Geography: This award is given to the graduating senior(s) with the highest GPA and record of scholarly engagement in geography. Recent outstanding seniors include:

Emily Wazner and Brandon Schoenfeld (2023); Cal Hale and Sarah Plaut (2024).

Geosciences: The Charles Doll Award, named in honor of Professor Charles Doll, professor, Chair, and the first Vermont State Geologist, recognizes outstanding academic achievement and active engagement with the discipline of geology. Recent outstanding seniors include:

Serena Veilleux (2024); Nicolette Gardner (2023).

These awards are given to four outstanding graduating seniors in geography in recognition of their outstanding academic achievement and departmental service. Recent globe awardees include:

Jesse Barnette, Johanna Hartmann, Griffin Kapelus, and Zoe Sreden (2024)

Fosca Bechthold, Matt Hand, Jonathan Rhudy, and Amelia Sherman (2023

The Outstanding Field Geoscientist Award recognizes an undergraduate student(s) who has excelled in field geology or geosciences. Recent awardees include:

Elliott Bloom and Zoe Flanzer (2024)

Cora Deininger (2023)

The Glen Elder Award is presented to a top geography senior whose work on issues of social justice, sexuality, South Africa, or political geography in the spirit of Glen Eldera a beloved geography professor, department chair, and associate dean of the College of Arts and Sciences. The award honors Professor Glen Elder, who served as a geography professor, Department Chair, and Associate Dean at UVM from 1995 until his untimely death in 2009.

Recent Awardees: Cameron Provorny (2024); Jake Pehle (2023)

This award recognizes a graduate student in the geology master’s program for their excellent graduate teaching skills in the field and lab. It is awarded to a graduate student that is selected by both students and faculty.

Recent Awardees: Emma Myrick (2024); Sonya Vogel (2023)

The Peter Young Award for Excellence in Health Geographies or Geospatial Analysis recognizes top geography students whose work reflects Pete’s lifelong commitments and interests in issues of health, geospatial technologies, planning, and conservation, and Latin America. Robert Peter Young earned his Master's degree in geography from UVM in 1997 and later served as a well-loved

lecturer in the department, teaching courses in geospatial technologies from 2013-2016. Pete passed away in January 2019 after a courageous battle with cancer. Recent awardees include: Nolan Morrow (2024); Molly Meyers (2023).

Established in 1915 at the University of Kansas, the Society of Sigma Gamma Epsilon is the national honor society for the earth sciences to recognize scholarship and professionalism in the discipline. Any person in any branch of the earth sciences who has completed at least 10 semester hours in earth science courses and has maintained a minimum 3.0 GPA in all earth science courses together with an overall GPA of 2.67 is qualified for membership. It has for its objectives the scholastic, scientific, and professional advancement of its members and the extension of relations of friendship and assistance among colleges and universities which are devoted to the advancement of the earth sciences.

For more information about UVM’s chapter of SGE, please contact Professor Keith Klepeis.

Gamma Theta Upsilon is an international honor society in geography founded in 1928. It became a national organization in 1931. Members of GTU have met academic requirements and share a background and interest in geography. GTU chapter activities support geography knowledge and awareness, and membership in this honor society carries high prestige within the discipline. It is a mark of achievement that sets you apart as an outstanding scholar in geography when applying to graduate school or on job applications. In addition, GTU membership confers certain benefits (merit points on some civil service exams; salary bonuses in selected federal agencies) to those applying for employment within the U.S. federal government. Active Gamma Theta Upsilon members of junior or senior undergraduate status are also eligible to compete for scholarship funds offered through the national organization.

Academic requirements are: You must have completed a minimum of 3 geography courses, have a GPA of at least 3.3 in geography courses, rank in the top 35% of their class, and have completed at least 3 semesters or 5 quarters of college course work.

For more information about UVM’s Eta Alpha chapter of GTU, please contact Professor Lesley-Ann Dupigny-Giroux

The Geography Department acknowledges excellent performance in Geography by granting
deserving students a BA in Geography, with Honors. Graduating seniors (Spring 2024) seeking Honors recognition are required to submit a portfolio of work. A committee of Geography faculty members then reviews the portfolio and determines whether the work is worthy of our Honors designation.

Requirements:

1. Student must be a Geography major or double major.
2. Student must have a Geography GPA of at least 3.5 and a University GPA of at least 3.25
3. Student must be a Senior
4. The student must submit:

• A cover essay of not more than three pages, single-spaced, outlining his/her/their progress as a student of Geography and detailing important influences such as key courses, academic and service experiences, study abroad, and/or interactions with people which together have contributed to the student's interest and performance in Geography. The committee is looking for essays that demonstrate a student's critical reflection about his/her/their intellectual development.
• A transcript of courses, including a report that shows both the university GPA and Geography GPA.
• Two (2) Examples of Exemplary Work which may be academic papers or projects including maps or service reports. These must be drawn from courses at the intermediate (100/2000) or advanced (200/3000) level. No work from introductory level courses (0/1000 level) will be accepted. The student must include a description of the assignment for which the paper or project was completed. The student must also indicate the percentage contribution of this assignment towards the final grade in the course (please see note in recommendations below). The work must be a formal and significant assignment, constituting no less than 15% of the final grade in the course. Any submission that was part of a group project must include a clear description of the student's individual contribution to the work. For example, the student should list the writing/maps/figures/images which he/she/they produced.
• For students graduating in May 2024, the portfolio must be submitted to Jennifer Reay by Monday, April 1, 2024, by the end of the business day.

Recommendations:

• It is strongly advised that the student speak in person with their advisor or course professors regarding their submissions for Honors review.
• Students should revise their work before submitting it to the Honors Committee. They should submit a clean copy of each paper/project. The paper/project should not include professor comments, corrections, or grades.

Questions about the Honors Award and the submission requirements should be directed to the
Chair, Professor Shelly Rayback.