GEO Scholarships and Awards

Are you a current GEO student looking for scholarships?

The Office of Scholarship Services here at South Alabama are the people who can help you find scholarship and other financial help options for your education here! Their new JagSPOT portal allows students to search and find scholarships that may help pay for your education.

Eugene Wilson Geography Scholarship

The Eugene Wilson Geography Scholarship is presented annually to an outstanding senior-level Geography major. This award is named in honor of Dr. Eugene Wilson who taught Geography in the Department of Earth Sciences from 1969 till his retirement in 1996.
2023-2024 Isabelle Goolsby
2022-2023 Victoria Tait
2021-2022 Danielle Lowe
2020-2021 Adeleine Clark
2019-2020 Taylor Bradford
2018-2019 Aaron Miller
2017-2018 Ryan Armour
2016-2017 Shannon Faye
2015-2016 Casey Yaden
2014-2015 Claude Buerger
2013-2014 Jarrod Cunningham
2012-2013 Logan Anderson, Gabrielle Hudson 
2011-2012 Robert Spinetti 
2010-2011 Vince Walker 
2009-2010 Samantha Warren 
2008-2009 Joel Plagge 
2007-2008 Sean Huber 
2006-2007  Amy Milam 
2005-2006  Gabriel Dean 
2004-2005 Candice McCullough
2003-2004 Tammy Pounds
2002-2003 Karen Jordan
2001-2002 Andrew Holmer
2000-2001 Sherry Allison
1999-2000 Michael Taylor
1998-1999 Jason Senkbeil
1997-1998 Tuck Yan Ho
1996-1997 Jason Balmut
1995-1996 Jud Englett

Victoria Rivizzigno Geography Scholarship

The Victoria Rivizzigno Geography Scholarship also is awarded to an outstanding senior-level Geography major. Dr. Rivizzigno taught in the Department of Earth Sciences from 1979 till 2008. She then served as Assistant Dean and later Associate Dean of the College of of Arts and Sciences until her retirement in 2014.
2023-2024 Francis Guy
2022-2023 Skye Hellenkamp
2021-2022 Jillian Hamilton
2020-2021 Gabriel Brown
2019-2020 Elisa Alonzo-Negron
2018-2019 Brendam Schwandner
2017-2018 Mike Jefferies
2016-2017 Bethany Cobb & Farnaz Bayat
2015-2016 Jeanett Bosarge
2014-2015 Tracy McClure
2013-2014 Cory Dodd
2012-2013 Donald Brinkman, Ryan Brown 
2011-2012 Marine Karapetyan 
2010-2011 Chris Frederick 
2009-2010 Hugh Dowling 
2008-2009 Tim Witt 

Glenn Sebastian Geography Scholarship

The Glenn Sebastian Geography Scholarship is presented annually to the junior-level Geography major who most clearly exhibits the great collegiality and passion for our discipline that was always associated with Dr. Sebastian. This scholarship honors Dr. Glenn Sebastian who started teaching Geography in 1967. Dr. Sebastian chaired the Department pf Earth Sciences from 1981 till 2007, retired from full-time teaching in 2008, and taught part-time until 2014. The Glenn Sebastian Nature Trail on campus is a tribute to his love of and enthusiasm for the outdoors.
2023-2024 Abigail Kratsch
2022-2023 Madison Stevens
2021-2022 Jackson Barber
2020-2021 Russell Pratt
2019-2020 Amelia Gonzalez
2018-2019 Katie Pfeiffer
2017-2018 Clifton Deakle
2016-2017 Dante Piccini
2015-2016 Traci Palmer
2014-2015 Brandi Stewart 
2013-2014 Thomas Jackson
2012-2013 Skyler Sampson 
2011-2012 Gabrielle Hudson, Marlena Slaughter 
2010-2011 Reva Stienstraw-Hitchcock 
2009-2010 Sherall Cornwell, Vince Walker 
2008-2009 Josh Pritchard, Ashley Torton 
2007-2008  Nicholas Stricklin 

Fearn Undergraduate Summer Research Scholarship

The Fearn Scholarship provides a stipend of $1,000 for an
undergraduate student who wishes to gain hands-on professional experience in a summer research project.
2023-2024 Kurt Schmitkons
2022-2023 Abigail Kratsch
2021-2022 Francis Guy
2020-2021  
2019-2020 Alison Hawkins
2018-2019 Taylor Bradford
2017-2018 Mike Jefferies
2016-2017 Justice Jackson

Victoria Rivizzigno Geographic Information Sciences Award

The Geographic Information Science Award is given annually to the most outstanding student who has completed the six courses leading to the GIS Certificate or the Geographic Information Science and Technology minor.
2023-2024 Anna Mears
2022-2023 Jade Martin
2021-2022  
2020-2021 Alison Hawkins
2019-2020 Taylor Bradford
2018-2019 Christopher Ambron
2017-2018 Mike Jefferies
2016-2017 Jennifer Boyd
2015-2016 Julius C. Rivera
2014-2015 Matt Boyington 
2013-2014 Adham Hawramy
2012-2013 Logan Anderson 
2011-2012 Anthony Johnson 
2010-2011 Vince Walker 
2009-2010 Josh Pritchard 
2008-2009 Andrew Keith 
2007-2008  Tim Witt 

Gamma Theta Upsilon (Geographic Honor Society) Award

The Gamma Theta Upsilon (GTU) Award is presented annually to the Geography major who has made the most significant contribution to either GTU (Geography Honor Society) or to the Geography Club.
2015-2016 Doreen Dilks
2014-2015 Brandi Stewart
2013-2014 Regina Kirkland
2012-2013 Carl Jackson 
2011-2012 Zach Warner 
2010-2011

Sherall Cornwell

Jan Bolton Geography Scholarship

The Jan Bolton Geography Scholarship was established by the family of Jan Bolton and the Board of Directors of the USA Foundation. It is awarded to a junior-level Geography major who has demonstrated outstanding academic performance.
2023-2024 Lydia Sherer
2022-2023 Isabelle Goolsby
2021-2022 Skye Hellenkamp, Jade Martin
2020-2021 Meghan Condron
2019-2020 Justin Saddler
2018-2019 Edmund Davies
2017-2018 Aaron Miller
2016-2017 Justice Jackson
2015-2016 James "Dusty" Norris

Senior Achievement Award

The Department of Earth Sciences presents an award to graduating seniors who have a GPA of at least 3.0 and a Geography GPA of at least 3.0.
2016-2017 Farnaz Bayat, Elizabeth Cruz, Shannon Faye, Jacob Quesenberry, Charles Barrow, Mechell Daniel, Heather Glass, Holly Simmons, Jennifer Boyd, Kassady Douglas, Traci Palmer, Michael Stafford
2015-2016 Jeanette Bosarge, Jessica Higginbotham, Thomas Jackson, Julius C. Rivera, Brandi Stewart, Clayton Tatum, Casey Yaden

Early Achievement Award

The Department of Earth Sciences presents an award to the two most outstanding students in each of the four introductory Geography classes.
2023-2024
GEO101 - Atmospheric Processes Lydia Applequist, Emma Bryson
GEO102 - Landscape Processes Abby Sargent, Maya Wasilewski
GEO114 - Human Geography Rebeca Brogdon, Billie Dunn
GEO115 - World Regional Geography Alishyia Boyd, Mariah Ledbetter
2022-2023
GEO101 - Atmospheric Processes Abigail Kratsch, Emaa Tonsberg
GEO102 - Landscape Processes Aalayah Kizer, Becca Clark
GEO114 - Human Geography Kurt Schmitkons, Mekaela Lane
GEO115 - World Regional Geography Arabella Barbee, Ash Lucas
2021-2022
GEO101 - Atmospheric Processes Madison Stevens, Ashleigh Lucas
GEO102 - Landscape Processes Chauncey Garrison, Oliver McMasters
GEO114 - Human Geography  
GEO115 - World Regional Geography Mark Saylor, Zoe Eymard
2020-2021
GEO101 - Atmospheric Processes Skye Hellenkamp, Isabelle Goolsby
GEO102 - Landscape Processes Francis Guy
GEO114 - Human Geography Emily Gerardo 
GEO115 - World Regional Geography AaMarryah Law
2019-2020
GEO101 - Atmospheric Processes Tucker Skelton, Keri Williams
GEO102 - Landscape Processes Anna Mears, Briona Thomas
GEO114 - Human Geography Savanna Holland
GEO115 - World Regional Geography Nicholas Lacour, Victoria Williams
2018-2019
GEO101 - Atmospheric Processes Tanner Brooks, Adian Fouts
GEO102 - Landscape Processes Marjorie Puckett, Rebecca Rittelmeyer
GEO114 - Human Geography Sofia Kohn, Jiang Ziyi
GEO115 - World Regional Geography Holly Vice, Ileyanis Santana-Ruiz
2017-2018
GEO101 - Atmospheric Processes Emily Merren, Laura Steadman
GEO102 - Landscape Processes Amber Oney, Landon Miller
GEO114 - Human Geography Raven Crosson, Murdoch Campbell
GEO115 - World Regional Geography Keleb Walker, Adrian Fouts
2016-2017
GEO101 - Atmospheric Processes Abby Krzywiecki, Patricia Martins
GEO102 - Landscape Processes Clifton Deakle, Kelley Hartman
GEO114 - Human Geography Tiina Trusti, Halie Grimes
GEO115 - World Regional Geography Ian Norman, Jasem Alawadhi
2015-2016 
GEO101 - Atmospheric Processes Brandon Nolan, Collier Smith
GEO102 - Landscape Processes Glen Nichols, Solina Ngam
GEO114 - Human Geography Justice Jackson, Tiffany Hester
GEO115 - World Regional Geography Ashton Quattlebaum, Noelle Knott

Goode's World Atlas Award

From 1996-2015 the Geography program presented a copy of the Goode's World Atlas to graduating seniors who had an overall grade point average of at least 2.5 and a Geography grade point average of at least 3.0. This award has been replaced by the Senior Achievement Award.

2014-2015 Taylor Campbell, Tyler Crum, Christy Kantola, Chris Taylor, Marvin Twilley, Claude Buerger, Logan Hants, Logan Wheeler, Michael David, Tracy McClure
2013-2014 Ashley Bourassa, Jarrod Cunningham, Donovan Cordell, Cory Dodd, Hunter Griffin, Carl Jackson, Matt Johnson, Jason Richards, Skyler Sampson, Kaci Stokely, Harold Woulard
2012-2013 Logan Anderson, Donald Brinkman, Ryan Brown, Marcus Doucet, Marlena Slaughter Giattina, Gabrielle Hudson, Regina Kirkland, Anthony McGrady, Madelyn Robinson, Eric Sands
Zach Warner, Kal-El Waters
2011-2012 Jonathon Bradshaw, J.C. Breckenridge, Mary Green, Sarah Hill, Anthony Johnson, Marine Karapetyan, Tela O'Rourke, Robert Spinetti, Reva Stienstraw-Hitchcock, Ashley York
2010-2011 Scotty Brown, Alyson Cederholm, Sherall Cornwell, Chris Frederick, Ryan Granier, Michelle Holloway, Chika Katsuyama, Vince Walker, Kraig Walsh, Hunter Winstanley, Raymond White
2009-2010 Forrest Coffman, Hugh Dowling, Andrew Keith, Stephen Madden, Yollette Mathews, James Moone, Ernest Perkins, Josh Pritchard, Paul Roberst, Yukie Sakayori, Ashley Turton, Samantha Warren
2008-2009 Brian Averitt, Cheryl Baugh, Peter Campbell, Stephen Ciochran, Mark Mitchell, Chris Murphy, Tony Nguyen, Joel Plagge, Nick Stricklin, Doni Thompson, Tim Witt
2007-2008  Amanda Botts, Daphne Foster, Sean Huber, Lauren Monteith, Jennifer Reynolds. Timothy Risner, Royce Sutton, Phillip Whatley
2006-2007 Justin Beebe, Sean Brumley, John Chadwick, Marie Cross, Bonnie Davis, Tony Felts, Michael Hyland, Travis Jones, Maggie Kendrick, Lauren McConnell, Amy Milam, Cory Rhodes, Chad Whaley
2005-2006 Gabriel Dean, Shawn Gable, Robert Hartland, Erica Hay, Philip Herron, Kina Horne, Jason Kudulis, Trey Meynig, Andrea Peterson, Blake Pool, Dusty Reed, Kristie Thomas
2004-2005 Preston Ellison, David Goodman, Gene Longenecker, Candice McCullough, Michael Olmstead, Jennifer Robinson
2003-2004 Trey Cross, Andy Hilburn, Jason Kemple, Kara Lankford, Tammy Pounds, Jessica Simmons, Cherie Stobert, Sam Wilson, Beth White
2002-2003 Shalon Bush, Michael Daugherty, Amy Durden, Russell Hunt, Karen Jordan, Laurie Orso, Amanda Vernon, Suzanne Wachal
2001-2002 Keith Abston, David Ford
2000-2001 Sherry Allison, Arlene Baker, Heather Boone, Katey Gormley, Alyssa Hoffman, Alan Jolly, Andrea Kohutek, Colby Lancelin, Kim Marchant, Tammer Ramini, Joshua Shaw
1999-2000 Sarah Johnston, John Koors, Michael Taylor
1998-1999 Caryn Lee, Jason Senkbeil, Jason Snyder, Marti Watson
1997-1998 Tuck Yan Ho, Michael Noonan
1996-1997 Jason Balmut, Tim Pozzo, Ava Ritchie
1995-1996 Tyrus Cohan, Jud Englett, Matt Sanders