Summer 1999
Edited by Richard J. Jensen
SMC Biology Newsletters

 





 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


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Contents

From the Department Chair Student Research in Biology Biology Club
Faculty & Staff Activities Alumnae Notes Publications
Awards   Alumnae Update Form

FROM THE DEPARTMENT CHAIR

This has been a busy academic year for the Department of Biology, and I begin this report with a focus on some of the outstanding student activities. We continue to have a large number of students in the major, although we did see a drop in the number of rising sophomores. Thirty seniors graduated this year and, in conjunction with faculty, completed a variety of interesting research projects. Besides their mandatory oral presentations before the faculty and their peers, three students (see below) presented oral papers at the Undergraduate Research Conference at Butler University. The fact that these students voluntarily took it upon themselves to apply in advance, arrange for accommodations, drive to Butler, etc., speaks to the maturity, confidence, and abilities of our seniors. Several biology majors participated in overseas programs, many profited from local internships, and many were also active on campus, starting up a new environmental science club based on their experiences in our class last spring, as well continuing the ever-active Biology Club and holding several prominent positions in student government. Graduating seniors will be attending a variety of programs including medical, dental, veterinary, occupational therapy, accelerated nursing, law, environmental engineering, and environmental science graduate programs. Some will be going directly into secondary school education, research laboratories, and pharmaceutical corporations.

On the teaching front, most of our major core courses continue to be filled to capacity. Nancy Nekvasil developed a new course, Pathophysiology, that was taught this spring and well-received by students. She has received an SMC teaching grant to further develop this course. Dave Sever is now offering Electron Microscopy annually, and has received an SMC teaching grant for integrating the Internet into human anatomy. I revised the freshman lecture series course to emphasize careers, similar to its more traditional role in the curriculum. Alumnae and professional women from the community were enthusiastically received by our young majors. Susan Duff taught an overflowing Environmental Science class for the second year, and Tom Fogle taught his new Human Genome course again during the spring semester. In response to a decreasing trend in enrollment in Invertebrate Biology, Tom Platt has designed a new Marine Biology course to be added to the biology curriculum. This course would offer a week-long field experience in the Caribbean as part of the attraction. I also made environmental science contacts by assisting in field ornithology, a course taught through the SUNY Environmental Science and Forestry Program at Cranberry Lake, NY, in June (partly as a consequence, one of our seniors is enrolled in the ESF program, Syracuse, for next fall). Our Environmental Studies self-designed minor continues to serve students of other majors who are interested in environmental science careers/instruction (one of last year's graduates, Katie Maxbauer, a history major and environmental studies minor, is working at the American Museum of Natural History, New York City, and has written to tell us how much the minor has helped her in her career).

While the faculty have been busy with teaching and with international, national and regional professional activities, we have also taken seriously the challenge from college admissions to help attract and retain students. Many of us worked on phone committees, attended campus activities and analyzed data in an attempt to identify and modify trends in enrollment. In connection with our internal assessment plan, Nancy Nekvasil designed a survey letter that was sent to biology alumni graduating in 1982, '87, and '92. Tom Platt summarized the responses to the survey and we are grateful for this important feedback. The word from many of our graduates is that they are successful and appreciate their education from the Biology Department and Saint Mary's College. Anne Susalla continues to compile information received from alumnae, and maintains the database on accepted students, sending welcoming cards to students who have expressed an interest in a science major. Tom Fogle was instrumental in revising our departmental brochure into a "spiffier" model. And the articulation agreement with Midwestern University, facilitated by Nancy Nekvasil, has been signed, giving us formal connection with their Occupational Therapy MS Program. Our continued service to students interested in health-care fields is an attraction to many potential students looking at Saint Mary's College.

In our annual retreat this spring, the department focused on our long-term equipment needs. Currently, with the Chemistry and Physics Department, we are writing a grant proposal to the Lilly Foundation to fund a major facility improvement. Our hope is that this grant could provide the avenue we have been seeking to catch up on equipment needs that have accrued over the "lean" years at the college and, in addition, might project us into the next century with state-of-the-art facilities.

My 3-year term as chair is now over and Dick Jensen will be moving into that 'seat.' I have enjoyed working with all the faculty, students, and with our secretary, Sue Kosek. Without their help and cooperation, I would not have been able to do it. As I felt after the first year I taught here ('82-'83), I still feel we have a fantastic department and we will continue to guide the education of young women as we move into the next millennium.

Doris Watt, Chair



 STUDENT RESEARCH IN BIOLOGY

Three seniors presented the results of their comprehensive research at the 10 April 1998 Butler University Undergraduate Research Conference. Jennifer Doublestein presented "The Effect of Soil Chemistry on the Terrestrial Gastropods (Mollusca) from Two Localities in St. Joseph County, Indiana," Nikki Milos presented "The Effect of Melatonin and Light on Mouse Activity Levels," co-authored with Abigail Lafkas ('98) and Coleen Fitzsimmons ('98), and Maryann Schwoyer presented "Relationships Among Populations of Myrceugenia fernandeziana (Myrtaceae) on Masatierra Island."

Colleen Campbell ('99) is spending the summer as a research intern in the Summer Microbiology Research Program at the University of Iowa.

Kristen Ciofani ('99) will spend the summer at SMC working as a research assistant on Dick Jensen's NSF-funded plant population biology project.

Rita Klein ('99) is participating in an NSF-sponsored Research Experience for Undergraduates program in conservation biology at Eastern Illinois University.

Emily Moriarity (2000) will be a summer intern at the University of Georgia's Savannah River Ecology Laboratory.

 

BIOLOGY CLUB

This year's Biology Club officers were Tasha Mitchener (President), Sarah Mullen (Vice President), Lara Becker (Secretary), Amanda Howerton (Treasurer), and Ashley Clark (Historian). The year's festivities started off with a party at Dr. Watt's house in early October. The night was filled with fun conversation and a bonfire. A new activity that the club started this year was "Movie Night," where the club would show movies pertaining to science related topics and serve pizza. It was quite a success. In addition to movie night in the fall, many lectures where held for students to attend. One of them was entitled "Making Bones Talk: Tales of Forensic Anthropology," presented by Kristen Baumann, a former St. Mary's College student. The semester ended with a Christmas party and a planning session for Storybook Festival, which would take place in February.

Second semester started off with the club putting in lots of long hours to make their Storybook room shine. The book the club choose was "Earth Dance," which was a huge success. The Biology club also participated in year-long activities, including helping the Audubon Society children's group once a month, and judging numerous science fairs at local schools. The year ended with a picnic at which next year's officers were chosen: Charise Desmarteau (President), Meg Fischer (Vice President), Ellen Boudette (Secretary), Karen Kellner (Treasurer), and Meghan Nash (Historian).



 FACULTY AND STAFF ACTIVITIES

Tom Fogle attended the Association for Biology Laboratory Education meetings 9-15 June 1996, at the University of Calgary. During the meetings, he coordinated a series of mini-workshops and attended the Board Meeting.

Nancy Nekvasil developed a Pilot Program on Science Labs for home-schooled children. During the fall ('97) and spring semesters ('98), Nancy taught a 15-week lab course for a group of 16 home schoolers. She attended the Human Anatomy and Physiology meetings 23-27 June 1998 in Dallas/Fort Worth where she presented a paper, "Using Round Table Labs to Complement Didactic Lectures and Experimental Labs in Physiology."

Tom Platt attended the 49th annual Midwest Conference of Parasitologists held at Butler University, 6-8 June 1997. He also attended the annual meeting of the American Society of Parasitologists in Nashville, TN 24-28 June 1997 and presented a paper, "Redescription of Sigmapera cincta (Platyhelminthes: Digenea) parasites of freshwater turtles in Australia," co-authored by L.P. Jue Sue.

Dick Jensen attended the annual meeting of the American Society of Plant Taxonomists in Montreal, 3-4 August 1997. In November, he and Maryann Schwoyer ('98) attended the annual meeting of the Indiana Academy of Science at Saint Joseph's College, where they both presented papers. Dick presented "Landmarks and Leaf Shapes" and Maryann presented "Relationships Among Populations of Myrceugenia fernandeziana (Myrtaceae) on Masatierra Island," co-authored with Richard Jensen, Gregory Anderson, Marcelo Baeza, Dan Crawford, and Tod Stuessy. In December, Dick was elected to the Board of Directors of the International Oak Society and was appointed Membership Secretary for the Society.

Dave Sever spent much of the summer of 1997 attending congresses and conducting research in Europe. He attended the Fifth International Congress of Vertebrate Morphology, held at the University of Bristol in the UK, as an invited participant in a symposium titled "Functional Morphology of the Oviduct in non-Mammalian Vertebrates." Dave's contribution to the symposium was a paper titled "Cloacal Specialization in Salamanders (Amphibia: Caudata)." Dave spent two weeks in Florence conducting research with Rosanna Brizzi and then, with support from a SMC Faculty Research Award, attended the Third World Congress of Herpetology in Prague, Czech Republic. He organized the symposium, "Plasticity in Amphibian Reproduction, Development, and Evolution," in which he presented a paper,"Evolutionary Plasticity of Sperm Storage in Salamanders," co-authored with Rosanna Brizzi. Dave attended the International Symposium on Viviparous Fish, 25-28 February 1998, in Cuernevaca, Mexico, where he presented a paper, "Anatomy of Gestation Sites in Sharks and Rays," co-authored with W.C. Hamlett. He also served as a panelist for the April 1998 session of the Ecological and Evolutionary Physiology Division of the NSF Biology Directorate.

Doris Watt taught Field Biology as part of the SMC Redbud Program, 19-31 May 1997. From 4 June - 7 July, she assisted in teaching ornithology as part of the Syracuse University ESF program at Cranberry Lake Biological Station. In August, Doris attended the American Ornithologists' Union meeting in Minneapolis and she attended the National Audobon Society Regional Conference, 7-9 November in Michigan City, IN. Doris also attended the 18th Annual Midwest Population Biology Conference 11-12 October 1997 at Purdue University. Doris also participated in the first joint meeting of the American Ornithologists' Union, the Cooper Ornithological Society, the Wilson Ornithological Society, and the Association of Field Ornithologists in St. Louis, 6-12 April 1998.

Susan Duff taught Advanced Placement Biology at Saint Mary's, 29 July - 2 August 1997. Susie also attended the National Audobon Society Regional Conference, 7-9 November in Michigan City, IN.

Kara Eberly attended the bi-annual NIH Extramural Associate Update Conference 15-16 September in Bethesda, MD. She also served as an ad-hoc reviewer for the NIH Bacteriology/Mycology II study section 15-16 October at Chevy Chase, MD. During the meeting of the Indiana Branch of the American Society for Microbiology, 3-5 April 1998, Kara was elected Vice-President of the Indiana Branch and also presented a poster, "Species Specific Macrophage Activation by Flavone Acetic Acid," co-authored with V. Viggiano and H. Young.

 ALUMNAE NOTES

Compiled by Anne Susalla

MARIA DIAMANDIS CHOMEAU ('58) is a member of one of the first graduating classes in Medical Technology at Saint Mary's. After raising four children, she resumed her career in 1972 with the Central Intelligence Agency from which she retired in 1994 as Chief of Laboratory Services. She currently lives in McLean, VA.

DIANE SHALALA FRITEL ('63) has a MA in Education/English from John Carroll University and presently teaches adult education classes.

MARY LOU MOTL ('68) is completing her 16th year as founder, president and owner of Custom Editorial Productions, Inc. The company produces (and often writes) college and highschool textbooks for major publishers nationwide. The company employs twenty-two people and enjoys an excellent professional reputation. Mary Lou regards being an entrepreneur as an exciting challenge in the hi-tech publishing marketplace.

VICKYANN CHROBAK SADOWSKI ('72) is an Associate Professor at the University of Illinois School of Dentistry in Chicago and teaches in the Department of Oral Medicine and Diagnostic Services. She also serves as Coordinator of Patient Care and Director of the Quality Assurance Programs and Courses at the dental school.

MINDY MONTESI CHALMERS ('76) taught high school biology for twelve years in Memphis, TN, and then got a second Master's Degree in Instructional Design and Technology. She has been working at Federal Express for seven years, where she writes instructional manuals, develops instructional programs and produces multi-media presentations.

ERIN GALLAGHER SCHUETZ ('79) completed her Ph. D. in Pathology at the Medical College of Virginia in 1983 and followed with post-doctoral work in the Division of Clinical Toxicology and Environmental Medicine. In 1987, she became an assistant professor in the Department of Pathology at the Medical College of Virginia and in 1992 moved to the Department ofPharmacokinetics at St. Jude Children's Research Hospital (Danny Thomas, Founder) in Memphis, TN, where she is currently an associate professor. Erin has been continuously grant-funded by NIH/National Institute of Environmental Sciences since 1987.

NANCY CORCORAN SMITH ('79) is a medical technologist at Wake Medical Center in Raleigh, NC, where she works in the areas of serology/immunology and point-of-care testing.

JODY CHERF COMSTOCK ('80) is a general/surgical/cosmetic dermatologist in private practice in Tucson, AZ. She received her M.D. in 1984 from Michigan State University College of Human Medicine. She completed a Pediatric Residency at Butterworth Hospital in Grand Rapids, MI, in 1987 and a Dermatology Residency at the University of Arizona in Tucson, AZ, in 1990.

GINA AMEDURI LOEBACH ('81) earned her M.S.A. Degree from Notre Dame in 1987 and is a medical technologist for the South Bend Medical Foundation in South Bend, IN.

LEYDA GARCIA FRIEDMAN ('81) is a Specialty Sales Representative for the German pharmaceutical company, Boehringer-Mannheim in New Jersey.

ANN KILEY SCHNEIDER ('81) received a Master's Degree in Aquatic Biology and Fisheries from Ball State University in Muncie, IN, in 1985. She has served as a District Management Biologist for the Indiana DNR from 1985-1992. Currently she is a Fisheries Biologist with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Division of Federal Aid in Minneapolis, MN. In this capacity, she serves as a Fish Research Specialist and Aquatic Resource Education Specialist for eight states in USFWS Region 3.

LISA BLAD WIERSEMA ('82) is a Staff Pathologist at St. Vincent Hospital/Community Hospital in Indianapolis, IN.

HOLLIE EZZE ('82) is Senior Environmental Specialist for the Department of Environmental Protection, Pesticide Control in New Jersey. She is working on a Master's degree in Environmental Science.

THERESA WALTERS PORTER ('82) has her M.D. degree and specializes in sports medicine.

MARY JO MOREY ('83-Biology, '97-Nursing) graduated with a BSN from Saint Mary's College Accelerated Nursing Program in August, 1997. She currently works in the Intermediate Care Center at Memorial Hospital in South Bend, IN.

MARY JANE HART-WEINTRAUB ('83) received her DMV from the University of Illinois - Urbana, Champaign, IL, in 1987. After practicing small animal medicine in farm towns and emergency medicine in St. Louis, MO, she is now in Iowa City, IA, where she works in a small animal clinic part-time while doing cardiovascular research in myocardial ischemia.

MARY CAT GEORGAS FLATH ('84) who has a Ph.D. in Pathology and teaches at Ashland Community College in Ashland, KY, has been selected by students as the top teacher at Ashland in 1997. She is now a nominee for the University of Kentucky's Great Teacher Award.

KATIE HOBAN BIGUS ('84) lives in San Jose, CA, and has been in pharmaceutical sales since 1985. Her most recent position was with Purdue Frederick Company as a medical marketing representative.

SANDRA KONESKY LEONE ('84) is now a stay-at-home mom after working for seven years at the Stanford Business School in California as a reference and information specialist.

ALMA FALLON FERRIER ('85) completed a four year post-doctoral training program at the National Institutes of Health. She is now a Research Associate in Microbiology and Immunology at the University of Kentucky in Lexington, KY.

KATHLEEN MILLER HOYER ('86) lives in St. Louis, MO, and has worked for Scientific Associates for six and a half years. After fifty years in business, the company was sold and will be known as Celsis Lab Group (CLG). Kathi's new title is Associate Director - Biology. She will be spending time in 1998 at the company's New Jersey facility helping her counterparts get their animal facility ready for AAALAC accreditation.

MOLLY CROSS O'BRYAN ('89) earned her M.S. in Physical Therapy from Northwestern University in Chicago, IL, in 1993 and currently works at Hillsdale Hospital in Chicago.

ELLEN ROTH ('89) received her Master's Degree in Physical Therapy from Chapman University in Orange, CA, in August, 1997.

CATHERINE JORZAK IRVINE ('90) has been working in the pharmaceutical industry for six years. She manages trials in clinical research and most recently has been working for TAP Pharmaceuticals on a new oncology drug.

MARY McCARTHY OBERNESSER ('90) received her Master of Biological Sciences degree from DePaul University in Chicago in 1994. She worked as a research assistant in gynecologic oncology at Northwestern University for a year and a half and then taught Biology at St. Viator High School in Arlington Heights, IL for two years.

MELANIE TAGHON HOULE ('90) currently lives in Springfield, OH, and is a graduate student in the Department of Physiology at The Ohio State University. She expects her Ph.D. in 2000.

KAREN SIEMASKO ('91) is doing post-doctoral work in immunology at the University of Chicago.

CLAIRE RATHNAU ('91) passed her national boards to be a Certified Pediatric Nurse Practitioner in January, 1997. She continues to work at Northwestern Medical Faculty Foundation and has become an adjunct faculty member at the University of Illinois and Rush University to precept their graduate PNP nursing students.

MARNI CROSS FOLEY ('92) got her M.D. from the Medical College of Wisconsin in 1996 and now lives in Portland, OR, where she is employed as a second year Internal Medicine resident at Oregon Health Sciences University. Her future plans include primary care/general internal medicine.

TRACI KERR ('92) is a high school biology teacher in Gary, IN and is working on a Master's degree in School Counseling.

DEVON MARCUSON McVEY ('92) has a Master's Degree in Pharmacology and is a Clinical Data Analyst for Health America in Pittsburgh, PA.

DEBBIE JAMES ROSMARIN ('92) has a Master's Degree in Physical Therapy and is currently a staff physical therapist at an out-patient clinic in IL.

AMY RUSHIN KOLAR ('92) completed her M. D. at Creighton University Medical School in Omaha, NE, in 1996 and is currently a second year resident in Emergency Medicine in the Twin Cities, MN.

CAROL GROBNER ('92) is in her fourth year of medical school at the University of Osteopathic Medicine and Health Sciences in Des Moines, IA. She joined the United States Air Force on a three year medical scholarship. Prior to medical school, Carol earned a Masters degree in Science from the University of Illinois where she did research in molecular biology studying conformational changes in DNA structure after the binding of estrogen receptors. Her work was published in Molecular Biology.

JENNIFER WOLK ('92) is an account manager for Molecular Simulations Inc. in Burlington, MA.

NICOLE BRUNETTE ('93) received her M.D. from Indiana University School of Medicine in May, 1998. Her residency training is in Emergency Medicine.

KELLY KATHELEEN SMITH SMUDDE ('94) completed an externship in Public Health in Boulder, CO. By the time you receive this Newsletter, she will have graduated with a degree in Dentistry from Northwestern University Dental School in Chicago, IL, and will be living in Los Angeles.

MEREDITH LANNERT ('94) is enrolled in the Graduate Program for Secondary Education at Indiana University in South Bend, IN. She plans to teach secondary Spanish and Biology.

MARCI MACEDONIA ('94) completed her Master of Science in Physical Therapy from Wheeling Jesuit University in Wheeling, WV. She is moving to Red Bank, NJ, where she will be working in the Inpatient Department of a 500 bed hospital.

SHELLY MYSLEWSKI ('94) works for Bell South Communications in West Palm Beach, FL, and is working towards her MBA Degree.

MAUREEN SULLIVAN ('94) is a CPA in Cincinnati, OH.

JENNIFER BUSHEY ('95) is a medical student at Eastern Virginia Medical School in Norfolk, VA. For the past two years, she worked as a research assistant at George Washington University in Washington, D.C.

HILARY HUMM ('95) spent summer 1997 as a technician in a small animal hospital in Anchorage, AK. She is completing her third year of veterinary studies at the University of Illinois School of Veterinary Medicine.

ERIKA MOEN ('95) is completing her second year of optometry studies at the Illinois College of Optometry in Chicago, IL.

JoANNE PAVIN ('95) is a licensed massage therapist, having completed work at the Chicago School of Massage Therapy. In addition to her massage therapy practice, JoAnne is a certified personal fitness trainer and a certified weight management consultant. She is currently taking graduate courses in biochemistry and nutrition and has developed a program for lifestyle change and weight management called FIGURE 8: Eight Weeks To Reshaping Your Figure.

REBECCA ROBINSON ('95) is currently a third year dental student at Ohio State University in Columbus, OH.

COLLEEN ANDREWS ('96) is a research lab technician at Rush Presbyterian St. Luke's Medical Center in Chicago where she conducts leukemia research for the Rush Cancer Institute. She has co-authored a paper entitled "Telomerase Activity in Human Secondary Hematologic Disorders", the abstract of which was accepted for presentation at the American Society of Hematology Conference in San Diego, CA, in December 1997. An abstract of a second paper which she also co-authored was also accepted for presentation. Its title is "Supression of Tumor Necrosis Factor-Alpha (TNF-) Induced Apoptosis by Flt-3 Ligand in Myelodysplastic Syndromes (MDS) and HL-60 Cells".

KAREN GERLACH ('96) is a Ph. D./M.D. student at Tulane University Medical School in New Orleans, LA. Her research in Biochemistry/Immunology involves epitope immunodominance through NMR to predict vaccine design.

JILL WOENKER ('96) teaches the anatomy & physiology and microbiology labs at Lutheran College of Health Professions in Fort Wayne, IN.

NANCY SOROTA ('96) is a dental student at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, MI.

RENAE WOZNIAK FRIGO ('96) completed her Summer 1997 internship at Penn State Shaver's Creek Environmental Center and continued into the Fall semester with a focus on public programs such as forest discovery walks, water exploration, seasonal walks, school day programs and fifth grade outdoor school. She also helped maintain the Raptor Center where injured hawks, vultures, eagles and owls reside. In the Fall of 1998, Renae will begin graduate school work at Northern Illinois University. Her program is within the Department of Curriculum and Instruction with an emphasis on outdoor teacher education. Her assistantship involves taking classes, teaching and spending time at the field campus in Oregon, IL.

JENNIFER MARINELLI ('97) is a student at Ohio University College of Osteopathic Medicine.

KATIE TRUMPER ('97) has spent time volunteering at the Shedd Aquarium in Chicago where she worked in the Marine Mammal Department attending to Beluga whales, Pacific white-sided dolphins, otters, seals and penguins. She has accepted a position at the Brookfield Zoo as a zookeeper in the "Living Coast" exhibit, a re-creation of the coast off northwest South America.

GENIFER TARKOWSKI ('97) is a graduate student at New York University. In addition, she gives time to the National Audubon Society where she writes species accounts that deal with WatchList species, an important campaign supported by NAS. She also responds to letters from the general public.

JILL RITTER ('97) is working for a branch of Abbott Laboratories in Deerfield, IL, as a consultant who places people in clinical-type jobs. Her job is to check patient files for accuracy when they are involved in clinical drug trials.


PUBLICATIONS

Sever, D. M. 1997. Sperm storage in the spermatheca of the red-back salamander, Plethodon cinereus (Amphibia: Plethodontidae). Jour. Morphology 234: 131-146.

Platt, T.R. and D.R. Brooks. 1997. Evolution of the schistosomes (Digenea: Schistosomatoidea): the origin of dioecy and colonization of the venous system. Jour. Parasitology 83: 1035-1044.

 

 AWARDS

Each year the Department of Biology recognizes students who have made outstanding contributions to the Department or who have performed exceptionally well in certain areas. Awardees for 1997 are

MOTHER ROSE ELIZABETH AWARD

Andrea Arena

Sandra Gass

 GEORGE & JUANDA BICK NATURE AWARD

Sarah Dakel

 SISTER M. ROSALEEN DUNLEAVY ALLIED HEALTH AWARD

Courtney Merriss



In addition, four graduating seniors were selected as recipients of a Sigma Xi Prize for Undergraduate Research:

Sarah Dakel

Rachel Hartzell

Elizabeth Nordby

Maryann Schwoyer

The prize consists of a certificate of Associate Membership in Sigma Xi and a one-year subscription to The American Scientist.

 Emily Moriarity (class of 2000) has been awarded A Barry M. Goldwater Scholarship for the 1998-99 academic year. The Goldwater Scholarship and Excellence in Education Foundation annually awards a limited number of such scholarships "to foster and encourage excellence in science and mathematics." The awards, providing up to $7,000 to cover the costs of tuition, fees, books, and room and board, are made only after a rigorous competitive review of nominees from throughout the United States. Emily is the second SMC student (the first being Nicole Brunette, '93) to receive this prestigious honor.

In April, Dick Jensen was inducted into the Austin Peay State University Phi Kappa Phi Academic Hall of Fame.

Nancy Nekvasil and Dave Sever both received SMC teaching grants. Nancy's project is "Problem-Based Methodology in Pathophysiology" and Dave's is "Integrating the Teaching of Human Anatomy with Resources Available Through the Internet."

Tom Platt received a SMC research grant for his project, "A Survey of the Helminth Fauna of the Freshwater Turtles of the Area de Conservacion de Guanacaste, Costa Rica: Component of an All-Taxa Biological Inventory."

 ALUMNAE UPDATES

 One of the things that is most enjoyable about preparing this Newsletter is learning what our alumnae have been doing. Please keep us updated on events and changes in your life. Use the form below to provide material for a future Newsletter.

 Name ____________________________________________________________

(first) (maiden) (married)

Saint Mary's College Class of ___________________________________

News for a future SMC Biology Newsletter:________________________

_________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________

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Please return to:
Dr. Anne A. Susalla
Biology Department
Saint Mary's College
Notre Dame, IN 46556


©2002 Saint Mary's College