Dean's List

Students who complete 12 or more credit hours in courses in which grades of A, B, C, D or F have been given, who obtain a semester grade point average of at least 3.0, and who stand in the top 20 percent of their class in the Rubenstein School are placed on the Dean's List for that semester. These students receive a letter from the Dean indicating their attainment of this honor. View recent Dean's Lists.

Cum Laude

The Bachelor's degree may be conferred with special recognition of high academic standing, by vote of the UVM Faculty Senate. Within the graduating class, the top student receives summa cum laude; the following 3% receive magna cum laude; the next 6% receive cum laude. Honors are calculated on all grades received at UVM. The total number of awards may not exceed 10% of the graduating class in each school or college.

Academic Achievement Awards

Each spring the Rubenstein School of Environment and Natural Resources holds an honors celebration in late April to recognize those students whose academic achievement has been particularly noteworthy. Some of the awards presented are:

  • The Holcomb Natural Resource Prize
  • The Lola Aiken Award in Natural Resources
  • C. Suzanne Whitmore Writing Award
  • Phi Eta Sigma National academic society for first-year students with 3.5+ GPA
  • Mortar Board National society recognizing outstanding scholarship, leadership and service
  • William R. Adams Forestry Award
  • Luther E. Zai Memorial Award
  • Lewis Ralph Jones Award
  • Dale Bergdahl Scholarship (Forestry)
  • Society of American Foresters, Green Mountain Division, Outstanding Forestry Student
  • New England Outdoor Writers Association Scholarship
  • Environmental Sciences Outstanding Achievement Award
  • Environmental Sciences for Outstanding Service
  • Alan W. McIntosh Scholarship (Environmental Sciences)
  • Natural Resources Academic Achievement Award
  • Environmental Studies Achievement Award
  • Parks, Recreation, and Tourism Academic Achievement Award
  • Parks, Recreation, and Tourism Student Achievement Award
  • Wildlife Bio-Ecology Award
  • Wildlife Society Achievement Award
  • Frederick Chu Memorial Prize (Wildlife)
  • Dean's Book Awards (outstanding juniors)

Aiken Scholars

Please note: The Aiken Scholars Program is currently undergoing a redesign. During the redesign process, we will not be admitting any new first-year students into the Aiken Scholars program for Fall 2020-Spring 2021.

High achieving, highly motivated incoming first-year students in the Rubenstein School are invited to apply to join the Lola and George D. Aiken Scholars Program. The goal of the Aiken Scholars Program is to provide an opportunity for 20-30 first year students in the Rubenstein School to begin to define themselves as environmental professionals and to connect their academic interest in the environment to their residential and extracurricular lives. Active participation in the Aiken Scholars Program gives students the opportunity for enriching coursework, mentoring relationships, and independent study. The Aiken Scholars Program provides a framework for academic and community engagement in the Rubenstein School, at UVM, and in the larger community, and supports students who want to become strong and confident leaders. Benefits include the Aiken Scholars seminar in their first year, housing in the Sustainability Learning Community, an initiation fee paid for an honorary society membership, and the optional Honors spring seminar course.

Kate Svitek Memorial Award

The Kate Svitek Memorial Foundation provides scholarships to universities, schools, and organizations to support education and adventure in the outdoors. Since 2006, the Rubenstein School has worked with the Kate Svitek Memorial Foundation to provide financial support to Rubenstein School students pursuing summer, fall, or spring environmental internships. Award recipients are chosen based on their commitment to environmental leadership as well as demonstrated financial need. To be eligible to apply, Rubenstein School students must have completed their sophomore year and be willing to earn credit for their internship experience. Learn more about the Kate Svitek Memorial Award in the Rubenstein School >>

University Honors College

The University's Honors College offers an intensely focused, academically challenging environment for some of the university's most outstanding undergraduate students. The fall of 2004 was the inaugural year of the Honors College. First-year students admitted into the Honors College are selected based on their high school academic achievement. The Honors College also welcomes applications for admission from sophomores who have achieved minimum grade-point averages of 3.4 at the end of their first year at the University. Sophomore admission requires an application form, a letter of recommendation from a UVM faculty member, a transcript from first-year classes, and a brief essay. Up to 100 sophomores will be admitted to the Honors College annually. Learn more about Honors College requirements for students in the Rubenstein School >>