Events

Biology Department Honors and Awards for 2022-2023

May 19, 2023

Student Awards:

Mia Alikhan - John R. Haldeman Award

Kathleen Amendano - Chelsey G. Magruder Foundation Scholarship

Sadie Atkinson - Helen and Charles McConville Scholarship

Delaney Harris - Laurence L. Campbel Award

Sophi Brice - Presented research at the Society of Integrative and Comparative Biologists Austin, TX NOAA Hollings Fellowship Award

Abiageal Ketchersid - Presented research at the Society of Integrative and Comparative Biologists Austin, TX.

Raven Harrison - Second Prize Biology Poster Competition; President of the Black Student Union (which won Student Organization of the Year)

Destiny Kimbrough - Biology Merit Award, First Place Biology Poster Competition, President of Scientista which was awarded DEI Initiative of the Year

Jill Kinstler - Honors Graduate- Emerge Scholar, Second Prize Biology Poster Competition; Orientation Leader of the Year

Rosalie Laconto - Biology Post-Baccalaureate Studies Award

Abigail Lillibridge - Helen and Charles McConville Scholarship

Rowan Marshall - Honors Graduate, presented research at the Society of Integrative and Comparative Biologists Austin TX.

Payton McCain - Honors Graduate, presented research at the Annual Meeting of the Florida Chapter of the American Fisheries Society and at the Florida Fisheries Meeting.

Natalie McGinniss - Outstanding senior award, First Place Biology Poster Competition

Morgan Misenar - Honors Graduate

Olivia Miles - Laurence L. Campbell Award

Sierra Robertson - Boris T. Sokoloff Southern Biological Research Scholarship

Hailee Schalwig - Fulbright Scholarship to Taiwan, President’s Medal for the spring 2023 graduating class, Honors Graduate

Jonathan Sellas - Biology Merit Award, Academic Fuel Student of the Year for subject matter, First Place Biology Poster Competition

Abby Tarleton - Biology Post-Baccalaureate Studies Award, Academic Fuel Student of the Year for the Writing Center, Honors Graduate, presented research at the Society of Integrative and Comparative Biologists Austin TX.

Haley Thomassy - Laurence L. Campbell Award

Coral Tolman - Herman and Theresa Tieser Baum Scholarship

Francisco Vargas - Helen and Charles McConville Scholarship

Kaela Wilks - John R. Haldeman Award

It makes sense for Hailee Schalwig ’23 to go to Taiwan as a Fulbright Student when she graduates from Florida Southern College in May.

When Schalwig, who is majoring in Environmental Studies and Marine Biology, was confirmed as a Fulbright award winner she was already prepared for her upcoming assignment.

“I took eight years of Chinese in middle and high school,” Schalwig said. “That helped influence me to choose Taiwan over other countries because I have that language background.”

The main language spoken in Taiwan is Mandarin (Chinese), and while Schalwig said she is not completely fluent in that dialect she will be more than comfortable in her new environment.

Biology faculty and students took the field this spring to compete in intramural soccer at Florida Southern College. Water Bear Don’t Care was out there to have a good time and bond within the department (and with other students that helped fill the roster!). Even though they started the season with no expectations to make the playoffs Water Bear Don’t Care pulled together and worked very well as a team, resulting in a second place ranking after regular season play! Go Water Bear Don’t Care! After an upsetting loss in the semi-finals, they finished in third place overall. Great memories and good times were had (just look at how happy they are in their team photo)!

The NOAA Hollings Fellowship is an exceptional opportunity for undergraduate students pursuing degrees in programs focused on environmental conservation giving students hands-on, practical experience in NOAA-related science, research, technology, policy, management, and education activities.

"The Hollings Scholarship is only available for second year undergraduate students to apply for, so having research experience in my first year at Florida Southern was a huge advantage in applying for the program." Sophi said. "In my freshman year, Dr. Macrander became an incredible research advisor and mentor to me, allowing me to participate in a collaborative student-faculty research project exploring sea anemone venom expression over the summer. Presenting this research at SICB this past January was also an amazing opportunity made possible by Dr. Macrander. I don't know many other sophomore undergraduates who are given the chance to present at international research conferences, so I was incredibly grateful to be there! In addition to my experiences at FSC, I also volunteered in a research lab at the University of Florida over the summer to gain more experience in data processing and analysis."