At the Annual Geography Awards Ceremony on Friday evening, April 28, 2023, undergraduate and graduate students gathered with family, friends, faculty, and staff to honor those students who had distinguished themselves by their scholarship and their service to the community. The awards night included the induction of new members into the the geography honor society as well as individual awards, including a cash scholarship, for academic performance and service.
Following a reception and dinner, six undergraduate geography and sustainability students were formally inducted into the Gamma Theta Upsilon International Geographical Honor Society (GTU) (Eta Kappa chapter). GTU candidates must be in their junior or senior year, have performed in the top third of their class at Salem State, and maintained a 3.3 GPA in at least four geography courses. The inductees pledged an oath to advance geography and were presented with certificates of membership along with a pin (alas, no secret handshake).
2023 Undergraduate GTU Inductees:
- Catherine Canavan-Dysthe
- Natalie Fenoff
- Elden Hubisz
- Ella Speidel
- Laura Swindell
- Chanda Wallace
Following the GTU induction ceremony, individual undergraduate and graduate students were called forth to receive specific awards:
- Bailey Veronica McCaul received the James J. Centorino Memorial Award for superior academic achievement in geography
- Christy Ditommaso received the National Council for Geographic Education Award for outstanding academic achievement in geography
- Elden Hubisz received the J. Michael Ruane Award for excellence in digital cartography
- Catherine E. Canavan-Dysthe received the Dr. John George Memorial Award for scholarship and service in geography
- Charlotte McDonald received the Dr. John George Memorial Scholarship ($2,000!)
- Mike Pascone received the graduate student award for excellence in geo-information sciences
- Laura Elizabeth Swindell received the Ken Saro-Wiwa Climate Justice Scholarship
- Chanda Wallace received the SSU Social Justice Scholarship
- Natalie Fenoff received the Energy and Effort Scholarship
The geography department is appreciative of the John George family which has consistently funded the John George Memorial Scholarship for the last two decades and for their reliable support of the geography department and its students. Thanks also to the Centorino family for their support of students year after year. And thanks also to alumnus Davey Jones for endowing the Energy and Effort Scholarship.
Following the induction and awards ceremonies, the geography department paid tribute to Professor Stephen Young for nearly three decades of service to the department and the university. Professor Young is retiring at the end of this academic year. Faculty and students honored him with reminiscences, a cake, and by decorating Vets Hall with life-sized cutouts of Professor Young in various poses.
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Marcos Luna
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