pre-settlement state. He is active in the community, assisting both Habitat for Humanity and Faith Factor. After graduating from UW-Green Bay, he intends to pursue a career in Education or Operations Research, to improve a company through mathematical reasoning and decision-making.
Tiffany Marshall, a junior in the Pre-Professional Engineering Program from Conrath, received $2,500 from the American Transmission Company Scholarship. Marshall is involved on campus with the Campus Crusade for Christ, with which she traveled to Medora, N.D. on a mission trip last summer. She has previously received the NEW First-Year Engineering Scholarship. Upon finishing the Pre-Professional Engineering program at UW-Green Bay, Marshall plans to transfer to UW-Madison to study Biological Systems Engineering, specializing in Natural Resources and Environmental Engineering.
Hanne Guthrie, a senior, Environmental Science, Pre-Professional Engineering Program, and Spanish majors from Chanhassen, Minn., received $2,500 from the American Transmission Company Scholarship. Guthrie is involved in several student organizations and honor societies, including Phi Eta Sigma, Tribeta, Spanish Club, and the Ballroom Dance Club. She has volunteered with the Girl Scouts to help in translating lunch programs from English to Spanish, and with the Round River Alliance in order to remove invasive species from the woods around campus. While pursuing a certification through the UW-Green Bay Environmental Sustainability and Business Certificate program, she completed an internship with the Port Washington local government. As a member of the UW-Green Bay Nordic Ski team, she has received the Team Choice Award and the Gold Phlash Team Choice Award. Previously, she was awarded the NEW Second-Year Engineering Scholarship and the NEW First-Year Engineering Scholarship.
Reed Heintzkill, a senior, Pre-Professional Engineering and Chemistry major and Environmental Science minor from Green Bay, received the $1,900 NEW First Year Engineering Scholarship. For the past two years, Heintzkill has worked with the Public and Environmental Affairs Council to help make UW-Green Bay a more sustainable campus through environmental awareness programs. He chairs the Segregated University Fee Allocation Committee, which ensures the allocations of student fees are distributed fairly to all parties. In addition to being a lab assistant under Joe Schoenebeck, he plans to assist Dr. Franklin Chen’s research on soil conditioning polymers this year, and has previously assisted Dr. Kevin Fermanich’s research lab, processing and analyzing soil and water samples. Heintzkill plans to pursue a graduate degree in engineering.
Matthew Nichols, a senior, Individual Major (toward Environmental Engineering) and Chemistry major with minors in Environmental Science and Spanish from Wausau, received the $2,200 NEW Second Year Engineering Scholarship. Last summer, Nichols interned at the Marathon County Health Lab analyzing water samples, while also volunteering for the Department of Natural Resources as a lake quality monitor for Lake Clara in Lincoln County. An Eagle Scout award recipient, he completed his service project by organizing and leading a group to remove rocks and brush from Nine Mile County Forest skill trails in Wausau. Nichols has served as captain of the UW-Green Bay Nordic Ski team for the past two years, and was awarded the Most Valuable Skier by the team both years. He was a previous recipient of the NEW First-Year Engineering Scholarship. Nichols serves as a lab assistant under Joe Schoenebeck. He intends to become an environmental engineer with an emphasis in water quality.
Caroline Nakanwagi, a senior, Chemistry major and Human Biology minor from Green Bay and native of Uganda, received the $950 Nancy J. Sell Memorial Scholarship. A member of the UW-Green Bay International Club and the Black Student Union, Nakanwagi works to welcome students of all ethnic backgrounds. She also serves as an assistant to the Phoenix Bookstore textbook director. After volunteering for Doctors Without Borders in high school, Nakanwagi’s goal has been to reach out to people who cannot afford health care and become a doctor. Following graduation from UW-Green Bay, she intends to get further education in medicine or pharmacy.
Jordan Marty, a senior, Biology major and Design Arts minor from Green Bay, received the $550 Ganga and Elizabeth Nair Scholarship for Natural Sciences. Marty has had several leadership roles on campus, including previously serving as the public relations officer, and now the co-president of the Public and Environmental Affairs Council. He started the Honeybee Initiative for Viable Ecosystems in spring 2014 and served as an Eco-Rep intern from 2013-2014, encouraging freshmen in environmental issues through dialogue, programs, and awareness campaigns. He has also worked with Rhea Esposito, Ecology and Evolutional Biology Ph.D. candidate from the University of Louisiana in her corvid ethology research.
Christi Branham, a junior, Chemistry major and Environmental Science minor from De Pere, received the $500 Susan Finco and Ed Kralovec Scholarship. Branham currently works at a local manufacturing facility in the quality assurance department as a lab technician and has previously completed an internship with the Department of Education. After completing her bachelor’s degree in Chemistry with an American Chemical Society certification in general and environmental Chemistry, she plans to attend graduate school and pursue further research.
Samuel Frisbie, a junior, Engineering Technology (Environmental) and Geoscience major and Environmental Science minor from Green Bay, received $1,000 from the Faith Technologies, Inc. Scholarship for Engineering Technology. He has served as a member of the Geology club and volunteered for several years assisting the Green Bay Marathon. During the summer, Frisbie worked for the Village of Allouez in the water department, flushing fire hydrants, exercising valves, collecting water samples, and assisting in main break repairs. He intends to pursue a career that incorporates both geology and engineering.
Shannon Mackey, a sophomore, Environmental Science major and Chemistry minor from Black Creek, received the $1,000 Carol R. DeGroot Scholarship in Environmental Science. Mackey has gained experience serving as a teaching assistant and peer mentor for Prof. Matt Dornbush’s first year seminar titled “Let’s go Native: Conservation Biology in Practice,” volunteering for Habitat for Humanity, and as a member of the Round River Alliance. She will be assisting graduate student Brianna Kupsky during the summer of 2015 and volunteering in the lab with Prof. Dornbush in the future. She intends to pursue a career in the environmental sciences field.
Amanda Nothem, a senior, Chemistry major and Education minor from Campbellsport, received $950 from the Nancy J. Sell Memorial Scholarship for the third consecutive year. Nothem has gained leadership skills by involvement in several campus organizations and honor societies, including Phi Kappa Phi, Campus Crusade for Christ, Unchained, and as a Resident Assistant and Community Advisor for Residence Life. In spring 2013, Nothem assisted Prof. Heidi Fencl in analyzing the effectiveness of an interactive tutoring website that Fencl created. Nothem received a grant from the Cofrin Center of Biodiversity to create a field-guide curriculum for testing water and atmospheric pollutants for students in local school districts. She presented her research at the Cofrin Grant Symposium in March. Nothem plans to teach chemistry, physics, or physical science at the high school level.
Michael Xie, a senior, Mathematics major with a Statistics emphasis and Business Administration minor from De Pere received the $500 Science and Mathematics Scholarship. A math and business tutor at UW-Green Bay, Xie also volunteers for the local program “Home Sweet Home,” an organization that collects donations of furniture and other household items to help those in need get a new start in life. He plans to pursue a career in the actuarial sciences.
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