Warner College of Natural Resources Commencement Program
139th Year of
COMMENCEMENT
Spring 2023
Warner College of Natural Resources Commencement
May 12, 2023
Order of Ceremony
Processional ¹ – Big Thompson Brass
National Anthem ² – Mykayla Fitzpatrick
Introduction of Platform Party – Dr. Monique Rocca
Opening Remarks – Dean A. Alonso Aguirre
Commencement Address – Scott Gilmore
Recognition of Honors Program Graduates and Honorary Society Initiates – Dr. Shawn Bingham
Recognition of Commissioned Graduates – Capt Allen Plack
Charge to the Class – President Amy Parsons
Conferring of Degrees – Armando Valdez
Awarding of Diplomas – Dean Aguirre, Rocky Coleman, and Department Representatives
Graduating Senior Address – Melina Takvorian
Closing Remarks – Dean Aguirre
Alma Mater ² – Mykayla Fitzpatrick
Recessional – Big Thompson Brasss
1 Audience will stand
2 Audience may remain seated
On the Platform
Amy Parsons, J.D., President, Colorado State University
Armando Valdez, Vice Chair, Board of Governors
Kathleen Fairfax, Vice Provost for International Affairs
Brendan Hanlon, Vice President for University Operations/Chief Financial Officer
Dr. A. Alonso Aguirre, Dean, Warner College of Natural Resources
Dr. Monique Rocca, Associate Dean, Warner College of Natural Resources
Melina Takvorian, Graduating Senior, Ecosystem Science and Sustainability
Scott Gilmore, Alumnus, Warner College of Natural Resources
Dr. Shawn Bingham, Director, University Honors Program
Capt Allen Plack, Air Force ROTC
Dr. Troy Ocheltree, Associate Professor, Forest and Rangeland Stewardship
Dr. Michael Manfredo, Department Head, Human Dimensions of Natural Resources
Dr. Rich Conant, Department Head, Ecosystem Science and Sustainability
Dr. Rick Aster, Department Head, Geosciences
Dr. Kathryn Stoner, Department Head, Fish, Wildlife, and Conservation Biology
Rocky Coleman, Master Instructor Emeritus
Dr. Rickey Frierson, Assistant Dean for Diversity and Inclusion, Warner College of Natural Resources
Dr. John Sanderson, Director, Center for Collaborative Conservation
Dr. John Moore, Director, Natural Resource Ecology Lab
Dr. Kevin Crooks, Director, Center for Human-Carnivore Coexistence
Susan Panjabi, Research Associate, Colorado Natural Heritage Program
Marshals
Cecilia White, Fish, Wildlife, and Conservation Biology
Paul Layden, Human Dimensions of Natural Resources
Dr. Wilfred Previant, Forest and Rangeland Stewardship
Dr. Steven Fassnacht, Ecosystem Science and Sustainability
Dr. Sara Rathburn, Geosciences
The Mace
The mace, originally a weapon of offense, has long been the insignia of authority. The mace carried in today’s ceremony was presented to Colorado State University by the College of Natural Resources in 1981. The three-and-half-foot black walnut staff, surmounted by a carved rams head, is embellished in silver with the emblems of Colorado State University and the State of Colorado.
Scott Gilmore, Commencement Speaker
Scott Gilmore is deputy executive director of Denver Parks and Recreation. Denver Parks consists of 250 urban parks of close to 6,000 acres and the Denver Mountain Parks system made up of 22 parks, 24 conservation areas (14,000 acres total), and 2 bison herds.
Gilmore graduated in 1994 with a B.S. in wildlife biology and minors in fisheries and conservation biology. He was recruited by the Colorado Division of Wildlife to help create a small urban fishing program that would introduce urban youth to the joys of fishing and conservation. In 2004, this program was recognized by the Freshwater Fishing Hall of Fame as having one of the most innovative and successful urban fishing programs in the nation.
In 1996, Gilmore and his wife co-founded the nonprofit organization, Environmental Learning for Kids (ELK). Through fun educational experiences such as fishing, hiking, and camping, urban youth are inspired to become responsible, engaged citizens and stewards to Colorado’s natural resources.
Warner College of Natural Resources
Candidates for University Honors Scholar
Spring 2023
Samuel Bailey, Forest and Rangeland Stewardship major with Forest Fire Science concentration. Thesis title: Post-Wildfire Response and Recovery Methods and Suggested Collaborations: Initial Report and Finding.
Emma Baker, Fish, Wildlife, and Conservation Biology with Conservation concentration and Sports Medicine concentration and Languages, Literatures, and Cultures with Spanish concentration. Thesis title: Impacts of Livestock and Crop Depredation on Human Tolerance for Wildlife in the Ruaha-Rungwa Landscape.
Valerie Carroll, Human Dimensions of Natural Resources major and Environmental Affairs and Diversity and Inclusion in Natural Resources minors. Thesis title: Empowering Communities Through Intersectionality: The Bridge Between Climate Justice and Social Justice.
Alexis Hersh, Ecosystem Science and Sustainability major and Ecological Restoration minor. Thesis title: Responses of Colorado’s Spruce-Fir Subalpine Forest to Future Disturbance and Management Implications for Conservation.
Miles Innes, Ecosystem Science and Sustainability major and Geospatial Information Science for Natural Resources minor. Thesis title: Characterizing Vegetative Recovery and Drivers in the Cameron Peak Fire Burn Scar.
Mae Tice, Ecosystem Science and Sustainability major. Thesis title: Using STELLA Architect to Predict the Impact of Climate Change on Soil Bacteria Populations in High Latitude Alpine Tundra Ecosystems.
Andrew Banister, Human Dimensions of Natural Resources major and Business Administration minor and Diversity and Inclusion in Natural Resources minor. Thesis title: Urban Timber: A Truely Sustainable Resoruce?
Alisha Butki, Human Dimensions of Natural Resources major and Diversity and Inclusion in Natural Resources minor. Thesis title: Environmental Justice Toolkit.
Aidan Cruz, Ecosystem Science and Sustainability major and Anthropology minor. Thesis title: Land Cover Change in the Cañón Pintado National Historic Region over a 20-Year Period.
Sabrina Hall, Fish, Wildlife and Conservation Biology major and Japanese minor with Wildlife Biology concentration. Thesis title: Cuisine Across Cultures: How Diet and Culture Impacts Conservation.
Lauren Hatch, Fish, Wildlife and Conservation Biology major and Geospatial Information Science for Natural Resources minor with Wildlife Biology concentration. Thesis title: Improving Survey Site Selection for the Rusty Patched Bumble Bee (Bombus Affinis), a Federally Endangered Species.
Emma Haugen, Fish, Wildlife and Conservation Biology major with Wildlife Biology concentration. Thesis title: Is Management of Recovered Hawaiian Monk Seal (Neomonachus Schauinslandi) Populations in the Presence of Humans Possible?
Zoe Lipscomb, Ecosystem Science and Sustainability major. Thesis title: The Bud Bank Response of Two Cold Season Perennials to Drought.
Christina Lucas, Fish, Wildlife and Conservation Biology major with Wildlife Biology concentration. Thesis title: Evaluating Marine Taxonomic Diversity, Functional Diversity, and Functional Redundancy of Cartilaginous Fishes Through Marxan: A Spatial and Socioeconomic Comparison.
Marin MacDonald, Watershed Science major and Geospatial Information Science for Natural Resources minor. Thesis title: Forest Fire Influences on Snowpack Timing.
Ashlynn Piwowarczyk, Ecosystem Science and Sustainability major and Ecological Restoration and Conservation Biology minors. Thesis title: Understanding Factors Impacting Seedling Success Rates During Post-Fire Forest Regeneration at the CSU Mountain Campus.
Wesley Poole, Forest and Rangeland Stewardship major with Forest Management and Forest Fire Science concentrations and Geospatial Information Science for Natural Resources minor. Thesis title: UAS Stand Inventory Analysis Tool.
Lahrs Quinlan, Fish, Wildlife and Conservation Biology major with Wildlife Biology concentration and Spanish minor. Thesis title: Activity Patterns of Nectar Feeding Bat Species in Northern Mexico.
Megan Rosser, Fish, Wildlife and Conservation Biology major with Conservation Biology concentration. Thesis title: As Above So Below? A Comparison of Arthropod Communities in Green Roof and Ground-Level Plots.
Rebecca Rugg, Ecosystem Science and Sustainability major and Watershed Science and Spanish minors. Thesis title: Exploring Scientific Disagreement Surrounding Water Quality in High Alpine Lakes Using Chlorophyll A and Remote Sensing.
Rafael Salinas, Fish, Wildlife and Conservation Biology major with Wildlife Biology concentration and Leadership Studies minor. Thesis title: A Human’s Eye View.
Abbey Shaneyfelt, Human Dimensions of Natural Resources major and Spanish minor. Thesis title: A Plainsdaughter’s Call Home: An Exploration of Place Through Art and Writing.
Kelley Sinning, Fish, Wildlife and Conservation Biology major with Conservation Biology and Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences concentrations. Thesis title: Longitudinal Effects of Legacy Beaver-Modified Habitat on Benthic Macroinvertebrates in Burned Mountain Stream.
Grace Taber, Ecosystem Science and Sustainability major and Political Science minor. Thesis title: Analyzing the Life Cycle Assessment of Lithium-Ion Batteries Present in Electric Vehicles.
Melina Takvorian, Ecosystem Science and Sustainability major and Spanish minor. Thesis title: Interactive Tool for Analysis of Chlorophyl A Content in Upper Poudre Lakes in the Cameron Peak Fire Burn Area.
Juniper Vane, Fish, Wildlife and Conservation Biology major with Conservation Biology concentration and Creative Writing minor. Thesis title: Do Bird Names Affect Conservation Support? Testing the Conservation Impacts of Colorado Grassland Bird Common Names.
Grace Walsh, Natural Resources Management major. Thesis title: Management Proposal for Forest Resilience and Biodiversity in Northern Illinois Through the Lens of Two Key Species.
Brandon Weigand, Ecosystem Science and Sustainability major. Thesis title: A Five Factor Approach to Exploring Cellular Personality.
Eric Williams, Watershed Science major. Thesis title: Revelations from a Diligent Sampling Scheme of a Colorado River: Dissolved Oxygen Changes over Time in the Cache la Poudre River in Fort Collins, Colorado.
Sophia Wissinger, Forest and Rangeland Sterwardship major with Forest Management concentration. Thesis title: Elemen-Tree: An Auditory Exploitation into What Makes up a Forest.
Warner College of Natural Resources
Candidates for Baccalaureate Degrees
Spring 2023
Warner College of Natural Resources
Dean A. Alonso Aguirre
BACHELOR OF SCIENCE
Ecosystem Science and Sustainability
Ahrens, Daria Rose * ^
Brackett, Christopher Paul *
Casey, Veronica Anne *
Chaffin, Grace Marie
Clark, Allison Lois * ^
Coughlin, Grace Elizabeth *
Cruz, Aidan N. * ^
Curlej, Olivia
Denton, Conner West *
Dueñas, Brian Alexander
Flood, Tara * ^
Flynn, Helen Ann * #
Geist-Sanchez, Hunter Myles *
Gillet, Madeline Elizabeth
Gingrass, Kataryna Elizabeth
Grady, Ethan Thomas *
Hall, Bryn Kristina #
Hayward, Erinn McGinty *
Hendry, Mary M.
Hoffman, Blake Richard *
Hollis, Justin R. ^
Hopkins, Hailey Marie ^
Jordan, Emma Julianne * ^
Joyce, Owen *
Juell, Owen Francis ^
Juergensen, Drew A.
Julian, Rose Margaret
Kimball, Seth Wallace
Lipscomb, Zoe C. ^
Matturro, Kyaran Anne *
McGee, Emma Lindsey *
McPherson, Isabel K.
Mitchell, Jordan J. *
Mueffelman, Paige M. *
Pierson, Megan Elizabeth * #
Piwowarczyk, Ashlynn Ann *
Ramos, Jose Norberto
Reilly, Shannon Grace ^
Rode, Daniel T. =
Rose, Catherine Elizabeth
Rugg, Rebecca Joy * #
Rusch, Alexandria Renee *
Sand, Abigail LeeAnn
Schuchart, Stella G.
Smith, Jonah Alexander *
Spirt, Caroline Bleu
Stevens, Cailin Anne *
Taber, Grace Marion * ^
Takvorian, Melina Rose * ^
Thomas, Hayden R. *
Thomas, Leo Alexander *
Traylor, Tallan Theodric *
Warner, Hayden McCall *
Widdowson, Alexandria Gomez *
Winter, Breana Keeley *
Wollesen, Nichole L.
Fire and Emergency Services Administration
Beck, Kaylea Rose
Riley, Mackenzie A.
Simonian, Brenda K.
Stene, Scott J.
Van Slyke, Scott R.
Fish, Wildlife, and Conservation Biology
Boucek, Carter
Boyer-Rosales, Lilliana Rose
Corsale, Maia Karin ^
Cory, Elizabeth Denice *
Cotteleer, Jakob T.
Courson, Aisha Jasmine
Cox, Jonas Braxton
Daniels, Kennedy Kenyon
Dixon, Margaret Grace
Dubas, Aaron J.
Fredrick, Hailey *
Graff, Neal Caudill
Graham, Savannah Bleu *
Gregory, Jackson Robert *
Gurzick, David Anthony
Hanson, Trevor
Hatch, Lauren E. *
Haugen, Emma Rose =
Iral, Shannon Merrill *
Iverson, Zachary J.
Jacobs, Camille Sophia
Jenab, Diego Mohammad
Johnson, Hunter D. =
Jones, Halle Dawn * #
Knott, Brody A.
Krause, Carolyn
Kron, Bryanna
Lamberson, Ali B. *
Liebman, Hannah Marilyn * ^
Lucas, Christina Tem
MacDonald, Katharine Jean Mary #
Machovina, Grace Marie
Martin, Anthony *
Martinovich, Ashley Dawn *
Mason, Noelle Maryann
Monahan, Robert Christian
Moore, Devin C.
Muniz, Lindsey Nicole Amore
Narby, Christian Arthur *
Nichols, Taylor Lind
O’Bannon, Joshua David
O’Connor, Heather Renee
Olbrys, Beckett Leo *
Olson, Dane Matthew
Pattyn, Remi P.J.G.
Perry, Ian M.
Quinlan, Lahrs William * ^
Quinn, Alaine Xiaoxian
Rosser, Megan L. =
Rowland, Anna Louise
Salinas, Rafael Antonio * ^
Schlander, Kara Wheaton + *
Shirmer, Adele Rose *
Sinning, Kelley Aileen ^
Smith, Kaylee Dawn
Sontag, Timothy C.
Sralik, Alan Micahel #
Stephens, Cole Jeffery
Stirling, Troy Morgan
Thomas, Trevor James
Thompson, Annika Marie
Thompson, Olivia Faith
Tien, Stephanie Lynn
Towne, Samuel Oneill
Tudela, Autumn E.
Vane, Juniper Levon Siobhan * =
Velasco Yanez, Litzy Fatima *
Walinchus, Madison Leigh #
Wells, Cierra J.
Wisniewski, Andrew Mark ^
Forest and Rangeland Stewardship
Alexander, Brooke H. *
Anderson, Jacob Allen
Behr, Matthew Willys *
Bleichrodt, Benjamin Parker *
Doran, Camron A.
Eckfield, Esther Elizabeth
Garbani, Jacob R.
Helmer, Angelika Emily + * #
Johnson, Hannah Joelle
Lawrence, Trevor James *
Poole, Wesley Leon * #
Roth, Madison Galey
Vanderwarf, Cabel *
Wissinger, Sophia Esme
Woodley, Jameson Scott *
Geology
Al Hashmi, Usama Salim
Al Shahi, Maather Ibrahim *
Bollschweiler, Mark E.
Fowler, Benjamin M.
Slonkosky, Shea Jane * ^
Stefany, Adam
Human Dimensions of Natural Resources
Barrett, Colleen Virginia ^
Bazzo, Eliana Teresa *
Benham, Hannah Renee
Chavez, Phillip M.
Comcowich, Chloe Murphy
Cosgrave, Travis N. *
Davis, Georgia C.
Dilley, Joelle R.
Evans, Grace Amy Katherine *
Geer, Sean W. ^
Gilburt, Hattie Rae
Glass, Christian Patrick
Lawton, Keith J. *
McInnis, Kiernan Scott
Shaneyfelt, Abbey Dayle * =
Signor, Carly Ciano
Natural Resource Tourism
Bemis, Jordan C.
Brady, Katherine Marie * #
Clark, Ginger Kay =
Costello, Ava Elizabeth
Deetjen, Alexander *
Harmeyer, Evan Foster
Heutmaker, Matthew Allyn
Hook, Charlton Sanders
Johnson, Claire *
McGrath, Kelly Rae
Moore, Lauren Alexandra *
Poskevich, Reagan Olivia
Smith, Gretchen Anne *
Toon, Ashley G.
Ware, Victoria J.
Woodyatt, Jacob William
Natural Resources Management
Bass, Maya Laura *
Bunger-Spiecha, Lucas *
Burriss, Jackson R. *
Costigan II, Matthew Alan +
Creager, David J. *
Eager, William James + * ^
Ebersole, Jamie R. *
Fadness, Mikaela Tomora *
Garvey, Jacob P. *
Germain, Jasper Michael *
Haid, Lauren S. *
Harvey, William Nathaniel Scholl *
Heath, Hudson Elizabeth *
James, Joshua W. *
Lacy, Clinton Alexander *
Lilley, Rachel *
Loberg, Eric *
Lucena, Nico *
Mason, Turner Jacob *
Oliver, Caden E. *
Paist, Jessica A. *
Saliba, Justin Tyler *
Sathe, Sarah Rose * =
Sievers, Nathaniel Eckhart * ^
Stone, Kyle Davis * =
Vermes IV, Andrew Robert *
Walsh, Grace Catherine * ^
Welch, Joseph William *
Wilson, Kaytlin Anna *
Restoration Ecology
Auston, Jake M. *
Beatty, Nevan E. *
Creed, Victoria T. *
Harvey, Sarah Elizabeth ^
Kairy, Lisa Renee *
Mason, Daniel James
Penberthy, Brandon
Salato, Ashlee Marie #
Todd Howell, Lenora Ayame
Watershed Science
Bell, Molly Cathleen *
Choate, Ethan Aaron *
Hunt, Devin T. *
MacDonald, Marin Shane *
Williams, Eric Theodore ^
Zombek, Mitchell Allen
Warner College of Natural Resources
Candidates for Baccalaureate Degrees
Summer 2023
Warner College of Natural Resources
Dean A. Alonso Aguirre
BACHELOR OF SCIENCE
Ecosystem Science and Sustainability
Baker, Shelby Elise *
Brawley, Sean M.
Buck, Scott H.C. *
Castell, Ryan Phillip #
Cole, Ana Elizabeth
Eberly, Alexander C. *
Hayes, Morgan L. *
Hoyberg-Nielsen, Patrik
Nordbrock, Ben * #
Nosek, Noah
Petrova, Darya A.
Ruff, Riley Lynn *
Saoutine, Anastasia
Sharkey, Rylee Nenagh
Weigand, Brandon Richard
Wojcik, Connor M.
Fire and Emergency Services Administration
Oakland, Joseph J.
Fish, Wildlife, and Conservation Biology
Ayala, Kaycey Anthony ^
Berdik, Claire Elizabeth ^
Davis, Bryce William
Gonzalez, Isaiah L.
Hall, Sabrina G. *
Maguire, Serena Anne
Nicholls, Courtney L.
Porter, Ethan M. *
Pressley, McKenna Marie
Reuther, Mikiya Ashley
Spence, Rachel M. *
Steffens, Leah Iris
Wolfe, Troy James
Forest and Rangeland Stewardship
Driscoll, Will
Tilson, Daniel Ernest
Geology
Adams, Atiya Keelin
Auer, Brendan Thomas
Clary, Devin E.
Mannino, Mitchell Tucker
McDonald, Ann Laura
Porter, Joseph Brader
Human Dimensions of Natural Resources
Abrams, Taylor K. *
Anderson, Ashley Jo *
Butki, Alisha R. * #
Etheridge, Tanner Riley-Krebs
Hendrix, John M. *
Matzinger, Sarah * ^
Munson, Noah Michael
Park, Annisa E. *
Reed, McKenna G. *
Shipman, Rylie Mckenna *
Standring, Mason Terrance
Vargo, Haleigh Elizabeth Grace *
Natural Resource Tourism
Leatherman, David Alexander
Maniscalco, Abigail
Marshall, Matthew Keith
Spencer, Maxwell Gilreath *
Natural Resources Management
Allor, Lacey B. * =
Restoration Ecology
Mason, Daniel James
* Candidates with minor
+ Candidates with second major
^ Candidates for cum laude
# Candidates for magna cum laude
= Candidates for summa cum laude
* Candidates with minor
+ Candidates with second major
^ Candidates for cum laude
# Candidates for magna cum laude
= Candidates for summa cum laude
‡ Awarded posthumously