Community Sustainability Celebrates 2026 Undergraduate Honors Award Winners
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EmailThe Department of Community Sustainability Honors Award Winners were announced for the 2026 graduates. These awards are given to those students who distinguish themselves in leadership, scholarship, and service during their undergraduate education.
The 2026 Community Sustainability Undergraduate Honors Award winners and all of our 2026 graduates were celebrated in a fete and award ceremony on April 24th. The celebration included dairy store ice cream and mortarboard decorating to help get the graduates in the spirit of celebration before finals. The honors award winners are those students who have distinguished themselves in leadership, scholarship, and service during their undergraduate careers.
Awards are listed in alphabetical order by major (Agriculture, Food, and Natural Resources Education; Environmental Studies and Sustainability; Sustainable Parks, Recreation, and Tourism).
Outstanding Senior Leadership Award in Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources Education
Recipient: Mariette Schantz
Bio: Mariette is a senior majoring in Agriculture, Food, and Natural Resources Education. Mariette has been a committed leaders to MSU, AFNRE, and the Ag Ed Club. Currently, Mariette is completing a professional internship with Potter Park Zoo.
Outstanding Senior Scholarship Award in Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources Education
Recipient: Hannah Wolff
Bio: Hannah is a senior majoring in Agriculture, Food, and Natural Resources Education and a teaching minor in Biology. This past semester Hannah completed her student-teaching experience at Camden-Frontier High School. Hannah plans to work as a AFNRE school-based educator after graduation.
Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources Education Service Award
Recipient: Mckenna Morton
Bio: Mckenna is a senior majoring in Agriculture, Food, and Natural Resources Education and a teaching minor in Biology. Mckenna recently completed her student-teaching experience at Montague High School. Mckenna plans to work as a AFNRE school-based educator after graduation.
Leadership in Environmental Studies and Sustainability Award
Recipient: Anna Thomas
Bio: Anna is an ESS major who moved across the country to come to Michigan State University not knowing anyone, and over four years she made MSU her home while maintaining a 4.0 GPA, working multiple jobs, and gaining hands-on experience in sustainability. Post‑graduation, Anna will continue working at EDL as an Environmental Compliance Data Analyst, where she will actively contribute to the clean energy transition through producing renewable natural gas and electricity from landfill gas.
Environmental Studies and Sustainability Scholarship Award
Recipient: Alexa Sollars
Bio: Alexa is an ESS major who is a driven scholar, earning a 4.0 GPA for her four years of attendance. After graduation she will be starting a full time position as a Planner with Benesch - a civil engineering firm – where she will be utilizing my environmental knowledge and technical GIS skills to facilitate municipal infrastructure project.
Environmental Studies and Sustainability Service Award
Recipient: Julia Preservati
Bio: Julia is earning Dual Degrees in Environmental Studies and Sustainability and Zoology, as well as being a member of the Honors College and minoring in Leadership in Integrated Learning with the Bailey Scholars Program. During her time at MSU, she has navigated in understanding the intersections of ecology, environmental justice, and sustainability through her classes and through the communities and ecosystems of Costa Rica, South Africa, Argentina, and Antarctica. She is expecting to attend graduate school and continue her passion for researching avian flu impacts on polar marine mammals.
Sustainable Parks, Recreation, and Tourism Scholarship Award
Recipient: Emma Shumate
Bio: Emma is a senior majoring in Sustainable Parks, Recreation and Tourism with a second degree in Environmental Economics and Management. In addition to maintaining a 4.0 GPA throughout her academic career, Emma also completed an internship under the Director of Operations for the Michigan State women’s basketball program while also playing Guard for the MSU women’s basketball team! In the future Emma aims to work within the National Parks Service.
Congratulations to all our award winners and best of luck to all our graduates!
