Awards & Achievements for 2009

Distinguished Master's Thesis Awards Click here for more information...
The Graduate School and the Council on Graduate Studies proudly announce the following master's thesis awards.
Daniel P. Harvey II , master of science in technology, was selected to receive the 2009 Eastern Illinois University Distinguished Thesis Award for his master's thesis titled: Automated Estimation of Time Codes for Captioning Digital Media. Mr. Harvey's faculty mentor was Dr. Peter Ping Liu, Professor of Technology.
Annie Tock, master of arts in History, was selected to receive the 2009 Thesis Award of Excellence for the College of Arts and Humanities for her master's thesis titled: “I See by this Woman’s Features, That She is Capable of any Wickedness:”
Murderous Women, Public Justice, and the Social Order in London, 1674-1799. Ms. Tock's faculty mentor was Dr. Newton Key, Professor of History.
Shannon Schwab, master of science in family and consumer sciences, was selected to receive the 2009 Thesis Award of Excellence for the Lumpkin College of Business and Applied Sciences for her thesis titled: Bully and Victimization in High School as Perceived by Female Students in a Midwestern University. Ms. Schwab's faculty mentor was Dr. Lisa Taylor, Associate Professor of Family and Consumer Sciences.
Cathy Sowa , master of science in college student affairs, was selected to receive the 2009 Thesis Award of Excellence for the College of Education and Professional Studies for her thesis titled: Searching for a Connection: Internet Communication and Mobile Phone Use for Social Membership. Ms. Sowa's faculty mentor was Dr. Charles Eberly, Professor of Counseling and Student Development.
Alexandra Baluka , master of science in biological sciences, was selected to receive the 2009 Thesis Award of Excellence for the College of Sciences for her thesis titled: Evaluation of the Oxalate-Consuming Activities of Probiotic Microorganisms. Ms. Baluka's faculty mentor was Dr. Steven Daniel, Professor of Biological Sciences.

Betty Wright Downing Scholar Click here for more information...
Lindsay Wilson, masters candidate in counseling was awarded the 2009 Betty Wright Downing Scholarship.

Frances Meyer Hampton Scholar Click here for more information...
Jeanna Probst, masters candidate in communication disorders and sciences, is the 2009 Frances Meyer Hampton Scholar.

Mary Bear McClay Scholar
Amber Bartelmey, masters candidate in mathematics, is the 2009 Mary Bear McClay Scholar.

Annie Weller Scholar
Shannon Goebel, masters candidate in natural sciences, is the 2009 Annie Weller Scholar.

Williams Travel Award Winners Click here for more information...
Twenty graduate candidates were selected by the Council on Graduate Studies Awards Committee to receive the Larry Williams Travel Award during the Fall 2008 semester and 27 graduate candidates were selected to receive the award in Spring 2009.
The Fall 2008 Williams travel scholars include:
Cassie Ambuehl, Counseling, presented Play Therapy: Understanding Adolescents and the Utility of Play at the Illinois Counseling Association Annual Conference in Tinley Park, Illinois.
Travis Bounds, Political Science, presented The Politics of Georgian Membership in NATO at the International Studies Association- Midwest Annual Meeting in Saint Louis, Missouri.
Laura Colgan, Communication Disorders and Sciences, presented Aided Language Modeling and Requesting Behavior in Two Preschool Children with Autism at the American Speech-Language and Hearing Association National Conference in Chicago, Illinois.
Erin Crawley, History, presented Eclectic Psychiatry: Robert S. Carroll and the Social Construction of Neurasthenia at the Mid-America Conference on History in Springfield, Missouri.
Derrick Douros, Biological Sciences, presented The Common Snapping Turtle as a Sentinel of Agricultural Effects on Agricultural Lotic Systems at the Midwest Fish and Wildlife Conference in Columbus, Ohio.
Jodi Dyke, Communication Disorders and Sciences, presented Phonological Awareness Intervention with Preschool Children: Changes in Receptive Language Abilities at the American Speech-Hearing and Language Association in Chicago, Illinois.
Marissa Grant, Biological Sciences, presented nfluence of Associated Species, Soil and Seed Biology on Disjunct Distribution of Physaria ludoviciana at the Botany without Borders in Vancouver Canada.
Laura Holstius, School Psychology, presented Including IGDIs in Evaluation of a Head Start Literacy Intervention at the National Association of School Psychologists in Boston, Massachusetts.
Colleen Johnson, Counseling, presented The Impact of Relaxation Techniques on Third Grade Students’ Self-Perceived Levels of Test Anxiety at the American Counseling Association Annual Conference in Charlotte, North Carolina.
Robert Krenz III, Biological Sciences, presented Use of Photopigments as a Descriptor of Phytoplankton
Assemblages for Biotic Assessment of Illinois Reservoirs at the Midwest Fish and Wildlife Conference in Columbus, Ohio.
Danielle LaPrairie, Communication Disorders and Sciences. presented Facilitative Vocabulary Techniques by Teachers with Differing Views of Collaboration at the American Speech-Language and Hearing Association National Conference in Chicago, Illinois.
George Lesica, Economics, presented The Informal Sector in Chile: Measurement and Interaction with Formal Sector
Missouri Valley Economics Association in Saint Louis, Missouri.
Uros Marjanovic, Technology, presented Automatic Identification/RFID Course and Equipment for Teaching and Research at the National Association for Industrial Technology in Nashville, Tennessee.
Erica Roa, College Student Affairs, presented FREE FOOD: Engaging our Students at the NASPA Regional IV in Indianapolis, Indiana.
Peter Salvadori, Biological Sciences, presented The Effect of Habitat Fragmentation on Sensitive Aquatic Species- Platform Presentation at the Midwest Fish and Wildlife Conference in Columbus, Ohio.
Sushma Shrestha, Economics, presented Devaluation and Aggregate Economic Activity in Developing Countries
Missouri Valley Economics Association in Saint Louis, Missouri.
Justin Sinner, Political Science, presented Public Evaluation of Governors and State Economics at the Northeastern Political Science Association Annual Conference in Boston, Massachusetts.
Cathy Sowa, College Student Affairs, presented Search for a Connection: Internet Communication and Mobile Phone Use for Social Membership at the NASPA Region IV in Indianapolis, Indiana.
Christina Thompson, College Student Affairs, presented FREE FOOD: Engaging our Students at the NASPA Regional IV in Indianapolis, Indiana.

The Spring 2009 Williams travel scholars include:
Rebecca Angus, Communication Disorders and Sciences, presented The Effect of AAC vs. Clinician Modeling on Oral-Motor Imitation in a Nonverbal Child with Autism and Apraxia of Speech at the Illinois Speech-Language-Hearing Association Annual Convention in Rosemont, Illinois.
Lori Neuman-Lee Biggs, Biological Sciences, presented Planting a TREE: Exposing High School Students to Ecological Research of Reptiles at the Joint Meeting of Ichthyologists and Herpetologists in Portland, Oregon.
Chad Cussen, History, presented Fractured Fraternity: Altérité and the FLN at the Out of Bounds: Exploring Global Connections in Boston, Massachusetts.
Daniel Cuthbert, History, presented Leveling out Levellers at the History Graduate Student Conference in Chicago, Illinois.
Jeff Cutright, History, presented Old Antiquated “Self-Other” Dialectic: Historical Processes; Modern Ramifications at the Out of Bounds: Exploring Global Connections in Boston, Massachusetts.
Katrina Dunbar, English, presented Writing Interventions: An Educational Boost for Students on Academic Warning at the Borders and Boundaries Graduate Conference in Carbondale, Illinois.
Tasha Dunn, Communication Studies, presented The Homosexual Christian: A Qualitative Exploration into a “Mutually Exclusive” Life at the Central States Communication Association Annual Conference in Saint Louis, Missouri.
Andrew Eichel, English, presented Old Poem, New Theory: Pound’s Appropriation of “The Seafarer” at the VAGANTES Graduate Student Conference in Medieval Studies in Tallahassee, Florida.
Amanda Fountain, Communication Studies, presented The Effectiveness of the Press Release: American Airlines’ Use of Press Releases for Image Repair at the Central States Communication Association Annual Conference in Saint Louis, Missouri.
Marissa Grant, Biological Sciences, presented Overview of Reproductive Biology for Physaria ludoviciana at the Botany and Mycology Conference in Snowbird, Utah.
Amanda Groves, English, presented Navigating Emotional Responses: Reinstating the Value of Pathos in the Composition Classroom at the Borders and Boundaries Graduate Conference in Carbondale, Illinois.
Kathyrn Hale, Biological Sciences, presented Long-term Monitoring of Herpetofaunal Richness at Moorrinya National Park, Queensland Australia at the Joint Meeting of Ichthyologists and Herpetologists in Portland, Oregon.
John Hamilton, Political Science, presented What about Iran? Examining Coercive Approaches to Foreign Policy with Persia at the
ISU Conference for Students of Political Science in Normal, Illinois.
Zoraida Irizarry, College Student Affairs, presented presented Hispanic Women in Higher Education: Leadership and Career Advancement at the American College Personnel Association Convention in Washington, D.C.
Rachel Kehr, Gerontology, presented Impact of Support Groups on Burden in Caregivers at the Association of Gerontology and Higher Education Annual Meeting in San Antonio, Texas.
Therese Kincaid, Communication Studies, presented Chapter Two: My Life, My Drama at the Central States Communication Association Annual Conference in Saint Louis, Missouri.
Kristi Kohlenberg, English, presented Collapsing Boundaries: Jared Diamond’s Use of Ethos and Pathos and Code-Switching in Chicana Poetry: Negotiating Language and Identity at the Graduate Conference on Literature in Carbondale and the Midwest Conference on Literature in Dekalb, Illinois.
Laura Ladwig, Biological Sciences, presented Liana Impacts on Tree Growth in Young Temperate Forests at the Association of Southeastern Biologists Meeting in Birmingham, Alabama.
Kimberly Lang, Biological Sciences, presented Effects of Forest Edges on Population Dynamics in a Successional System at the
Midwest Ecology and Evolution Conference in Lincoln, Nebraska.
Waynie Olaprath, Chemistry, presented Electrochemical and Spectroscopic Characterization of a Polypyridyl Ru(II) Complex Containing a Fused Alloxazine at the Great Lakes Regional Meeting of the American Chemical Society in Lincolnshire, Illinois.
Ashley Osthoff, Chemistry, presented Rotational Spectra of 2,3,4,5,6-pentafluorotoluene and 1-chloro-2,3,4,5,6-pentafluorobenzene at the International Symposium on Molecular Spectroscopy in Columbus, Ohio.
Nikki Pisula, Biological Sciences, presented Allelopathic Potential of Woody Exotics in a Successional System at the Midwest Ecology and Evolution Conference in Lincoln, Nebraska.
Caitlin Scaliatine, Communication Disorders and Sciences, presented Perspective-Talking in Adolescents with Asperger Syndrome and Nonverbal Learning Disorder at the Illinois Speech-Language and Hearing Association in Rosemont, Illinois.
Donald Taylor II, History, presented (Re)constructing Community: Jewish Life in the Wake of 1096 at the Out of Bounds: Exploring Global Connections in Boston, Massachusetts.
Teresa Vogt, Communication Disorders and Sciences, presented Listener Perception of Oral Discourse of Adults with TBI as it Compares to Traditional Objective Ratings at the Illinois Speech-Language and Hearing Association in Rosemont, Illinois.
Anne Walk, Clinical Psychology, presented Sex Differences in the Haptic Change Task at the Psychonomic Society Convention in Chicago, Illinois.
Patirck Walser, Technology, presented Implementing Green Technology into the High School Classroom at the ITEA National Conference in Louisville, Kentucky.

Research/Creative Activity Award Winners Click here for more information...
Tasha Brown, Communication Studies , for her research project: Study Abroad: An Insightful Documentary. Her research partner is the EIU Study Abroad Office.
Jessica Christman, Biological Sciences, for her research project: Fecal Analysis Survey of Feline Parasites within East-Central Illinois. Her research partner is the Albin Animal Hospital.
Erin Crawley, History, for her research project: The London Irish: Contextualizing the 1798 Rebellion and the 1801 Act of Union. Her research partner is the Irish Studies Centre.
Ryan D'Arcy, History, for his research project: Westfield College: Crucible of Culture and Community. His research partner is the Westfield United Methodist Church.
Jodi Dyke, Communication Disorders and Sciences, for her research project: The Application of Visual Phonics and Phonological Awareness Interventions to Address Language Impairment in Preschool Children. Her research partner is the Newman Grade School.
Byron Ebbert, Chemistry, for his research project: Microfluidic Devices for Quantitative Determination of Forensically Interesting Species . His research partner is the Effingham Police Department.
Elizabeth Gergits, Communication Disorders and Sciences, for her research project: The Application of Visual Phonics and Phonological Awareness Interventions to Address Early Literacy Development in Language Impaired Preschoolers. Her research partner is the Shiloh Community Unit School District #1 and ERBA Head Start.
Daniel Hiatt, Biological Sciences, for his research project: Evaluating the Impact of Effluent Discharge on Benthic Algal Communities Downstream of the Decatur Sanitation District in the Sangamon River. His research partner is the Sanitary District of Decatur.
Robert Krenz III, Biological Sciences, for his project:Potential Bioassessment of Illinois Lakes and Reservoirs Using Photopigment Signatures. His research partner is the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency.
Candice Miller, Biological Sciences, for her project: Spatial Movement of Shortnose Gar in the Sangamon River, Illinois. Her research partner is the Sanitary District of Decatur.
Nikki Pisula, Biological Sciences, for her project: Does Evolutionary Exposure Mediate Allelopathic Effects? Her research partner is University of California at Davis.


GSAC Faculty Mentor Award Click here for more information...
Tina Veale was awarded the 2009 GSAC Faculty Mentor Award. Dr. Velae is an associate professor of communication disorders and sciences.

Graduate School Leadership Award Click here for more information...
The Rodney S. Ranes Outstanding Graduate Faculty Mentor Award was announced in honor of Mr. Ranes, the outgoing director of graduate admissions.

Graduate School Graduate Program Initiative Awards Click here for more information...

International Initiative Awards Click here for more information...