Shaun David Mabry of Roanoke, Va., is the recipient of Virginia Tech’s College of Natural Resources’ Outstanding Senior Award for the 2003-2004 academic year. He is studying geography and lives in the Hillcrest Honors Community.

The Virginia Tech Alumni Association and the senior class annually sponsor the Outstanding Senior Awards, which recognize exceptional performance by a graduating senior from each college within the university. Students and faculty of each of the eight colleges select the recipients. GPA’s of the awardees range between 3.75 and 4.0.

Virginia Tech is announcing its Outstanding Senior Awards in conjunction with the university’s Founders Day, Friday, April 23. First taking place in 1972, Founders Day Convocation is Virginia Tech's annual celebration of the academic and professional achievements of the university and recognizing service to Virginia Tech.

Mabry has had many academic achievements in his time at Virginia Tech. He received the Poole Research Grant in 2003 and was named the Outstanding Student in Physical Geography in 2003 by Virginia Tech’s geography department in the College of Natural Resources. He is a member of the National Society of Collegiate Scholars and Gamma Theta Upsilon, a geography honor society.

Mabry’s extracurricular activities include the Hillcrest Honors Community Dinner Committee, organizing educational events for the VT Honors Community with the Residence Hall Federation, and regulating academics for the VT Honors Community as a member of the Academic Standards Council. He also is a member of the International Club and El Circulo Hispanico.

During his time as a student at Virginia Tech, Mabry has taken advantage of opportunities to study overseas. He conducted original research in El Nevado de Toluca, Mexico, in the summer of 2003 and participated in the National Student Exchange at La Universidad de Puerto Rico in the fall of 2003.

“I am honored and humbled to receive the award of Outstanding Senior.” Mabry said. “I would like to thank my family, friends, and the faculty of Virginia Tech for helping me reach my academic goals.”

The College of Natural Resources at Virginia Tech consistently ranks among the top five programs of its kind in the nation. Faculty members stress both the technical and human elements of natural resources and instill in students a sense of stewardship and land-use ethics. Areas of studies include environmental resource management, fisheries and wildlife sciences, forestry, geospatial and environmental analysis, natural resource recreation, urban forestry, wood science and forest products, geography, and international development.

Founded in 1872 as a land-grant college, Virginia Tech has grown to become the largest university in the Commonwealth of Virginia. Today, Virginia Tech’s eight colleges are dedicated to putting knowledge to work through teaching, research, and outreach activities and to fulfilling its vision to be among the top 30 research universities in the nation. At its 2,600-acre main campus located in Blacksburg and other campus centers in Northern Virginia, Southwest Virginia, Hampton Roads, Richmond, and Roanoke, Virginia Tech enrolls more than 28,000 full- and part-time undergraduate and graduate students from all 50 states and more than 100 countries in 170 academic degree programs.

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