Boise State University Raptor Research Center students Eden Ravecca and Zoe Bonerbo were awarded mentoring and teaching awards from the Department of Biological Sciences for 2024 during a December recognition event. The Raptor Research Center congratulates our students and other biology students who received awards this year.
Ravecca Awards
Eden Ravecca (Master of Science in Raptor Biology, ’23), a current Ecology, Evolution, and Behavior PhD candidate studying raptors, was recognized with the Excellence in Mentoring award. Ravecca was also presented with the Excellence in Teaching award.
A nominator described Ravecca’s mentoring skills. “As part of the IRES [International Research Experiences for Students-Raptor Research] program, Eden and the undergrads attended the 2024 Raptor Research Foundation meeting. Throughout that meeting, she was their mentor and coach and I was impressed that every time I saw Eden, she had a cohort of undergrads following her around… Repeatedly, I watched Eden teaching them to network by introducing them to other attendees.”
Bonerbo Award
Master of Science in Raptor Biology student Zoe Bonerbo was recognized for her teaching skills in her first year as a teaching assistant with the Excellence in Teaching Award.
A student described Bonerbo’s teaching approach: “Zoe is very kind and gives great instructions. She never pressures you to do anything you aren’t comfortable with… She is eager to show new skills to students and you can tell she genuinely cares for us, and how much knowledge we are gaining.”
Other Boise State University Department of Biological Sciences students who were recognized at the event (and the program they are currently a student in) were:
- Morgan Calahan (Ecology, Evolution, and Behavior PhD) – Excellence in Mentoring Award
- Ben Balzer (Master of Science in Biology) – Excellence in Teaching Award
- Michael Wojahn (Ecology, Evolution, and Behavior PhD) – Excellence in Teaching Award