Various opportunities exist for Geosciences majors to develop leadership skills and receive stipends. Majors within the department can extend and enrich their knowledge by working as laboratory assistants in the introductory and middle level courses, and earn a stipend in the process. Students are named as Senior Fellows on the basis of academic achievement, service to the department and leadership ability; Fellowship includes a stipend. The summer research of many geoscience majors is supported financially by Anderson Grants awarded by the Denison Undergraduate Research Foundation.

Departmental Fellows

Departmental Fellows are selected because of their past academic achievement, contributions to the Geosciences program, and their enthusiasm for the geological sciences. Fellows assume a leadership role within the department and will help organize, promote, and support departmental events.

Frank J. Wright Scholarship

Frank J. Wright was Professor and Head of the Department of Geology and Geography at Denison from 1924 to 1949. Professor Wright was an inspiring and demanding teacher who had a strong influence on his students. Many of them went on to achieve prominence during their careers. Several of Dr. Wright’s students and colleagues came together and established an endowed scholarship fund in his name for the Geosciences Department (then Geology and Geography) in 1991. We, as a Department, are extremely grateful for their generous gifts and for the help this endowed fund provides for present and future geoscience majors.

Frederick T. Holden Scholarship

Fred Holden went on from Denison (Class of ‘37) to earn his Ph.D. at the University of Chicago and to become the Chief Geologist of EXXON, Inc. His contributions to the profession were many and varied, including a classic paper concerning the Black Hand Sandstone. Dr. Holden’s generosity has allowed us to use the interest from an endowment to support field trips and to award scholarships to particularly deserving majors.

Kirtley F. Mather Award

The Kirtley F. Mather Award is the highest achievement award given by the Department. The most visible feature of the award is the engraved plaque that hangs in the hall. The Kirtley F. Mather Geology Prize was first awarded in 1981. It was done so to create a memorial, in perpetuity, to Dr. Kirtley F. Mather, nationally recognized scholar, understanding father and devoted husband. It is given to an outstanding Geosciences student.

LaMoreaux Award

Given to cover travel, tuition and lodging expenses for field camp. The criteria for selection, listed in order of importance is, 1) Potential for contribution to the science of geology or innovation in its practical application; 2) Academic achievement; 3) Financial need.

LaMoreaux Scholarship Fund

Established in 2017 this scholarship is awarded to excellent rising junior and senior Geosciences major (BA or BS). This award has an honorarium as the recipient is identified as the LaMoreaux Scholar.

Richard H. & Marian N. Mahard Earth Science Teaching Award

Through an illustrious 40-year career teaching at Denison, Dr. Mahard inspired countless students, always espousing the importance of a firm understanding of geologic and geographic principles for an educated citizenry. This award honors his outstanding teaching career and the careful consideration of real-world issues that he promoted. This award was established in 2000.

Spang Prize for Excellence

John H. Spang was a member of the Class of 1965.  John and his wife Teresa Spang established this leadership commitment to Denison to honor the memory of John’s parents, Cathryn L. and Harvey H. Spang.

The Spang Prize for Excellence is awarded to a student at the end of their junior year who is seeking a Bachelor of Science, in anticipation of advanced study in the Goesciences and is in excellent academic standing.

T.F. Bates Geology Student Research Award

Thomas F. Bates graduated in Geology from Denison University in 1939. He continued his study at Columbia University earning a Ph.D. in 1944. Dr. Bates went on to a distinguished teaching, research, and administrative career in the geosciences at Pennsylvania State University. Over the years, he has maintained a strong interest in the geoscience program at Denison and has recently supported our research program with generous gifts. We, as a Department, are extremely grateful for both his interest and his financial support. In particular, we are pleased that Dr. Bates can directly support the research of talented geoscience majors.