UW-Stevens Point students honored for excellence

The following students at the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point were honored for excellence in academic achievement:

• The UWSP student chapter of The Wildlife Society (TWS) won the national Student Chapter of the Year Award for the second year in a row and for the ninth time since 1994 when it began. The honor recognizes outstanding achievement, including the chapter’s extensive research work on a variety of species, inviting wildlife professionals to weekly meetings, attending and presenting research at TWS state and national conferences. The chapter also has a strong social media presence. Representatives from the chapter recently received the award at the TWS 31^st annual conference in Baltimore, Ma.
  
  
• The UWSP Soil Judging Team took first place at the 2024 Regional Soil Judging Competition at Southern Illinois University in Carbondale, Ill., Oct. 10-11. The group was first overall and first in group judging, marking the team’s third-ever regional championship.
  Coached by Bryant Scharenbroch, associate professor of soil and waste resources, and assistant coach Brandon Frank, a UWSP graduate student, the team is made up of 22 students, the most in university history. Eleven were competing for the first time. Individual winners included Natalie Gruben, fourth place; Lucas VandeWalle, fifth place; and Maya Desai, ninth place.
  Among those competing in the regional event were teams from Purdue University, UW-Platteville, UW-Madison, Michigan State University and the University of Illinois. The UWSP team qualified for the National Soil Judging Contest but are unable to compete due to UWSP hosting the event next May.
  
  
• Giovanni Anello IV, a junior voice performance and music education major studying with Voice Professor Matthew Markham, won first place in the age 20-23 category out of six finalists in the prestigious Charleston International Competition. He also won at the Iowa and Wisconsin state National Association of Teachers of Singing (NATS) competition and qualified for the NATS National Student Auditions this year. He is a member of the UWSP Rugby Club and Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia Xi Omicron organization.
  
  
• Several UWSP students were honored at the NATS 58^th National Conference, including Jolie Swanson, first place, lower commercial music, treble voice; Levi Ballenger, first place advanced commercial music, TTB voice; Cami Errami, second place, youth commercial music; Brayden Bellile, semifinalist, upper commercial music, TTB voice; and Becca Guth, semifinalist, lower commercial music, treble voice. The students work with Professor Tim Buchholz, vocal jazz and contemporary voice.