May 12, 2016

Geography department recognizes students

by Andrea Hahn

CARBONDALE, Ill. – In a room ringed with research posters, the Department of Geography and Environmental Resources at Southern Illinois University Carbondale honored its top and graduating students with an informal awards reception – a gathering of like-minded friends and colleagues preparatory to the college and university-wide commencement ceremonies.

Here are some highlights: 

The David and Carol Christensen Award for Undergraduate Research in Geography and Environmental Resources, went to Tonya Atherton, a graduating senior from De Soto, for her research poster “Distribution of Trash on Campus Lake.” Atherton also won the Priscilla Anne Moulton Memorial Award. Both are monetary awards and are in memory of past members of the department, the former a professor and the latter a student.

Atherton served this academic year as president of the Geography Club, a Registered Student Organization, and a member of the Gamma Theta Upsilon international honor society in geography.

Shiloh Deitz, from Carbondale, who graduates this week with a master’s degree in geography and environmental resources, earned the David G. Arey Memorial Award with her thesis, “A Spatial Analysis of the Relationship between Obesity and the Built Environment in Southern Illinois.” Deitz was the Celia M. Howard Fellow with the Paul Simon Public Policy Institute at SIU, where she will continue as a coordinator and researcher.

The Benedykt Dziegielewski Scholarship, a relatively new scholarship of $1,500, honors the emeritus professor who mentored more than 50 graduate students and countless undergraduates. This year, the award goes to two students: undergraduate Katherine O’Keefe from Cantrall, Ill., and graduate student Michael Kennedy from Frostburg, Md.

The Geography Scholastic Achievement Awards come with a $1,500 cash award. This year’s recipients are Mia Boatright of Chicago and Mark Healy of Carmi.

Here are other honorees, listed by hometowns:

Illinois

Bartlett: Beverly Dial, Scholastic Honors, Geography Outstanding Student Awards (Junior)

Beardstown: Cristhian Flores, Geography Outstanding Student Awards (Sophomore)

Cantrall: Katherine O’Keefe, Scholastic Honors, Geography Outstanding Student Awards (Junior)

Carbondale: Dylan Gibson, Environmental Ambassador Award; Karl Mueller, Geography Outstanding Student Awards (Senior)

Carmi: Mark Healy, Geography Outstanding Student Awards (Senior)

Carol Stream: Thor Groseth, Geography Outstanding Student Awards (Senior)

Chicago: Mia Boatright, Scholastic Honors, Geography Outstanding Student Awards (Junior)

De Soto: Tonya Atherton, Scholastic Honors; Geography Outstanding Student Awards (Senior)

Glenview: Eamonn Casey, Geography Outstanding Student Awards (Junior)

Lisle: Brittni Wagner, Geography Outstanding Student Awards (Junior)

Oak Lawn: Celine Aguilar, Geography Outstanding Student Awards (Junior)

Peotone: Shannon Batterman, Environmental Ambassador Award

Prospect Heights: Jeremy Schultz, Geography Outstanding Student Awards (Sophomore)

River Grove: Kayla Newsome, Environmental Ambassador Award, Geography Outstanding Student Awards (Junior)

Roscoe: Makenzee Loft, Scholastic Honors, Geography Outstanding Student Awards (Freshman)

Springfield: Kara Halerewicz, Environmental Ambassador Award

Windsor: Adam Hostetter, Geography Outstanding Student Awards (Senior)

Indiana

Elkhart: Andrew Foy, Geography Outstanding Student Awards (Junior)

Barbados

Bridgetown: Kemar Jones, Scholastic Honors, Geography Outstanding Student Awards (Senior)