A West Virginia University Davis College of Agriculture and Natural Resources graduate student is exploring the impact of invasive, non-native plants on forest ecosystems with private support from the Dr. Kenneth L. Carvell Graduate Fellowship.
The fellowship honors graduate students who are pursuing a Master of Science in Forestry with an emphasis on forest science research and management and provides a $2,800 scholarship to support their graduate education.
WVU alumnus Robert Fithian and his wife, Wilma, established the endowment that funds the Carvell Graduate Fellowship to give back to the university that shaped them and to honor Dr. Kenneth L. Carvell, who left a lasting impact on Fithian during his time at WVU.
The 2025-2026 recipient of the Dr. Kenneth L. Carvell Graduate Fellowship is Isabelle Uganski, whose research focuses on the growing challenge of non-native plant invasion. Her investigation includes invasion density, management approaches and soil health within forested ecosystems to better understand how invasive species affect biodiversity and forest management.
“Isabelle is a highly deserving recipient of the Carvell scholarship,” Shawn Grushecky, WVU Davis College associate professor, said. “Her research will provide valuable insight for the future of biodiversity and forest management.”
Uganski earned her undergraduate degree from Siena Heights University in Michigan, where she built a strong foundation in natural resources and environmental fields.
Beyond academics, she gained valuable hands-on experience studying invasive mussels in the Great Lakes with Grand Valley State University and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, watershed health monitoring and outreach with the River Raisin Watershed Council and invasive species monitoring for Lenawee County Health Department. These projects equipped her with skills she now applies to advancing forest science research and management.
“Similar to Dr. Carvell, I hope to be a thoughtful steward of the environment in the communities that I serve and in the world that we share,” Uganski said.
The Fithians’ gift was made through the WVU Foundation, the nonprofit organization that receives and administers private donations on behalf of the University.
The Davis College of Agriculture and Natural Resources envisions a world sustainably fed, clothed and sheltered. To learn more about the Davis College, visit davis.wvu.edu. Keep up with the latest updates and news on Facebook, X, Instagram and YouTube by following @WVUDavis.
