The College of Forestry, Wildlife and Environment at Auburn University held its annual award ceremony and reception on April 19, honoring exceptional students, faculty members and alumni who have made noteworthy contributions to the college, their respective fields and other areas.
Among the award recipients were several students recognized for their academic achievements, leadership skills and dedication to their studies.
Student award recipients included
COLLEGE RECOGNITIONS
The President’s Award – Colby Cheaney
Graduation Marshall – Ashlyn Cowgill
ACADEMIC AWARDS & RECOGNITIONS
Academic Improvement Award in Forestry – John Hammack
Alabama Wildlife Federation David K. Nelson Game Management Award – Reese Stogner
Alabama Wildlife Federation Robert G. Wehle Non-Game Management Award – Sarah Knutson
Geospatial and Environmental Informatics Student of the Year – Kyle Draper
Natural Resources Management Student of the Year – Avy Elmore
Sustainable Biomaterials and Packaging Student of the Year – Holden Lee
Weyerhaeuser Forest Economics Award – Josh Mullins
Wildlife Enterprise Management Student of the Year – Houston Hall
William Allen Carey Memorial Award for Outstanding Forest Pathology – Caemon Jernigan
Undergraduate Research Fellows – Ally Cobern, Mary Ashley Hughes, John-Michael Norris, Madeleine Park, Lauren Stevens, Ansley Strength
Harry Murphy Graduate Student Award – Youngfa You & Gina Lamka
LEADERSHIP AWARDS
Alabama Chapter of the Wildlife Society Student Leadership Award – Payton Brewer
Alabama Division of the Society of American Foresters Junior Leadership Award – Alex Warr
Alabama Forest Owners Association Award – Rice Nichols and Riley Ketchum
Armistead and Woody Military Service Award – Phil Burchfield (17 years’ service in US Army)
Association of Consulting Foresters Senior Leadership – Josh Mullins
F & W Forestry Services Inc. Rising Senior – Eric Eisenhard
Forestry Club Outstanding Member Award – Garrett Norton
Southeastern Society of American Foresters and Alabama Division Leadership Travel Award – Alex Warr
Summer Practicum Endowed Scholarship – Hunter Cochran
The Wildlife Society Outstanding Member of the Year – Colby Cheaney
Westervelt Rising Senior Award in Wildlife – Judson Thompson
Expressing the shared sentiment of the faculty and staff, Dean Alavalapati stated, “We are extremely proud of our students’ diligence in their studies and their training in leadership skills for their future careers in natural resources, wildlife, and forestry.”
The outstanding work of numerous CFWE faculty and staff in a range of fields were also recognized, along with alumni who have made notable contributions to the industry. Faculty/Staff and Alumni award recipients include:
FACULTY & STAFF RECOGNITION
SGA Honors Ceremony Outstanding Faculty Award – Dr. Todd Steury
Harold E. Christen Award for Service to Teaching – Dr. Heather Alexander
Harry Murphy Outstanding Staff Award – Elizabeth Bowersock & Michelle Straw
Harry Murphy Faculty Research Award – Dr. Soledad Peresin
Forestry Club Teacher of the Year – Dr. Tom Gallagher
The Wildlife Society Teacher of the Year – Dr. John Kush
Graduate Student Mentorship Award – Dr. Janna Willoughby
Best Publication Award – Dr. Lana Narine
The College of Forestry, Wildlife and Environment also honored Dana Little ’79 who received the 2023 Outstanding Alumni Award in honor of his lifetime contributions to the forestry industry.
To view photos from the 2023 Awards Celebration, visit https://flic.kr/s/aHBqjAAzMd
(Written by Allison Killingsworth)
