Miami University

BOTANY MAJORS RECEIVE RECORD NUMBER OF AWARDS

02/21/1997

OXFORD, Ohio -- Nearly one-third of all 1996 Young Botanist Awards

given by the Botanical Society of America have been awarded to Miami University

students.

Eleven of the 35 awards given to graduating college seniors across North

America went to Miami students. Young Botanists are recognized for exceptional

performance in the classroom and in research work.

The strong showing enhances Miami's already impressive record: 28 percent

of all Young Botanist Awards over the past three years, and 25 percent over

five years have gone to Miami students.

Miami recipients of the 1996 Young Botanist Certificate of Special

Achievement are Sara Ashenburg, Ryan Deering, Suzanne Downey, Jocelyn Feltham,

Catherine Fienning, Tanya Lizarribar and Melissa Myers.

Young Botanist Certificates of Recognition went to Miami students Lisa M.

Darragh, Matthew L. Duley, Mary M. Guisinger and Allison Miller.

Miami's botany department has awarded 80 bachelor's degrees over the past

two years, making it the source of between 4 and 8 percent of all botany/plant

science undergraduate degree holders in North America, says David Francko,

chair of botany.

"The increase in size of our program has been accompanied by an increase

in the quality and accomplishments of our graduates, as judged by our parent

professional organization," said Francko. "This is a real credit to the hard

work of our faculty who mentor these students in the lab and field."