The Odum School of Ecology celebrated graduates this spring, welcoming 70 new alumni at 2026 Spring Convocation held May 7 at the Georgia Center for Continuing Education.

In a ceremony in Mahler Hall, graduates were recognized for completing 22 bachelor of arts degrees, 35 bachelor of science degrees, eight master of science degrees and five doctor of philosophy degrees. A reception in Hill Atrium followed the ceremony.

Graduation is the highlight of the year for the Odum School, Dean Mark Hunter said.

“We come together to celebrate our graduates’ successes and encourage their transition into the next part of their journey as lifelong learners,” he said. “This represents an unfolding of the pathways before you, as possibilities emerge. Make no mistake, we expect Odum graduates to build on the legacy of the Odum School and make great change in the world.”

The convocation address was given by Rachel Usher (BS ’16 Ecology) who serves as the Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation’s Program Officer for the environment.

Tailoring her comments for an audience of ecologists and their loved ones, Usher described a troublesome composting project she struggled with early in her career and how the experience taught her three lessons: be kind, make adjustments and find strength in diversity.

“There is a lot of uncertainty now in the working world as AI ripples though organizations big and small,” she said. “In spite of all this hype, we will still need to take care of each other and take care of this planet.

“My best thought I have to offer to all you graduates is to continue to build your personal compost pile. Hold close to your family and friends, adjust when things aren’t right and make your unconventional experiences and interests your strength. To the Class of 2026, the world needs your rich humus. Grow something beautiful.”

Undergraduate speaker Ryan Donovan (AB ’26, BBA ’26) also chose a metaphor from ecology to describe the transition facing the Class of 2026.

“Frogs develop in complex life cycles. They physically transform as they migrate from one habitat to another. Like frogs, we have significantly changed as we prepared to migrate to the scariest habitat of them all: adulthood,” Donovan said. “But we need not worry. Our years swimming in the Odum pond have prepared us for this new stage of our lives.”

Following convocation remarks, the graduates were announced by Pejman Rohani, associate dean for academic affairs, Regents’ Professor and UGA Athletic Association Professor of Ecology and Infectious Diseases.

Graduate students received their hoods from John Wares, professor and director of graduate studies, and their advisors, while undergraduates received a gift presented by Amanda Rugenski, senior lecturer and undergraduate coordinator.

In closing, Hunter acknowledged the 100th birthday of renowned naturalist David Attenborough, which was May 8.

“I guess the real lesson is, a life spent studying nature and planet earth leads to a long and productive life. May you have the same long life as David,” Hunter said.

Access a recording of convocation.

View photos: OSE Spring 2026 Convocation photos
(link expires Nov. 16, 2026)
Credit: Wingate Downs

View the memory reel that played during the convocation ceremony: OSE Memory Reel. Convocation Spring 2026 Final.mov
(link expires Nov. 16, 2026)

Graduates

DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY

DANIEL McALPIN CRYAN
Doctor of Philosophy in Ecology
Dissertation: Indirect effects of cleaning mutualisms on coral reef
community structure and functioning
Advisor: Craig Osenberg

ANECIA DANILLE GENTLES
Doctor of Philosophy in Ecology
Dissertation: Bat-human interactions: Opportunities for disease spillover
and conflict management
Advisors: Nicole Gottdenker and Tamika Lunn

KIERSTEN NICOLE NELSON
Doctor of Philosophy in Ecology
Dissertation: Improving amphibian conservation translocation strategies
and outcomes: A case study of gopher frogs (Rana [Lithobates] capito)
Advisor: Stacey Lance

SHISHIR THANTYA RAO
Doctor of Philosophy in Integrative Conservation and Ecology
Dissertation: Hydropower development in the Western Ghats of India
through an integrative lens
Advisor: Seth Wenger

ANNA ROSE WILLOUGHBY
Doctor of Philosophy in Ecology
Dissertation: Tourism impacts on wildlife behavior, diet, and infection in
parks and protected areas
Advisors: Sonia Altizer and John Drake
Doctor of Philosophy

MASTER OF SCIENCE

ANDREW JAMES BLINN
Master of Science in Ecology
Thesis: Watershed connectivity and seasonal hydrology shape dissolved organic matter in an urban stream network
Advisors: Krista Capps and Rebecca Hale

HENRY DAVIE
Master of Science in Ecology
Thesis: Revisiting southern toad (Anaxyrus terrestris) populations in constructed wetland treatment systems: Copper tolerance or potential traps?
Advisor: Stacey Lance

MAYA GONZALEZ
Master of Science in Ecology
Thesis: Pre-rain green-up in African woodlands and savannas is driven by hydrology rather than photoperiod
Advisor: Ricardo Holdo

MACKENZI ADAIR HALLMARK
Master of Science in Ecology with an Area of Emphasis in Integrative Conservation and Sustainability
Thesis: Assessing how information facilitates adoption of freshwater conservation practices by farmers in Southeast Tennessee
Advisor: Sechindra Vallury

JOSIAH KADERIS
Master of Science in Ecology
Thesis: Buzz, eat, sting: The effects of supplemental feeding on pathogen burden in Apis mellifera
Advisor: Lewis Bartlett

MATTHEW JOSEPH PIERCE
Master of Science in Ecology
Thesis: Disentangling the physical factors affecting prey survival across transiently connected habitats
Advisor: James Byers

SIENNA SKYE SLATER
Master of Science in Ecology
Project: Deep water transport capacity in South African savanna trees and grasses
Advisor: Ricardo Holdo

NATALIA VARGAS LÓPEZ
Master of Science in Ecology
Thesis: Spatio-temporal changes in the physicochemical characteristics of the Lake Atitlán basin
Advisor: Krista Capps

Undergraduates

Bachelor of Arts

EMILY LORRAINE ARSENAULT
Bachelor of Arts in Ecology
Certificate in Sustainability
magna cum laude

AURA CHAVIVA AVRUNIN
Bachelor of Arts in Ecology
Minor in Environmental Law

ZOE LALENE BRIENT
Bachelor of Arts in Ecology
cum laude

JACOB MATTHEW COLEMAN
Bachelor of Arts in Ecology
Bachelor of Arts in Sociology
Certificate in Urban & Metropolitan Studies

RYAN JAMES DONOVAN
Bachelor of Arts in Ecology
Bachelor of Business Administration in Real Estate
Certificate in Urban & Metropolitan Studies
summa cum laude with Honors

MURPHY DEAN HASLING
Bachelor of Arts in Ecology
Minor in Studio Art
Minor in Recreation and Tourism Management
magna cum laude

EMMY OLIVIA HAYES
Bachelor of Arts in Ecology
Certificate in Sustainability

REBECCA BELLE HINES
Bachelor of Arts in Ecology
Bachelor of Arts in Classics with Emphasis in Classical Culture
magna cum laude

MERYL KERRY JONES
Bachelor of Arts in Ecology
Certificate in Sustainability

MADELEINE RUTH KENYON
Bachelor of Arts in Ecology
Certificate in Environmental Education
Certificate in Museum Studies
Certificate in Nonprofit Management and Leadership
magna cum laude

LUKE HUDSON KROHN
Bachelor of Arts in Ecology
Bachelor of Science in Environmental Science in Environmental Economics and Management
Minor in Environmental Law

BARBARA MACHADO-REQUENA
Bachelor of Arts in Ecology
Minor in Biology
Minor in Portuguese
Certificate in Environmental Education
magna cum laude

AVA MARY McCAIN
Bachelor of Arts in Ecology
Minor in Japanese Language and Literature
Certificate in Infectious Diseases

KENSLEY SCOT McCONNELL
Bachelor of Arts in Ecology
Bachelor of Arts in Economics
Certificate in Sustainability
summa cum laude with Honors

EMMELINE FRANCES McCUMISKEY
Bachelor of Arts in Ecology
Bachelor of Science in Environmental Science in Environmental Resource Science
Minor in Wildlife Sciences
Minor in Environmental Geology
Certificate in Sustainability
Certificate in Water Resources
magna cum laude

WILSON TOWNSEND MORRIS
Bachelor of Arts in Ecology
Minor in Anthropology
Minor in Wildlife Sciences
Minor in Studio Art

KATHLEEN CECIL PATTERSON
Bachelor of Arts in Ecology
Minor in Geography
Minor in Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
Certificate in Geographic Information Science
Certificate in Sustainability

AUDREY ANN PETTYJOHN
Bachelor of Arts in Ecology
Certificate in Environmental Education
Certificate in Sustainability

CAITLIN VICTORIA PHELAN
Bachelor of Arts in Ecology
Minor in German
Certificate in Sustainability

DAMIANO LIANTONIO SALGADO
Bachelor of Arts in Ecology
Bachelor of Arts in Political Science
summa cum laude

ALEXA MALIA SCHULTZ
Bachelor of Arts in Ecology
Minor in Entomology

SHANNON ALEXANDREA SHOTZ
Bachelor of Arts in Ecology
Minor in Studio Art
Minor in Design and Media
Certificate in Sustainability
magna cum laude

BACHELOR OF SCIENCE

SUMMER MARANDA ATWILL
Bachelor of Science in Ecology
Minor in Chinese Language and Literature

PATRICIA MARIE BABB
Bachelor of Science in Ecology
Bachelor of Science in Biology

HANNAH RACHEL BROWN
Bachelor of Science in Ecology

SARA MARIE CHIPMAN
Bachelor of Science in Ecology
summa cum laude

ROXANNE KIMBERLY COLSON
Bachelor of Science in Ecology
Minor in Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences

ANNA OLIVIA DAVIDSON
Bachelor of Science in Ecology
Bachelor of Science in Biology with Emphasis in Marine Biology
Minor in Geography
summa cum laude with Highest Honors

MATHEWS HENRIQUE DO CARMO NASCIMENTO
Bachelor of Science in Ecology
Minor in Entomology
summa cum laude

JULIA PEARL ENDELSON
Bachelor of Science in Ecology
Minor in Design & Media
magna cum laude

SOPHIE ELLA GOTSCHALL
Bachelor of Science in Ecology
Certificate in Sustainability
magna cum laude

SEAN STEPHEN GROARKE
Bachelor of Science in Ecology
Certificate in Geographic Information Science

BENJAMIN HAINES-EITZEN
Bachelor of Science in Ecology
Bachelor of Science in Environmental Science in Entomology
First Honor Graduate
summa cum laude

CLARISSA JEAN HANE
Bachelor of Science in Ecology
Minor in Landscape Studies
Minor in Mathematics
Certificate in Sustainability
summa cum laude

KEEGAN McCABE KLER
Bachelor of Science in Ecology
Minor in Law, Jurisprudence and the State
summa cum laude with Honors

JENNA NICHOLE KRAMER
Bachelor of Science in Ecology
Minor in Wildlife Sciences
Certificate in Sustainability

AMARYAH GABRIELLE LOCKETT
Bachelor of Science in Ecology

GRACE PAULINE MASON
Bachelor of Science in Ecology
Certificate in Infectious Diseases

NICOLAS PAUL MATHERNE
Bachelor of Science in Ecology

CHRISTA RENEE MAY
Bachelor of Science in Ecology
Bachelor of Science in Biology

JON SCOTT MESSICK
Bachelor of Science in Ecology
Minor in Entomology
Certificate in Geographic Information Science
Certificate in Water Resources
summa cum laude

NATALIE ELIZABETH MEYERS
Bachelor of Science in Ecology

CLAIRE VIVIAN MORGAN
Bachelor of Science in Ecology
Minor in Public Health
Certificate in Infectious Diseases

ISABELLA ELISE PELLICANO
Bachelor of Science in Ecology
Bachelor of Science in Plant Biology with Emphasis in Plant Ecology and the Environment
Minor in Spanish
summa cum laude with Highest Honors

ELEANOR WALKER REDDING
Bachelor of Science in Ecology
summa cum laude

ARABELLA ELAINE REDDISH
Bachelor of Science in Ecology
Minor in Anthropology

RIYA SACHDEVA
Bachelor of Science in Ecology
Minor in Law, Jurisprudence and the State
Certificate in Sustainability
cum laude

REINA JOSEPHINE SCOTT
Bachelor of Science in Ecology
Minor in Biology
Minor in Spanish
Certificate in Geographic Information Science
magna cum laude

AMELIA MARIN SHUGART
Bachelor of Science in Ecology
Certificate in Sustainability
Certificate in Geographic Information Science

DHRUV VIR SINGH
Bachelor of Science in Ecology
Minor in Design & Media

MICHAEL ALEXANDER SKIBSTED
Bachelor of Science in Ecology
Minor in Biology
cum laude

BAILEY CLAIRE SMITH
Bachelor of Science in Ecology
Minor in Wildlife Sciences
Minor in Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
Certificate in LGBTQ Studies
Certificate in Wildlife Health
summa cum laude

CATHERINE ANDERSON SMITH
Bachelor of Science in Ecology
summa cum laude with Highest Honors

KADE RUSSELL STEWART
Bachelor of Science in Ecology
Bachelor of Science in Plant Biology with Emphasis in Plant Ecology and the Environment
Minor in Biology
Certificate in Geographic Information Science
magna cum laude

CAMRYN ELLE TEICHMAN
Bachelor of Science in Ecology
Minor in International Affairs
Certificate in Sustainability
magna cum laude with Honors

HENRY ELLIS TRAYNOR
Bachelor of Science in Ecology
Bachelor of Science in Mathematics
magna cum laude

NOEL STAR WIGGINS
Bachelor of Science in Ecology
Bachelor of Science in Biology
summa cum laude