Alumni
ENVS alum: See what your peers have been up to since leaving the hill, and get in touch with your long-lost classmates. If you'd like to add yourself to the database or update your info, email Brenda Franks.
Current ENVS students: Learn what those who were in
similar shoes have done with their ENVS degree. Make use of this alumni
network, and contact those who have done or are doing things that
you're interested in learning more about.
Alumni Search by Graduation Year
2010
Hannah Daugherty, ('10)
Maria Bauman, ('10)
Christy Conley, ('10)
Emily Handelman, ('10)
Katharine Henderson, ('10)
Jessie Hogue-Morgenstern, ('10)
Drew Homyk, ('10)
Zachary Huttie, ('10)
Samuel Keenan, ('10)
John Murphy, ('10)
Cristin Mustillo, ('10)
Caitlin Splawski, ('10) Graduate student, The Ohio State University
Gina Weinberger, ('10) Law student
Suzanne Humphrey, ('10) Graduate student, The Ohio State University
Natasha Wright, ('10)
2009
Meredith A. Atwood, ('09), Masters Candidate at the Department of Environmental Forest Biology, SUNY-College of Environmental Science and Forestry, Syracuse, NY
Miranda R. Carter, ('09), Green Corps Organizer for the Sierra Club's Coal-Free Campus Campaign at the University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY
Stephanie M. Chan, ('09)
Darrin A. Collins, ('09)
Philip A. Dickson, ('09)
Lindsay K. Ehrhart, ('09), Campus Organizer, University of Maryland, U.S. Public Interest Research Group
Shalese A. Ford, ('09)
Jacob R. Henkle, ('09)
Margaret A. Hyzy, ('09)
Michael T. MacDonald, ('09)
Jackson C. Means, ('09)
John S. Pearson, ('09)
Erica P. Reckard, ('09)
Emily B. Schaefer, ('09)
Caitlin H. Schroering, ('09)
2008
Simonne T. Benoit, ('08)
Michael S. Bono, ('08)
Ryan T. Butz, ('08)
Amy K. Cahill, ('08)
Elizabeth M. Campbell, ('08)
Christopher S. Carnevale, ('08)
Anthony M. Christopher, ('08)
Cleighton T. DePetro, ('08)
Jennifer A. Frost, ('08)
Ashley M. Hawn, ('08)
Katherine L. Hyzy, ('08)
Stephen M. Julka, ('08)
Matthew D. McInerney, ('08)
Amanda L. Melenick, ('08)
Megan E. Ogle, ('08)
Sarah A. Page, ('08)
Thomas Seiter, ('08)
Allison C. Shealy, ('08)
Elizabeth A. Strassman, ('08)
Evarts B. Taylor, ('08)
Janine M. Waranowicz, ('08)
Charles A. West, ('08)
Scott U. Williams, ('08)
2007
Kathryn B. Archibald, (’07),
After DU: Worked as an account manager for Rand Insurance
Inc.
After DU: Worked as an assistant planner for Moore &
Associates.
Sarah L. Kafer, (’07),
After DU: Worked as an environmental scientist with PANDEY
Environmental LLC.
After DU: Continued school as a graduate student at
After DU: Worked for the Student Conservation Association.
After DU: Became the Environmental Studies Program Manager
for
After DU: Became a Lutheran Volunteer Corps volunteer with
the AIDS Foundation of Chicago.
After DU: Worked as a volunteer coordinator for Americorps.
After DU: Continued school as a graduate student at Lewis
and Clark University School of Law.
2006
Katherine-Rae R. Cianciotto, (’06),
Sarah Edwards, (’06),
Tiffany N. Finley, (’06),
After DU: Became a sales and marketing coordinator for
Uniden America Corporation.
Kelly A. MacVane, (’06),
After DU: Worked as an environmental scientist for Coneco
Engineers & Scientists.
After DU: Worked as an account manager for Gambit
Technologies.
After DU: Worked as an individual giving manager for the
Environmental Law Institute.
After DU: Worked as a commercial green building services
project manager for Southface Energy Institute.
2005
Erin H. Collinson, (’05),
After DU: Works as the Legislative Correspondent/Intern Coordinator for Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL).
After DU: Returned to school as a graduate student at
After DU: Worked as a trip leader and instructor for Outward
Bound
After DU: Worked for the
After DU: Returned to school as a graduate student at
After DU: Worked for Pacific Alternative Asset Mgmt
2004
Eduard M. Allpere, (’04),
After DU: Worked as an Americorps Volunteer in
After DU: Returned to school as a graduate student at the
After DU: Returned to school as a graduate student at the
Ohio State University Department of Environmental Science.
After DU: Worked as an environmental technician for the Town
of Southampton Dept. of Land Management.
After DU: Became the director of government relations and
economic development for the Chapel Hill/Carrboro Chamber of Commerce.
After DU: Worked as an environmental planner with RK&K
Engineers.
After DU: Worked for Michael Baker Jr. Inc.
2003
Justin O. August, (’03),
After DU: Became a kindergarden-1st grade
teaching assistant for the
After DU: Worked as the marketing and circulation director
for Alpinist Magazine.
After DU: Worked as an adult environmental educator for Cox
Arboretum
After DU: Returned to school as a graduate student at
Diane P. Skinner, (’03),
After DU: Worked as a developmental assistant at the Jane
Goodall Institute.
2002
Sarah K. Beazley, (’02),
After DU: Worked as a project coordinator for the City of
After DU: Returned to school as a graduate student.
After DU: GreenCorps graduate; served as conservation program manager for the
Sierra Club- Ohio Chapter; currently works as a Field Coordinator for CARE USA.
After DU: Worked as the senior secretary of the
administrative division for the City of
After DU: Returned to school as a graduate student.
After DU: Worked as Director of Lake Erie programs at the Ohio Environmental Council in Columbus, OH and later as Program Manager of Great Lakes water resources at the National Wildlife Federation in Ann Arbor, MI. Currently serves as the Environment Program Officer at the Joyce Foundation.
Clayton G. Gillespie, (’02),
Bradley A. Halm, (’02),
After DU: Currently works as an urban farmer for the Seattle Urban
Farm Company
After DU: Worked as a green building carpenter.
After DU: Became the program director of Waypost Camp with
Crossways Camping Ministry
After DU: Worked as a social worker for Employment Services
for Homeless Youth with Outside In
After DU: Worked for Barthco International
After DU: Became a special education teaching assistant for
After DU: Returned to school as a graduate student
After DU: Returned to school as a graduate student in
elementary education at the
After DU: Returned to school as a graduate student at Touro
University School of Law.
2001
Katherine A. Eschelbach, (’01),
After DU: Worked as a wildlife biologist for the U.S. Fish
and Wildlife Services.
After DU: Worked as a property manager for Novo
After DU: Worked as a legislative assistant for the
Association of American Railroads
After DU: Returned to school as a graduate student at
After DU: Returned to school as a graduate student
After DU: Worked as the senior program coordinator of the
Buddy Program
After DU: Worked as an urban planner with Parsons
Brinckerhoff.
After DU: Worked for the Wildlife Habitat Council.
After DU: Became an
assistant buyer for Pottery Barn.
2000
Alana M. Argersinger (McQueen), (’00),
After DU: Worked as an elementary educator with the Denver
Public Schools.
After DU: Worked as an attorney at law.
After DU: Worked as a financial advisor for American
Express.
After DU: Worked as an associate attorney at law with David
W. Kirch P.C.
After DU: Worked as a preschool teacher at NORWESCAP
Preschool.
After DU: Became the associate director of River Heritage
for American Rivers.
Kira B. Navarre, (’00),
After DU: Worked for Vanguard Charitable Endowment.
After DU: Worked as a firefighter and paramedic for the City
of
Robyn S. Wilson (Shick),
After DU: Returned to school as a PhD candidate at the
1999
Matthew J. Adukaitis (’99),
After DU: Worked as an environmental consultant with NTH
Consultants Limited.
After DU: Worked as a sales representative with The Astrup
Company.
After DU: Returned to school as a PhD candidate at the
After DU: Worked as the Director of Environmental Affairs at
the
After DU: Became an associate for the Advocate/Peacemaking
Program of the Presbyterian Church USA.
After DU: Worked as a GIS specialist with CDM.
After DU: Worked as an outdoor environmental education
leader with the YMCA Orkila.
After DU: Worked as a wildlife biologist; currently a Ph.D. candidate in Ecology at Montana State University in Bozeman.
After DU: Became the owner and primary operator of Blue Moon
Family Farm.
After DU: Worked as an urban planner for the Fairfax County
Dept. of Planning and Zoning
After DU: Worked as a staff ecologist for Applied Ecological
Services Inc.
After DU: Worked as a senior planner with McKenna Associates
Inc.
After DU: Became a composer, producer, and songwriter
After DU: Worked as a program assistant at the
After DU: Worked as the human resources manager at
Abercrombie & Fitch
After DU: Worked as a landscape architect with Kinzelman
Kline Gossman.
After DU: Worked as an environmental planner with RK & K
Engineers.
Anna Spain Bradley ('99), Boulder, CO
After DU: Professional Mediator, Associate Professor of Law at University of Colorado-Boulder
After DU: Worked as the environmental science specialist and
supervisor at the
After DU: Became the marketing lead for Benelogic LLC.
After DU: Worked as an attorney at law with Modrall Sperling
Roehl Harris.
After DU: Worked with non-profit management with the Red
Wiggler Community Farm.
After DU: Returned to school as a graduate student at the
1998
Kathleen A. Bagnoli (Alf), (’98),
After DU: Became a homemaker
Jonathan R. Franklin, (’98),
After DU: Returned to school as an MBA student at
After DU: Worked as an attorney at law with Maslan Brown and
Associates LLP.
After DU: Worked as an environmental geographer with URS
Corporation.
After DU: Worked as an resource planning specialist with the
National Park Service.
After DU: Worked as a veterinarian and intern with Florida
Veterinary Specialists.
After DU: Worked as the director of land protection with the
Chagrin River Land Conservancy.
After DU: Worked as a registered representative with First
Investors.
1997
Emily S. Elsom-Cunningham (’97),
After DU: Worked as a teacher at
After DU: Worked as a project manager with EDAW.
After DU: Worked as a librarian, webmaster, and archivist at
the Herb Society of America.
After DU: Worked as a lab technician with Coors Brewing
Company.
After DU: Worked as a technical program specialist and in
consulting and engineering with Fluor Daniel Fernald.
After DU: Worked as an attorney at law with J. Lizette
Richards.
After DU: Returned to school as a graduate student at
University of Pennsylvania School of Design.
After DU: Worked as a teacher with the
After DU: Worked as the Director of Marketing with Air Flow
Technology.
After DU: Worked as a plant ecologist with the Illinois
Natural History Survey Dept. of Natural Resources.
1996
David C. Brownley (’96),
After DU: Worked for Nestle.
Sumedha De Silva (’96),
D. Bradley Erhnman (’96),
After DU: Worked as an account representative for TCI Media
Services.
J. Chad Jones (’96),
After DU: Worked as a snow sports school director,
videographer, and owner of Montana Snowbowl Hill Billy Pr.
Susan Studer King (’96),
After DU: Worked with Ohio Environmental Council, served as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Ecuador; currently serves as the Environmental Studies Program Manager at Denison.
After DU: Gertrude Haskell Britton Endowed Chair
of Education at the Cleveland Museum of Natural History.
After DU: Assistant Professor of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology at Rice University
After DU: Worked as an environmental consultant
After DU: Worked as a soil conservationist with the USDA
Natural Resources Conservancy.
After DU: Received a Fulbright Scholarship. Currently practices international trade law in Washington, D.C.
1995
Marcee J. Cappell (’95),
After DU: Returned to school as a graduate student.
1992
Paul S. Hays (’92),
After DU: Worked as the principal of City on a
Dr. Micah S. Thompson (’92),
After DU: Worked as a Senior Professional Research Assistant
for the Coleman Institute for Cognitive Disabilities.
1991
Wanda E. Wilson (‘91),
After DU: Worked as a program officer with PPND.
1990
Susanna D. Barnett (Duff) (’90),
After DU: Worked as a reporter with The Bond Buyer.
Jennifer G. Spring (Goss) (’90),
After DU: Worked for American Sail Training Association.
Tina O. Will (Ogawa) (’90),
After DU: Worked as an associate at Environmental Science
Association.
1988
Richard K. Kobe (’88),
After DU: Worked as an associate professor at the Michigan
State University Dept. of Forestry.
1985
Kurt A. Schuler (’85),
After DU: Worked as a financial advisor for Wachovia
Securities, LLC.
Alumni Search by Field Interest
Business/Finance
Susanna D. Barnett (Duff) (’90),
After DU: Worked as a reporter with The Bond Buyer.
After DU: Worked as an account representative for TCI Media
Services.
After DU: Worked as the Director of Marketing with Air Flow
Technology.
After DU: Worked as a registered representative with First
Investors.
After DU: Worked as a sales representative with The Astrup
Company.
After DU: Worked as a program assistant at the
After DU: Worked as a financial advisor for American
Express.
After DU: Worked as a legislative assistant for the
Association of American Railroads
After DU: Worked for Barthco International
After DU: Worked as the marketing and circulation director
for Alpinist Magazine.
After DU: Worked for Michael Baker Jr. Inc.
After DU: Worked for Pacific Alternative Asset Mgmt
After DU: Became a sales and marketing coordinator for
Uniden America Corporation.
After DU: Worked as an account manager for Gambit
Technologies.
After DU: Worked as a commercial green building services
project manager for Southface Energy Institute.
After DU: Worked as an account manager for Rand Insurance
Inc.
Community Activism/Planning
Wanda E. Wilson (‘91),
After DU: Worked as a program officer with PPND.
After DU: Worked as a project manager with EDAW.
After DU: Worked as the Director of Environmental Affairs at
the
After DU: Worked as an outdoor environmental education
leader with the YMCA Orkila.
After DU: Worked as a senior planner with McKenna Associates
Inc.
After DU: Worked as a landscape architect with Kinzelman
Kline Gossman.
After DU: Worked as an environmental planner with RK & K
Engineers.
After DU: Worked as an urban planner with Parsons
Brinckerhoff.
After DU: Worked as a property manager for Novo
After DU: Worked as a social worker for Employment Services
for Homeless Youth with Outside In
After DU: Worked as a project coordinator for the City of
After DU: Worked as an environmental technician for the Town
of Southampton Dept. of Land Management.
After DU: Worked as an environmental planner with RK&K
Engineers.
After DU: Worked for the
After DU: Worked as an assistant planner for Moore &
Associates.
Graduate School
Marcee J. Cappell (’95),
After DU: Returned to school as a graduate student.
After DU: Returned to school as a graduate student at
University of Pennsylvania School of Design.
After DU: Returned to school as an MBA student at
After DU: Returned to school as a PhD candidate at the
Caroline J. Woods Nairac, (’99),
After DU: Returned to school as a graduate student at the
After DU: Returned to school as a PhD candidate at the
After DU: Returned to school as a graduate student
After DU: Returned to school as a graduate student at
After DU: Returned to school as a graduate student.
After DU: Returned to school as a graduate student.
After DU: Returned to school as a graduate student
After DU: Returned to school as a graduate student in
elementary education at the
After DU: Returned to school as a graduate student at Touro
University School of Law.
After DU: Returned to school as a graduate student at
After DU: Returned to school as a graduate student at the
After DU: Returned to school as a graduate student at the
Ohio State University Department of Environmental Science.
After DU: Returned to school as a graduate student at
After DU: Returned to school as a graduate student at
After DU: Continued school as a graduate student at
After DU: Continued school as a graduate student at Lewis
and Clark University School of Law.
Education
Paul S. Hays (’92),
After DU: Worked as the principal of City on a
After DU: Worked as a teacher at
After DU: Worked as a teacher with the
After DU: Worked as an assistant director at the
After DU: Worked as an elementary educator with the Denver Public Schools.
After DU: Worked as a preschool teacher at NORWESCAP Preschool.
After DU: Became a special education teaching assistant for St. Paul Public
Schools
After DU: Became a kindergarten-1st grade teaching assistant for the
After DU: Worked as an adult environmental educator for Cox Arboretum
After DU: Became the environmental studies program manager for
Government/Law
Christopher T. Timura, PhD, JD, (’96),
After DU: Worked as an attorney at law with Paul Hastings
Attorneys.
After DU: Worked as an attorney at law with J. Lizette
Richards.
Amy J. Garvin, (’98),
After DU: Worked as an attorney at law with Maslan Brown and
Associates LLP.
After DU: Worked as an urban planner for the Fairfax County
Dept. of Planning and Zoning
After DU: Worked as an attorney at law with Modrall Sperling
Roehl Harris.
After DU: Worked as an attorney at law.
After DU: Worked as an associate attorney at law with David
W. Kirch P.C.
Sarah E. Collings, (’02),
After DU: Worked as the senior secretary of the
administrative division for the City of
After DU: Became the director of government relations and
economic development for the Chapel Hill/Carrboro Chamber of Commerce.
After DU: Works as the
After DU: Worked as an individual giving manager for the
Environmental Law Institute.
Human Rights/Non-profit
Susan S. King (’96),
After DU: Volunteered with the Peace Corps in
After DU: Became the Gertrude Haskell Britton Endowed Chair
of Education and worked for the Cleveland Museum of Natural History.
After DU: Worked as a librarian, webmaster, and archivist at
the Herb Society of America.
After DU: Worked as the director of land protection with the
Chagrin River Land Conservancy.
After DU: Became an associate for the Advocate/Peacemaking
Program of the Presbyterian Church USA.
After DU: Worked with non-profit management with the Red
Wiggler Community Farm.
After DU: Became the associate director of River Heritage
for American Rivers.
After DU: Worked for Vanguard Charitable Endowment.
After DU: Worked for the Wildlife Habitat Council.
After DU: Worked as the senior program coordinator of the
Buddy Program
After DU: Became the conservation program manager for the
Sierra Club- Ohio Chapter.
After DU: Became the program director of Waypost Camp with
Crossways Camping Ministry
After DU: Worked as a developmental assistant at the Jane
Goodall Institute.
After DU: Worked as an Americorps Volunteer in
After DU: Worked for the Student Conservation Association.
After DU: Became a Lutheran Volunteer Corps volunteer with
the AIDS Foundation of Chicago.
After DU: Worked as a volunteer coordinator for Americorps.
Parks/Outdoor Recreation
Jennifer G. Spring (Goss) (’90),
After DU: Worked for American Sail Training Association.
After DU: Worked as a snow sports school director,
videographer, and owner of Montana Snowbowl Hill Billy Pr.
After DU: Worked as an resource planning specialist with the
National Park Service.
After DU: Became the owner and primary operator of Blue Moon
Family Farm.
Bradley A. Halm, (’02),
After DU: Worked as an urban farmer for the Seattle Urban
Farm Company
After DU: Worked as a trip leader and instructor for Outward
Bound
Science/Research
Tina O. Will (Ogawa) (’90),
After DU: Worked as an associate at Environmental Science
Association.
After DU: Worked as a Senior Professional Research Assistant
for the Coleman Institute for Cognitive Disabilities.
After DU: Worked as an environmental consultant
After DU: Worked as a soil conservationist with the USDA
Natural Resources Conservancy.
After DU: Worked as a lab technician with Coors Brewing
Company.
After DU: Worked as a technical program specialist and in
consulting and engineering with Fluor Daniel Fernald.
After DU: Worked as a plant ecologist with the Illinois
Natural History Survey Dept. of Natural Resources.
After DU: Worked as an environmental geographer with URS
Corporation.
After DU: Worked as a veterinarian and intern with Florida
Veterinary Specialists.
After DU: Worked as an environmental consultant with NTH
Consultants Limited.
After DU: Worked as a staff ecologist for Applied Ecological
Services Inc.
After DU: Worked as a wildlife biologist
After DU: Worked as the environmental science specialist and
supervisor at the
After DU: Worked as a wildlife biologist for the U.S. Fish
and Wildlife Services.
After DU: Worked as an environmental scientist for Coneco
Engineers & Scientists.
After DU: Worked as an environmental scientist with PANDEY
Environmental LLC.
Other
David C. Brownley (’96),
After DU: Worked for Nestle.
After DU: Became a homemaker
After DU: Became a composer, producer, and songwriter
After DU: Worked as the human resources manager at
Abercrombie & Fitch
After DU: Worked as the director of development with the
National Inventors Hall of Fame.
After DU: Became the marketing lead for Benelogic LLC.
After DU: Worked as a firefighter and paramedic for the City
of
After DU: Became an
assistant buyer for Pottery Barn.
After DU: Worked as a green building carpenter.
Alumni profiles
Jennifer Rudgers, '96
Denison alumna Jennifery Rudgers plants American beach grass with her graduate students at Sleeping Bear Dunes National in Lakeshore, Michigan.
Jennifer Rudgers, '96 graduated from Denison with a self designed major in Environmental Science and currently lives in Houston, Texas and works as an assistant professor in the Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology at Rice University. Her research includes field, laboratory and greenhouse experiments that investigate the evolution of plant-microbe symbioses and how symbioses affect community structure and ecosystem dynamics. She works in several different ecosystems including the dunes in the Great Lakes, forest ecosystems in Texas and the Midwest, tropical systems in the South Pacific, and most recently, alpine communities in the Rocky Mountains. Rudgers received her PhD in population biology from the University of California-Davis and conducted postdoctoral research in microbial biology at Indiana University in Bloomington. Advising undergraduate projects has become an important part of her current research program. She is taking new graduate students in the fall and “would love to have Denison alums join the lab.”
Christopher Timura '96
Christopher Timura ’96 is an achiever. Some might say he is an over-achiever. As a student at Denison, Timura wanted a triple major, a thought that sends shivers down the spine of most current students. He eventually double majored in Environmental Studies and Sociology/Anthropology while also serving as the Denison University Recycling Program Coordinator, among many other campus activities. A Denison presidential medalist, Timura received a prestigious Fulbright Scholarship to the United Kingdom in Anthropology & Ecology of Development at the University College London. Timura then pursued a Ph.D. in cultural Anthropology and J.D. at the University of Michigan and later interned at the International Law Commission of the United Nations in Geneva Switzerland. Timura is now an attorney at Akin, Gump, Strauss, Hauer & Feld LLP in Washington, D.C. His international trade practice provides advice to clients on compliance with U.S. national security and foreign policy-related laws and regulations. Some of Timura’s clients are involved in the development of vanguard energy and conservation technologies. He works with these clients on licensing and other submissions to protect their technology when they move to export it outside the United States.
Although Timura ultimately concentrated his work in Anthropology and Law after Denison, his training in the interdisciplinary ENVS program has always enabled him to, as he explains “think through disciplinary boundaries and to see value in the contributions that others, either through their life experience or disciplinary training, can bring to the table to address various research and policy problems.” Denison is a small place and Timura noted that his class of ENVS majors became incredibly close because of the classes they took together all four years. On reflecting back on the friendships he made in Denison's ENVS program, “given all the time we spent together, I have many memories, but also a general overarching one of sharing the experience of learning together about a set of issues we all cared deeply about.”
Greg Spyreas '97
Greg Spyreas '97 canoing in the Smokey Mountains.
After graduating from Denison in 1997 with his degree in Environmental Studies and a concentration in Biology, Greg Spyreas attended Southern Illinois University for a masters degree in Plant Biology/Plant Ecology where he became interested in natural areas of biology, conservation, and restoration. He currently lives in Champaign-Urbana, Illinois where he is a research scientist in plant ecology for the Illinois Natural History Survey, within the Institute of Natural Resource Sustainability at the University of Illinois. Greg works on a Midwestern vegetation and flora surveying, inventorying and analysis project called CTAP and spends a lot of his summer traveling and doing field work. His work also involves collaboration with University scientists and scientists from governmental agencies including the U.S. Forest Service, Fish and Wildlife Service, EPA, as well as non-profit conservation groups like The Nature Conservancy. Greg loves working with outside groups when they need botanical/ecological expertise for he is able to put his skills to use either in the field or on specific applied projects.
The most important contributions the Environmental Studies program had on his education and professional development include, “1) A broad well-rounded understanding of environmental issues (energy, biological, political, social sciences, religious, etc.), and an ability to put environmental issues in their larger context. 2) A focus on good writing, good communication, and PR in general, with respect to environmental issues. 3) The ability to work well in groups (because of small class sizes, problem solving activities, interaction with professors, etc); and 4) A sense of optimism, excitement, and confidence from knowing that some of the most energetic, dedicated, and all around best students/professors on campus were in my major”.
Spyreas advises current students to “seek out people who are really good at what they do and study them. These people are hard to come by in any field, and are really valuable to watch and learn from. When I say 'good at what they do' I don’t necessarily mean the ones who get awards or who have the biggest titles or make the most money or get the best grades, but the people who really do get things done and who affect positive change”.
Katy Gray Martin '05
Katy (Gray) Martin graduated from Denison in 2005 with a major in Environmental Studies and a minor in Biology. Immediately after graduating, Katy moved to Colorado to work for two years (as well as ski in her free time) before heading to DePaul University to pursue a M.S. in Nursing. She currently lives in Chicago and works as a staff nurse at the Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago in their General Rehab Unit. Katy explains that hospitals tend to be wasteful due to the number of supplies that are one time use only, but she is constantly looking for little ways to make a difference. Having an Environmental Studies degree from Denison and taking all the prerequisite classes has helped Katy to transition easily into her nursing program. Her most lasting memories at Denison were visiting a dairy farm with Dr. Carol Goland, wetland ecology with Dr. Doug Spieles, and her senior seminar. The ENVS program has helped Katy shape many decisions in her life from deciding who she votes for to the products that she purchases in the store.
David Strong '06
A 2006 Denison graduate, David “D-Strong” Strong was an Environmental Studies Senior Fellow and will forever be a Homesteader (The Homestead is Denison's intentional, off-grid residential community). Immediately after Denison, Strong started working as an environmental scientist for MAD Scientist & Associates, LLC in Westerville, Ohio where he still works today. As an ecological and wetland consultant, David does biological assessments, ecological/all taxa biotic inventories, stream assessments, wetland delineation, wetland monitoring, and wetland design.
Denison's Environmental Studies Program provided a valuable introduction to conservation politics and policies, especially the Clean Water Act, which is integral to most of his projects. His Denison education helped to shape his understanding of politics and the environment, providing lots of great opportunities and the chance to meet great people along the way. David’s most memorable moment as an ENVS major was the Sustainable Agriculture class he took which gave him the opportunity to tour Ohio farms. From there, he was sent to Madison, WI, for a weekend and attended a conference for Students for Sustainable Agriculture. "It was an amazing experience," he states.When asked about his personal achievements he shared “a modest house, beautiful wife, small dog, 2-car garage, salaried job, and a kid on the way. I live 1.5 miles from my office, so I bike to work as many days as I can. Can’t think of anything else I’d rather do.”
Jordan Mora '07
Immediately after graduating from Denison in 1997, Jordan Mora, served as the Denison Environmental Studies Program Manager for one year and then moved on to pursue a Master's Degree in Marsh Ecology from the University of New Hampshire. She lives in Dover, New Hampshire and is working as a National Estuarine Research Reserve Graduate Research Fellow (NERR GRF) at the University of New Hampshire within the Department of Natural Resources and the Environment. She studies physical gradients in northern New England tidal marshes that have been modified by anthropogenic impacts. More specifically, she looks at berms (earthen barriers that restrict tidal flooding in the interior of the marsh) to see how the unnatural elevation change impacts abiotic (hydrology, sulfide concentrations, salinity, redox, soil organic matter, soil moisture content, etc.) and biotic (plant composition) factors. These berms are the result of dumping spoils from river dredging projects or agricultural berms that restricted the tide from flooding crop or pasture land.
Jordan’s ENVS experience has helped shape her background in wetland research and has provided tools that she could apply in the future (i.e. problem solving, GIS, community involvement, etc.). When asked about a lasting impression the ENVS program has made on her, Jordan responded, “Too many ways to explain. It’s provided me with a sense of purpose, of confidence – it’s also allowed me to pursue the areas of environmental issues that I find most interesting. I learned that the most challenging piece of an environmentalist’s work isn’t the research, it’s the communication. ”
Miranda Carter '09
After graduating in 2009 with a double major in Environmental Studies and Biology Miranda Carter was chosen to participate in Green Corps, an intense yearlong training program for environmental organizing and advocacy. The program teaches participants how to run and win current environmental campaigns. Throughout the year, Green Corps members are placed on 3-5 different campaigns around the country which tackle issues ranging from global warming and energy issues to clean water act violations. Most recently Miranda has been living in Concord, New Hampshire and working on the 1Sky campaign which aims to build public support for federal climate legislation.
When asked about her ENVS degree she responded “I definitely think the experiences I had at Denison in my ENVS classes helped me get the job I have today. It is a selective program, but I had some great experiences. For example, the politics and decision-making class definitely taught me things about the political climate in the U.S., especially in regards to environmental issues. I am now working on passing the Climate Bill that is in the Senate right now”. Miranda values the individual relationships that she had with some of the professors in class and particularly those that assisted her with her Senior Research. Her advice to current students,“Explore all of your options in the environmental field- there are so many different directions you could take!”