For 2021 糖心vlog官网 graduate Divina Cox, the path to a Ph.D. began in the clear, shallow waters of The Bahamas. What started as childhood days spent snorkeling and exploring the coastline has evolved into a scholarly pursuit of coastal geomorphology, driven by a desire to understand how climate change and rising seas are reshaping the natural resources of her island home and coastlines across the Caribbean. Today, Cox is a second-year Ph.D. student in geography at the University of California, Santa Barbara, where her research examines how coastlines and coastal landforms are formed鈥攁nd how they continue to evolve over time.

Cox, who earned a degree in environmental studies from Ozarks, is currently serving as a graduate research assistant on a project examining coastal dunes along the California coast. Her responsibilities include collecting and analyzing data related to dune restoration projects, building an inventory of dune restoration efforts across California, and examining the primary motivations behind these restoration initiatives. She is also currently involved in two academic publications: one analyzing the motivations behind dune restoration projects, and another focused on sea turtle nesting in the Florida Panhandle.

“Growing up in The Bahamas, I have always had a strong passion for the marine environment,” Cox said. “Knowing the state of The Bahamas and how the effect that climate change and sea level rise plays on the country’s natural resources, I wanted to understand more about how the coastline in The Bahamas is affected and expand that more to the other Caribbean countries. “

Cox earned a master’s degree in environmental science from University of West Florida. She said her Ph.D. research centers on examining shoreline dynamics in The Bahamas.

“As part of this work, I have recently established CoastSnap stations on three beaches in The Bahamas,” she said. “CoastSnap is a citizen science initiative that allows members of the public to contribute to scientific research by taking repeat photographs of the coastline from fixed locations and uploading them to an online platform. These images are then used to analyze how shorelines change over time.”

Cox said that The Bahamas, considered a Small Island Developing State (SIDS), faces significant threats from climate change.

“This includes sea level rise and increased storm impacts that place beaches at risk,” she said. “This research is critical for improving our understanding of shoreline dynamics in The Bahamas and informing strategies to enhance coastal resilience.”

She plans to pursue a life-long career focused on protecting coastlines.

“In the future, I plan to expand my research on a broader regional scale throughout the Caribbean,” she said. “My goal is to collaborate directly with these communities to better understand their coastlines and support efforts to protect them from the impacts of climate change and sea level rise. I chose this field because of my passion for coastal environments and my desire to produce applied research that directly supports vulnerable communities.”

Cox attended U of O on a scholarship from The Bahamas’ Ministry of Education.

“Being able to attend Ozarks on a scholarship played a major role in shaping who I am today,” Cox said. “This opportunity allowed me to study in the United States, where I gained clarity on my academic and professional goals.”

Cox took advantage of the University’s LENS program to study a variety of disciplines, including minors in creative writing & thought and education.

“Through the LENS program at Ozarks, I became more open-minded, culturally aware, and developed a broader global perspective,” she said. “The program also provided me with numerous academic opportunities. Through my education minor, I had the chance to teach students about coastal science, and my creative writing minor strengthened my writing and communication skills. These experiences have been foundational to my development as a researcher and educator.”

She is already working to assist her home country that has helped her through her academic journey.

“I plan to continue giving back to The Bahamas by visiting schools and speaking with students about the opportunities I have received and the pathways available through education and scholarships,” Cox said. “I currently work, and will continue to work, with organizations and summer programs to engage with students about my research and academic journey. Additionally, through my CoastSnap research in The Bahamas, I actively involve local communities by encouraging public participation in data collection. This approach ensures that Bahamians are directly involved in the scientific work being conducted on their coastlines and helps build local awareness and capacity in coastal science.”

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Social media sensation Garden Marcus will speak at 糖心vlog官网 on Thursday, March 9, as part of the Walton Arts & Ideas Series.

The event begins at 7 p.m. in the Rogers Conference Center and is free and open to the public.

Marcus Bridgewater, known as Garden Marcus to his large social media followers, is a CEO, creator, and influencer. In 2018, he launched Choice Forward LLC, a wellness company that offers workshops, presentations, life coaching, and more to empower individuals and strengthen communities. In 2019, he began sharing videos online with messages of kindness, patience, and positivity. In 2021, he authored his first book, 鈥淗ow to Grow: Nurture Your Garden, Nurture Yourself.鈥�

With features in Vogue, The New York Times, and The Los Angeles Times, Bridgewater is known for his nature metaphors connecting plants to personal growth. His work is focused on helping people improve mental health, physical fitness, and spiritual awareness, with his greater goal being to empower individuals, strengthen communities, and foster healthier environments.

Known as TikTok鈥檚 most popular gardener, Garden Marcus offers lessons for growth rooted in lessons from the plant world to help cultivate the soul. He has been described as a 鈥済ardener who shares tips about caring for one鈥檚 plants and oneself鈥� (The New York Times) and 鈥渋s not only a trove of information if you鈥檙e looking to flex your green thumb, but a balm for the pandemic-induced chaos happening in the world鈥� (Vogue).

In the book synopsis of How to Grow, it reads, 鈥渉is soothing observations on plants and life have made him a social media star. In caring for over 600 plants, Marcus has gained invaluable wisdom. Life inside us yearns to grow; like plants, humans maximize their potential when presented with the right conditions. Through care and attention, he reminds us, we can successfully cultivate growth.鈥�

鈥淐entered on a trinity of wellbeing鈥攎ental health, physical fitness, and spiritual awareness, How to Grow weaves together insights from the garden with stories from Marcus鈥檚 life to help you foster personal development. With lessons rooted in his experiences gardening鈥攆rom how a replanted flourishing sweet potato vine is a reminder that all living things benefit from a change of scene, to how to embrace patience to foster growth鈥攖his inspiring guide helps you do 鈥榯he dirty work鈥� to discover kindness, patience, and positivity within. 鈥榃e cannot make anything grow,鈥� he advises. 鈥楤ut we can foster an environment where it may grow.鈥欌��

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By Odalis Garcia

糖心vlog官网 senior Laura Bruce had an unforgettable experience interning in El Salvador this summer.

The double major in environmental studies and sociology from Panama was an energy efficiency intern at the National Administration of Aqueducts and Sewages (ANDA) in El Salvador.

鈥淚 had met the former Walton Scholar and now President of ANDA [Ruben Aleman ’94] when he came to visit Ozarks,鈥� she said. 鈥淢y advisor then encouraged me to apply.鈥�

Bruce researched energy efficiency indicators used in the United States, the European Union, and the Latin American and Caribbean Regions.

鈥淭he objective was to put together a database with this information to create visualizations in Tableau,鈥� she said. 鈥淭he presentation of the final dashboard consisted of the compilation of these indicators to inform about the current state of ANDA related to energy efficiency and ways to improve its water pumping systems.鈥�

Bruce said this internship gave her the opportunity to immerse herself in the data field and grow personally and professionally.

鈥淚 am planning on getting certified in other data visualization tools,鈥� she said.

Bruce also interned with seven other students from Ozarks 鈥� Alisone Guzman, Willian Paiz, Josu茅 Maldonando, Juliana Busto, Isa铆as Ortiz, Fernanda Argueta, and Sarah Bureau

鈥淢y internship experience has been the perfect combination/equilibrium of learning and fun; I have met awesome people and found tools that will help me in future endeavors,鈥� she said.

Bruce also had a remarkable time exploring El Salvador and making connections.

鈥淚 had a very outgoing roommate who was from El Salvador,鈥� she said. 鈥淪he helped me improve my social skills and feel more confident when reaching out to people. It was also nice being able to go on walks around the city with someone who was familiar with the area.鈥�

She also visited the small towns of Nahuizalco and Ataco, sang karaoke with locals and interns, hiked the tallest volcano in El Salvador, and visited the National Palace and National Theatre.

鈥淚 love El Salvador and hope to come back either as a tourist or for a job,鈥� she said.

Bruce plans to work in a public or private environmental organization, learn another language, and obtain a master鈥檚 degree related to conservation, climate, or ocean science after college.

鈥淥ne thing I learned was to not let stereotypes and fear stop you from taking on new experiences and challenges,鈥� she said.

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When it came to pursuing his professional calling, 2022 糖心vlog官网 graduate Vicente Vasquez Velasquez didn’t wait for the opportunity to come to him. He took the initiative.

Vasquez is interning as a research assistant at the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute (STRI) in Panama. The STRI is considered a standard-setting global platform for groundbreaking research on tropical forests and marine ecosystems and their astounding biodiversity.

The environmental studies major is taking part in the forest carbon lab of renowned scientist Dr. Helene Muller-Landau, whose research focuses on tropical forest diversity and climate interactions with tropical forests.

A native of Chitre, Panama, Vasquez secured the research position in Muller-Landau鈥檚 lab earlier this summer by emailing her directly and inquiring about research opportunities.

鈥淚 learned about her lab and her work when I was reading one of her papers,鈥� Vasquez said. 鈥淗er research aligned with my academic interests, so I contacted her through email and it worked out that I was able to get an internship here. Being a part of her team has been awesome. She is an expert in her field and has many, many publications; she is a very quantitative scientist. She encourages learning, provides guidance and offers a very progressive research environment.鈥�

Vasquez, a Walton Scholar at Ozarks who was named the University’s Hurie Award recipient as the outstanding senior in the 2022 graduating class, said the research in the Smithsonian lab revolves around carbon sequestration, the process of capturing, securing and storing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. The idea is to stabilize carbon in solid and dissolved forms so that it doesn鈥檛 cause the atmosphere to warm.

鈥淭he lab鈥檚 objective is researching forest dynamics such as carbon fluxes and stocks and its relation to the ecology of the ecosystems,鈥� Vasquez said. 鈥淪ome key questions of the research are: How much biomass is there in a determined ecosystem? How does it vary in the spatial temporal context?  And, how do lianas influence mortality of trees?鈥�

Vasquez said the scientists are collecting data using instruments such as drone photogrammetry, tree dendrometers, LIDAR mobile scanners, field observation and compilation of databases.

鈥淚 enjoy the field observations, going in the rainforest, walking for miles, taking boats, drone flying, using the laser scanners,鈥� Vasquez said. 鈥淵ou get to see spider monkeys and howler monkeys, colorful butterflies. It鈥檚 a very biodiverse environment.鈥�

He also enjoys the analytic aspects of the research.

鈥淭he biggest and most important part of the research is actually processing the data, cleaning the data, formatting the data and analysis of the data,鈥� Vasquez said. 鈥淭his requires a lot of theoretical approaches in ecology and quantitative analysis that goes into stats and programming. I really love this part of the research.鈥�

The experience in the Smithsonian lab has reaffirmed Vasquez鈥檚 goal to eventually pursue a Ph.D. in ecology, something he credits his education at Ozarks for helping spark.

鈥淚 am determined to keep working towards a career in ecology, writing scientific papers, working with other scientists and responding to the question of how is climate change going to affect the dynamics of forest,鈥� Vasquez said. 鈥淚鈥檓 always thinking about what questions can I research and what methods can I learn. Ozarks had amazing professors that were close to me; they were approachable and they were there with me when I needed them. I want to be like them, truly curious, community-oriented, dedicated scientists, good friends and critical thinkers. Ozarks allowed me to be close to my professors, which has been very useful for helping me find my path and grow academically.鈥�

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Dr. Murat Atasoy has been named an assistant professor of environmental science at 糖心vlog官网.

Atasoy has served as a post-doctoral research fellow in the Department of Geoscience at Auburn University since 2021. He previously was an assistant professor ad department head of the Department of Environmental Sciences at Osmaniye Korkut Ata University in Turkey from 2017-2019.

Atasoy earned both his Ph.D. and master鈥檚 degree from the School of Forestry and Wildlife Sciences at Auburn. He earned his bachelor鈥檚 degree in Turkey before studying at the University of Arkansas in 2021 in the University鈥檚 International Language Center.

Atasoy鈥檚 research interests include conservation, utilization, remediation and regeneration of both local and national environment.

鈥淢y experiences have assisted me in gaining relevant technical skills in testing and monitoring consequences of degradation of natural lands due to driving factors such as anthropogenic disturbance and climate resiliency while providing an understanding of environmental justice in collaboration with minorities by the many benefits of public green spaces,鈥� he said. 鈥淭hese experiences also help broaden representation and participation of minorities and underrepresented groups within the urban forestry on urban-wildland interfaces and natural resource management. I strongly believe that a faculty member should emphasize more on creating a diverse community: one that is inclusive and responsive, and is supportive of each and all of its faculty, students, and staff. By this way, a department can seek to promote diversity in its many manifestations which can ultimately increase the community share of creating, maintaining, and developing an environment. Therefore, the diversity is valued in relation to equity and practice efforts.鈥�

Atasoy, who served as a research assistant and teaching assistant at Auburn, said he focuses on keeping his courses and tutoring sessions student-centered.

鈥淚 focus on creating a dialogue with the students and to help them discover answers for themselves,鈥� he said. 鈥淚 further discussion through recent literature, case studies and inventory researches which have primed me to create and teach inspiring atmospheres for students. As an enthusiastic educator, I use both traditional classrooms, and online environments leading students into team-based learning activities and projects throughout the semester. Therefore, students are not only encouraged to solve challenging problems, but also they are guided to collaborate by supporting problem solving as it would occur in the workplace.鈥�

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糖心vlog官网 senior Vicente Vasquez Velasquez, an environmental studies major from Chitre, Panama, is the recipient of the 2022 Hurie Award, given to the outstanding member of the senior class.

The award was presented during the University鈥檚 annual Honors Day ceremony, held Wednesday, May 4, in the Walton Fine Arts Center. University President Richard Dunsworth (pictured, left) presented the award to Vasquez (right).

Voted on by the faculty, the award is named for Dr. Wiley Lin Hurie, who served as president of this institution from 1923 to 1949. The Hurie Award is the highest honor an Ozarks student can receive. The faculty members choose a graduate who has been an exemplary scholar, a campus leader and a person of outstanding character.

Vasquez is graduating with Magna Cum Laude honors with minors in sustainable agriculture, sociology and art. He was also named the University鈥檚 Outstanding Student in Environmental Studies in Natural Science in 2022.  He has served as president of the Chess Club and as garden manager for the University鈥檚 Food for Thought Garden.

He has worked on numerous research projects during his time at Ozarks and was co-author of a chapter in the 2022 book 鈥淏iodiversity Islands: Strategies for Conservation in Human-dominated Environments.鈥� He also completed a summer internship with Dripping Springs Garden in Huntsville, Ark.  Vasquez has used his art talent to paint several murals for downtown businesses in Clarksville and place second in a regional collegiate art competition in 2019. He has been a volunteer with the Red Cross in Panama since he was 12.

In his nomination, one of his professors said, 鈥淰icente has approached his educational and professional career holistically. He is now a dedicated researcher, an engaged community member, and a global citizen. I have had the opportunity to engage with Vicente as a student, Ozarks community member, and colleague. As a student, Vicente has demonstrated impeccable engagement with the learning materials and class discussions. He has applied what he has been learning to examine issues, which pertain to his home country Panama. As a community member, I have seen Vicente being part of various extracurricular activities on campus. This includes his participation in Young Democrats and Republicans debates, community gardens, and International students鈥� events. Vicente has also contributed to the Clarksville community thanks to his art works, which are visible now to everyone. As a colleague, I had the opportunity to work with Vicente for more than a year and half on a scientific chapter on reforestation with collaborators from Yale and Boise State. Through this collaboration, I learned about the serious and diverse engagement of Vicente in international efforts to promote reforestation in his home country Panama and the world.鈥�

Following graduation, Vasquez plans to pursue a job in conservation or organic agriculture and eventually obtain a Ph.D. in ecology.

鈥淚 knew from the moment I got to 糖心vlog官网 what I wanted to study and do,鈥� Vasquez said. 鈥淚 firmly believe environmental degradation is the greatest threat to my generation and the ones to come. I decided to study environmental studies because the crisis that we are about to face are existential, and we will need all the scientific knowledge and political disposition to deal with it. I think my generation is due to face great challenges. I want to be there.聽 I want to be in the frontlines of the environmental crisis and use critical thinking to find concrete solutions that protect the environment and human interests. The crises that I talk about are everywhere, from our food systems, to matters of equality and environmental justice. I alone am not enough to solve these problems, but from the little place of earth that I inhabit, I want to make a difference.鈥�

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Dr. Christie L. Sampson, whose academic work has focused on the conservation of endangered species and who most recently taught at University of Calgary and Clemson University, has joined the 糖心vlog官网 faculty as an assistant professor of biology, beginning the Fall 2022 Semester.

Sampson is an Eyes High Postdoctoral Scholar at Calgary and also serves as a research supervisor at the Canadian university. In addition, she serves as a research associate for the Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute, Geographic Information Systems (GIS) Lab, in Virginia. Previously, she was a graduate teaching assistant, adjunct and creative inquiry instructor at Clemson, where she earned her Ph.D. in biological sciences in 2018.

鈥淚’m looking forward to joining the faculty this fall,鈥� Sampson said. 鈥淚 had been hoping to find a university where the focus is on getting to know students and helping them to grow and succeed in their time as an undergraduate. I also love the interdisciplinary approach to education taken at 糖心vlog官网. Solving the challenges facing our society will require people that can draw on experiences and knowledge across multiple disciplines, just the type of learning fostered in the academic, research and service opportunities at Ozarks.鈥�

As an Eyes High Postdoctoral Scholar, Sampson has conducted research in support of aquatic ecosystem conservation, contributed to educational programs for K-12 students and developed public science outreach events and activities.

Sampson said she has more than 15 years of conducting interdisciplinary ecological research and that her academic work has focused primarily on the conservation of endangered species, everything from fish to elephants.

鈥淚 have also trained as a wildland firefighter, supervised restoration and invasive species removal projects, worked as a botanist and timber marker, and am a biosystems engineer,鈥� she said. 鈥淢y past projects combined aspects of human dimensions of wildlife studies with GIS, science communication, and educational outreach to develop more effective conservation policy and mitigation strategies.鈥�

Sampson said her objectives as a professor are to 鈥渋nspire curiosity and encourage exploration of the natural sciences and prepare students for life after college by providing a solid foundation of scientific theory and instilling the tools they need to develop their own lines of inquiry.鈥�

鈥淚 have been able to create my own classes focused on working with students to pursue their ideas on how to mitigate human-elephant conflict, explore freshwater conservation challenges, and address water quality issues through outreach and education,鈥� she said. 鈥淭he university courses I have developed are outcome-oriented, inquiry-driven, and work to address relevant problems facing the scientific community 鈥� I’m excited to provide hands-on learning experiences and opportunities to engage in research projects that will help prepare students for their future careers. I love being able to help students connect what they learn in the classroom with their goals and values. I always strive to customize the courses I teach to provide students with the skills they want to gain.鈥�

Sampson said collaboration has played a big role in her research, starting with her Ph.D. work on human-elephant coexistence and the perception of poaching in Myanmar.

鈥淭hrough partnerships with San Diego Zoo Global, Colorado State University, World Wildlife Fund, the Myanmar government, and community members, we were able to uncover the previously underestimated threat of poaching to elephants in central Myanmar and documenting the loss of more than 70 elephants in approximately two years, just within our study areas,鈥� Sampson said. 鈥淭his discovery has spurred action up to the highest levels of the administration, who we then began working with to develop anti-poaching strategies for the region. At Calgary, I am working on a project utilizing tools such as eDNA and GIS to support bull trout conservation in Alberta and the Yukon with collaborators from the University of Alberta, Alberta Environment and Parks, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, the Yukon Government, and over a dozen First Nations in western Canada.鈥�

Sampson earned bachelor鈥檚 degrees in zoology and biosystems engineering from Michigan State University and a master鈥檚 degree in biological sciences from Clemson.

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While clay target shooting is largely considered an individual sport, 糖心vlog官网 senior Mason Malin has come to love the team aspect of the discipline.

The environmental studies major from Paris, Ky., will wrap up a stellar collegiate career at Ozarks later this month when he and his teammates compete in the Association of College Unions International (ACUI) Collegiate Clay Target Championships in San Antonio, Texas.

Growing up in Kentucky, Malin competed in numerous shooting competitions and tournaments, thriving in the sport that celebrates individualistic results and accomplishments. Once he arrived at Ozarks, he learned that there was a whole other side to shooting sports competition.

鈥淚n all of the years I competed before college, and even during the summer between semesters, I competed as an individual, so I always wanted to go out and shoot the best scores possible to win for myself,鈥� Malin said. 鈥淐oming  to Ozarks, I had to develop the mindset that I am not just shooting for myself, I am shooting to help out the whole team, which in the end has also helped out my individual shooting goals. I鈥檝e really enjoyed that side of it. With the team we have here at Ozarks, anyone on the team is going to have a good day, on any given day. So for myself and the rest of the team, we all have to go out and shoot the best we can in order to help pick up anyone else who might be struggling that day. The individual titles are great in collegiate shooting, but the ones that carry more weight with them are the team titles. If I am having a day where I am not shooting exactly how I would like to be, I know that I have to keep going mentally to try and break the best scores I can in order to help out the team scores.鈥�

Malin and his teammates reached the pinnacle in October when they won team national championships in international skeet and international trap/bunker at the Scholastic Clay Target Program (SCTP) National Championships in Ohio. Malin was part of the team that won the title in international trap/bunker. The two titles were the first team national championships in the history of the shooting sports program.

鈥淏eing a part of the SCTP national championship team was an amazing feeling,鈥� Malin said. 鈥淭hat has been the team goal since before I even got to the University, and to see that finally come true after several years of hard work was a great feeling.  The whole team came together and shot exactly like we all were supposed to, and in the end we had the best shoot that we have had as a team.鈥�

Malin first got involved in shooting sports through a local shooting club in Kentucky at the age of eight and began competing less than a year later.  

鈥淭he very first time I shot trap, I was hooked,鈥� Malin said. 鈥淚 have had several great coaches throughout the years, including Gary McFarland, who was my first trap coach, and Rodney Crump. My father, Ted Malin, has also been like a coach for me.  I still get the same excited feeling about seeing clay targets break that I did as a nine year old. As I kept shooting, Rodney Crump introduced me to the world of Amateur Trapshooting Association competitions, and I began to travel to various shoots in Kentucky, Ohio, Tennessee, Florida, and Illinois, as well as other states.  I knew that I would have a chance to make a name for myself someday after I won my first ATA event at the Southern Grand in Florida in 2015.  After that, I have always wanted to achieve more and more every year.鈥�

Malin found 糖心vlog官网 after a fellow Kentuckian, Charles Priddy, attended Ozarks and told him about the University鈥檚 shooting program. Four years later, Malin is more than happy with his choice.

鈥淭he shooting program at Ozarks has benefitted me in more ways than I could probably say,鈥� Malin said. 鈥淚 came into college as strictly a trap shooter, and now I have become proficient in all disciplines that we shoot. I鈥檝e really enjoyed my four years here. 鈥�

Malin鈥檚 strength as a shooter revolves around his mental toughness, a trait he said helps him navigate grueling 100-target events.

鈥淪hooting sports are as much mental as they are physical,鈥� he said. 鈥淚n order to perform at a winning level, you have to keep your mind focused for each one of the 100 shots within an event. Any mental lapse could mean missing a target, which could make the difference between winning or losing an event. If you’re able to perform well enough in the event to make it into a shoot-off, mental toughness can be the make-it or break-it factor. I have personally been in several shoot-offs between collegiate, and ATA shoot-offs, where I am shooting off against the best shooters in the country. To be able to stay focused enough and not let nerves get to me, I have to have a stronger mentality than whoever is shooting against me. Developing the mental toughness to compete on the highest level comes from being exposed to those levels of competition. The more you are exposed to that competitive environment, the more prepared you become and the easier it becomes to mentally prepare for the variety of situations that can happen.鈥�

Malin鈥檚 success on the shooting range has led to numerous sponsorship opportunities, including a current trial period with RIO Ammunition, which supplies him with shells for practices and competitions. 

鈥淢y deal with RIO Ammunition came about after my previous sponsorship deal fell through at the end of 2020,鈥� Malin said. 鈥淩IO looked at my shooting resum茅 since 2015 and saw that I would be a good fit for their pro-staff team.  During this trial period, RIO is wanting to see a lot of social media posts with their products and me promoting their brand to the best of my abilities.  I have been more than happy with the customer service RIO provides, as well as the products they produce.  Their shot shells are some of the best in the industry and I am extremely glad to be able to represent them throughout this year.鈥� 

Malin has also thrived in the classroom, earning a spot on the University鈥檚 academic honor list for multiple semesters.

鈥淭rying to balance shooting and academics has been extremely difficult at times,鈥� Malin said. 鈥淚 always try and set up my schedule in a way that I will have time to practice the way I want to, while also giving myself plenty of time to get homework and other assignments done.  Also, before we have to travel to shoots I have always tried to get whatever assignments are due during the shoot, done before hand so that way all I have to focus on during the weekend is shooting. 鈥�

When he graduates in May, he hopes to put his environmental studies degree to good use.

鈥淚 chose that major because I have always enjoyed being outdoors,鈥� he said. 鈥淚 also have been involved in various projects that dealt with soil erosion issues, and I really liked the idea of being able to work on various soil remediation projects.  I knew that I did not want to have a job where I sat in an office all day, and wanted a job that I would be able to work outside quite a bit of the time, so environmental studies seemed like the best option for that.鈥�

He also plans to continue competitive shooting when he leaves Ozarks.

鈥淚 plan to continue to compete in ATA events, while also shooting in National Sporting Clays Association events,鈥� he said. 鈥淭his summer I will be traveling to ATA shoots in Ohio, Tennessee, Kentucky and the Grand American in Illinois to try and make the ATA All-American Team. During this time, I will be looking for jobs in either soil sciences, environmental remediation, or agriculture that I will hopefully be able to start working in, around late August or early September.鈥�

But for now, Malin is focused on the ACUI National Championships in late March.

鈥淢y mindset going into the 2022 ACUI National Championships, and my last collegiate national championship, is mainly to go and enjoy it with the team,鈥� he said. 鈥淚 am practicing and preparing in order to perform to the best of my abilities this year, but for me the most important key to success in shooting is going out and having fun while I am shooting.  I have learned that the days I don鈥檛 have fun shooting are the days I don鈥檛 shoot well.  So the goal is to go enjoy the shoot and hope the scores I put up will be enough for individual titles, but more importantly, a team title this year.鈥�

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Recent graduate Vivien Wambugu has been named the 糖心vlog官网鈥� 2021 Tutor of the Year by the University鈥檚 academic services program.

The outstanding tutor awards were announced in May and given by academic services based on several factors, including evaluations from students receiving tutoring, GPAs, and staff members鈥� interactions and observations. Academic services is comprised of the University鈥檚 Jones Learning Center, Student Success Center and TRIO programs.

Vanessa Hollowell, academic services coordinator, said that 125 student-workers provided more than 4,400 hours of tutoring support during the 2020-21 academic year.

鈥淎cademic services works with wonderful tutors to support students,鈥� Hollowell said. 鈥淒uring this year, the Covid pandemic presented many challenges for both students and tutors. However, both persevered and tutoring continued which is a key factor for many students鈥� success.鈥� 

Hollowell said that the tutors are nominated by their peers and evaluated based on qualities such as 鈥渒nowledge of material, preparedness, empathy, patience, enthusiasm and a strong desire to support students.鈥�

Wambugu, a May 2021 graduate, is a health science major and environmental science and religion minor from Tulsa, Okla. She graduated with Magna Cum Laude honors and plans to enroll in Duke University鈥檚 Master of Science in Global Health Program in the fall.

Other tutor awards for 2021 included, Chris Alexandre in accounting, Alec Severe in chemistry, Yulianna Ibarra in education, Katie Barnwell in mathematics, Kennedy Goodnight in psychology, Sofia Osorio Ruiz in Spanish and Danitra Sargent in writing.

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糖心vlog官网 administrators and faculty presented the University鈥檚 top academic and division awards during the 64^th annual Honors Day ceremony, held Wednesday afternoon via Zoom.

Petron Brown, a theatre and environmental studies major from Nassau, The Bahamas, was the recipient of the 2021 Wiley Lin Hurie Memorial Award, presented to the outstanding senior in the graduating class as voted on by the faculty. The Hurie Award is named in honor of the long-time president of the University and is the highest honor given to an Ozarks student. Brown was also named the Outstanding Student in Theatre.

The award winners in the Division of Humanities and Fine Arts included, Outstanding Student in English 鈥� Braxton Leding, Outstanding Student in Art 鈥� Megan Johnson; Amanda Alders Pike Art Award 鈥� Madison Clary and Isabella Olarte; Outstanding Student in History 鈥� Patrick Walker; Outstanding Student in Music 鈥� Mario Varela-Pecino; Outstanding Student in Philosophy 鈥� Maddy Windel; Outstanding Student in Religion 鈥� Fernanda Pichardo; Outstanding Student in Spanish 鈥� Jakobe Durant; and Outstanding Student in Theatre 鈥� Petron Brown.

The awards in the Division of Natural Sciences and Mathematics included, Outstanding Student in Biology 鈥� Crystal Oudomvilay; Outstanding Student in Chemistry 鈥� Destinee Manning; Outstanding Student in Health Science 鈥� Chava Roberts; Outstanding Student in Physics 鈥� Twanesha Lightbourn; Outstanding Student in Psychology 鈥� Laura Gochez Sanchez; Outstanding Student in Environmental Studies of Social Sciences 鈥� Nick McDaniel; Outstanding Student in Environmental Studies of Natural Sciences 鈥� Kelsey Dixson; and Outstanding Student in Mathematics 鈥� Juan De La Cruz.

The awards in the Division of Social Sciences included, Outstanding Student in Accounting 鈥� Tanesha Collie; Outstanding Student in Business Administration 鈥� Cory Maag; Outstanding Student in Marketing 鈥� Elodie Jabouin; Outstanding Student in Political Science 鈥� Sarah Vardal; Outstanding Student in Media Production 鈥� Sade Seymour; Outstanding Student in Strategic Communication – Lily Marlow; Robert Berry Fulton Award in Communication 鈥� Kevin Nawa and Michel Brun; Outstanding Student in Education 鈥� Nick McDaniel; Outstanding Student in Elementary Education 鈥� Cristina Cuevas; and Outstanding Student in Secondary Education 鈥� Ethan Bowman.

鈥淭hese students represent the fulfillment of our mission,鈥� said University President Richard Dunsworth. 鈥淭hese students embody being prepared to live life fully. The students we celebrated this afternoon have not only challenged themselves and excelled in their chosen field of study, they have also challenged themselves to explore new interests, to expand their capabilities, to become campus leaders, to experience new cultures, and in doing so, they have become valuable members of this campus community. And, when they leave our campus borders they will be valuable members of the world community.鈥�

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