Marine Biology Student Wins Outstanding Graduate Award

Donovan German, a marine biology student who has earned straight A’s as a graduate student while active in campus life and community service efforts, is the recipient of the 2003 Cal State Fullerton President’s Associates Outstanding Graduate Student Award. He will receive his master’s degree in biology this weekend.

German, who has conducted research in the biochemistry and physiology of the digestive tract of herbivorous and carnivorous fish with mentor Michael Horn, professor of biological science, will pursue a doctorate in marine biology at the University of Florida with the support of a five-year fellowship. His wife, Lisa, who also holds a CSUF master’s degree in biology, will join him in pursuing a doctoral program at the same university on a teaching fellowship. Both are originally from Orange and now live in Fullerton.

As president and vice president of the Biology Graduate Students Club, he led successful holiday clothing and food drives for local homeless shelters along with fund-raising activities for local charities. His long-term goals are to perform research in the field of marine physiological ecology to show the effects of pollution on fish populations, and “to creatively educate young minds in a way to raise awareness and appreciation of the world around us.”

The award is presented annually to a graduate student who has demonstrated top scholastic achievement in his or her field and has shown leadership involvement in university activities. The honor carries a $1,000 cash award. It will be presented at the university’s Honors Convocation Friday, May 30, in Portola Pavilion in the Titan Student Union. The next day, German will be recognized at universitywide commencement ceremonies and at the individual exercise that follows for the College of Natural Sciences and Mathematics, on the lawn west of the Engineering Building.