School of Graduate Studies

BSU Students Honored by Minnesota Chapter of The Wildlife Society

Bemidji State University students were honored at the Minnesota Chapter of The Wildlife Society’s annual conference held in Duluth, Minn. at the end of February.

Joey Riley, a biology graduate student from Minneapolis, Minn., received the 2018 Student Conservationist Award. The award is presented to a Minnesota student studying wildlife activity who has shown high scholastic achievement and promise as a future wildlife professional.

Riley received this award for his high commitment to the wildlife community. Throughout his time at BSU, he has been an active member of The Wildlife Society and the Student Chapter of The Wildlife Society at Bemidji State. His professional goal is to build bridges between people and natural resources to aid the conservation of wildlife.

Elizabeth Rave, professor of biology, believes Riley is on the right track to achieve this goal.

“Given his exemplary work ethic, I have no doubt that he will succeed in this goal and excel in the wildlife profession,” she said.

Riley earned his Bachelor of Science in wildlife biology with a GIS minor at Bemidji State. He is now continuing his education at BSU as a graduate student, studying the distribution and habitat of woodland jumping mice in northern Minnesota.

In addition, BSU students Mattie Osborn, a senior majoring in wildlife biology from Bemidji, Minn. and Nikki Shaw, a senior majoring in aquatic biology from Embarrass, Minn. were also awarded Best Undergraduate Student poster at the conference, with their poster “Water Uptake Capabilities of Sphagnum Moss.” The poster compared two species of sphagnum moss, their individual water uptake capabilities and how the species with the higher capability of uptake may be more beneficial to use in wetland restoration efforts.

Members of BSU student chapter of The Wildlife Society who attended the conference include

  • Mitch Anderson, a senior majoring in wildlife biology from Champlin, Minn.
  • Nikki Shaw, a senior majoring in aquatic biology from Embarrass, Minn.
  • Joey Riley, a biology graduate student from Minneapolis, Minn.
  • Cianna Quien, a senior majoring in wildlife biology from from Cambridge, Minn.
  • Nicole Hendrickson, a sophomore majoring in wildlife biology from Bemidji, Minn.
  • Timothy Drake, a junior majoring in environmental studies and wildlife biology from Maplewood, Minn.
  • Joseph McGee, a sophomore majoring in wildlife biology from Brooklyn Park, Minn.
  • Garrett Sherry, a junior majoring in environmental studies and wildlife biology from Franklin, Tenn.
  • Paul Warner, a sophomore majoring in wildlife biology from Montgomery, Minn.
  • Betsy Riley, a junior majoring in wildlife biology from Grand Rapids, Minn.
  • Jack Morawcynski, a junior majoring in environment studies and wildlife biology from Laporte, Minn.
  • Kate Peterson, a graduate student from Virginia, Minn.
  • Liz Olvera-Chan, a freshman majoring in wildlife biology from Crystal, Minn.
  • Harry Stanius, a senior majoring in wildlife biology from St. Cloud, Minn.
  • Ciara McCarty, a biology graduate student from Bemidji, Minn.
  • Shannon McNamara, a biology graduate student from Solway, Minn.

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Bemidji State University, located amid the lakes and forests of northern Minnesota, occupies a wooded campus along the shore of Lake Bemidji. Enrolling more than 5,100 students, Bemidji State offers more than 80 undergraduate majors and eight graduate degrees encompassing arts, sciences and select professional programs. BSU is a member of the Minnesota State system of colleges and universities and has a faculty and staff of more than 550. The university’s Shared Fundamental Values include environmental stewardship, civic engagement and international and multicultural understanding. For more, visit bemidjistate.edu or find us at BemidjiState on most of your favorite social media networks.

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