Sonja Wilhelm Stanis, interim associate director and associate professor in the School of Natural Resources, received the Outstanding Graduate Mentor Award at CAFNR’s 2019 Celebration of Excellence awards ceremony, held Thursday, April 11.

Wilhelm Stanis’ research is in the human dimensions of natural resource management with an emphasis in the social psychological as well as environmental factors that influence aspects of outdoor recreation. Specifically, her work examines the role of parks and public lands in promoting physical activity and public health, benefits of and constraints to outdoor recreation, and issues in outdoor recreation relating to diversity and youth. She currently works with numerous graduate students and her previous advisees have went on to great success.

“Dr. Wilhelm Stanis is a true leader with her graduate students and instills in them a sense of contribution and service, advocacy and collaboration and creates an environment of learning that creates and rewards initiative and a positive attitude,” said Shibu Jose, interim associate dean in the office of research and extension in CAFNR. “She is readily available to her students and approaches problems and challenges with an ability to seek creative and innovative solutions – and then refines their problem solving and critical thinking skills.”