Zeigler Student Achievement Award
The John M. & Marilyn Zeigler Student Achievement Award honors the past contributions to student needs of Dr. John Zeigler, the first SMS Associate Dean of Graduate Studies, and the continuing contributions of Mrs. Marilyn Zeigler. The Zeigler award formally recognizes students who excel in scholarship, leadership, research initiative, outstanding publications, and exceptional thesis or dissertation work.
This year’s award recipient is Ms. Cassie Glaspie.
The Zeigler Student Achievement Award emphasizes excellence in both education and research. Cassie Glaspie, the 2016 recipient, demonstrated her academic abilities in her scholarly performance, research, and service to VIMS and the community.
Cassie has performed impressively in her graduate course work, with instructors commenting on her written skills and expert handling of exam questions. She enrolled in upper-level courses on Marine Conservation Biology and Mathematical Modeling, even with a full schedule.
Cassie’s dissertation research integrates field surveys, predator-prey experiments, effects of seagrass loss, and mathematical modeling into a comprehensive examination of predator-bivalve interactions in Chesapeake Bay. She has secured more than $250,000 to support her research and education from agencies such as NSF, NOAA, and the EPA, including projects on ocean acidification and one in Australia, with manuscripts published and in press. Cassie has received several other awards for her scholarly activities, including a VIMS SunTrust Fellowship, VIMS Dean’s Fellowship, and research and travel grants.
Cassie has also mentored undergraduates and high school students, served as a Teaching Assistant, president of the VIMS Graduate Student Association, co-creator of the Graduate Student Productivity Working Group and Scientific Writing group, member of the Honor Council and the Green Team, and as a community volunteer. She has demonstrated the drive, intelligence, independence, leadership, and character for exemplary research and scholarship. Cassie really stands out among graduate students! Her role as a leader and scholar renders her deserving of the Zeigler Student Achievement Award.