Stockrahm receives distinguished alumna award from Marian University
Donna Bruns Stockrahm, Biosciences, received the Mother Clarissa Dillhoff Award for Distinguished Achievement in Mentoring at Marian University’s (Indianapolis, Ind.) distinguished alumni awards dinner Oct. 7. The award is given to an individual who has demonstrated the spirit of mentoring by providing guidance, support, encouragement and leadership to students, faculty, staff or to individuals in the broader community; and contributed through personal leadership, the development and growth of the individual mentored.
Stockrahm graduated from Marian University in 1976 with a bachelor of science in biology. She earned an M.S. in biology from University of North Dakota and a Ph.D. in zoology from The Ohio State University.
She has spent her entire career at MSU Moorhead, where she has impacted students and faculty as a professor, advisor, and as chairperson of the biosciences department. Her MSUM honors include the Academic Affairs Council Excellence in Reseach Award, Outstanding Academic Advisor, and Student Organization Advisor of the Month, which recognized her efforts to help the student chapter of The Wildlife Society achieve official standing.
In her letter of support for this nomination, Ellen Brisch, chair of the biosciences department, wrote:
“Donna is a corner stone of our program…incredibly productive and inspiring, with a distinguished career here as one of “firsts”—the first faculty member to develop a research program with students; first to publish extensively in our department; first (and only one of us) to develop summer courses at prestigious School for Field Studies; first to take students and present at national society meetings and summer research courses; first to write for and receive numerous grants on a yearly basis; first to coordinate internships for students with numerous wildlife agencies in the region; first to develop community oriented research projects that address questions of concern to members and allow members to participate—she currently has a wild turkey project going. Our department is recognized as a leader in undergraduate research in the state, and this exciting atmosphere is a direct result of Donna’s legacy.”