Share this Story
Tyler Noll Wins 2026 Ryan Environmental Prize for Excellence in Research
Finalists Stephanie Clark, Jasmine Gorney, and Lily Reslink earn awards and support for environmental causes
University News | May 4, 2026
At the fourth annual Louis and Prudence Ryan Environmental Research Symposium on April 30, Batten Honors College student Tyler Noll ’26 was awarded the Ryan Environmental Prize for Excellence in Research.
Noll, a senior environmental studies major from Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania, has distinguished himself through both academic and global experiences. During his time at Virginia Wesleyan University, he studied abroad in Morocco, Chile, and New Zealand and has traveled to more than a dozen countries. Following graduation, he plans to serve as a leadership mentor with Global Leadership Adventures, working with public health student volunteers in the Dominican Republic.
The symposium featured student research addressing innovative solutions to environmental and sustainability challenges. All participating students presented posters, while four finalists—Noll, Stephanie Clark ’26, Jasmine Gorney ’26, and Lily Reslink ’26—were selected to deliver formal presentations.
Noll presented “Implementing a Campus Composting Program Framework to Advance Sustainability at VWU and Beyond.” Clark’s project, “Thinking Bee – Restoring Native Pollinator Habitats at Virginia Wesleyan University,” focused on ecological restoration. Gorney explored environmental justice in “Thermal Inequality: Urban Heat Islands, Historical Injustice, and a Community Toolkit for Climate Resilience in Portsmouth, Virginia.” Reslink addressed campus waste in “Break the Shopping Haul to Dumpster Cycle: Reducing Waste at Move-Out through the Power of Campus Community.”
Clark, a senior double majoring in international studies and Hispanic studies, has been deeply engaged in campus life through choir, theatre, and leadership roles. She has served as a student coordinator in Enrollment, events coordinator for the Student Government Association, and founder and president of the Mosaic Project. Her global perspective is reflected in her participation in Model United Nations and three study abroad experiences. She plans to attend Regent University School of Law and pursue a career in immigration law.
Gorney, a senior from Moyock, North Carolina, is a three-time ODAC All-Academic honoree and a NOYCE scholar. She has contributed to regional work through VWU’s NSF grant and will begin the Master of Arts in Education program at Batten University this summer, preparing to become a math/STEM educator.
Reslink, a senior media and communication major from Erie, Pennsylvania, combines journalism and environmental advocacy. Editor-in-chief of The Marlin Chronicle, she has led sustainability initiatives including the expansion of Wesleyan Wardrobe and the development of a large-scale Marlin Move-Out program to reduce campus waste. She will serve as a summer intern at the Chautauqua Institution in New York.
Dean of the Batten Honors College Travis Malone introduced each finalist and highlighted the academic framework behind their work.
“The students in the HON 480 Senior Seminar course were given a simple task: develop a research project, paper, and poster that addresses one of the United Nations’ 17 Sustainable Development Goals,” Malone said. “The elegance of the SDGs lies in their ability to address human challenges on both global and local scales, offering hope for a more sustainable and healthy future.”
Following a blind review process conducted by a campus panel, finalist presentations were evaluated by distinguished community judges, including educator and environmentalist Pam Northam of the Elizabeth River Project; Chris Moore, Virginia executive director of the Chesapeake Bay Foundation; and Theresa Augustin, vice president of education at Norfolk Botanical Garden.
As the 2026 Ryan Prize recipient, Noll received a $1,500 award—split between a $750 cash prize and a $750 donation to Clean Virginia Waterways in his name.
Finalists Clark and Gorney each received $250 awards, with funds divided between personal prizes and donations to environmental nonprofits. Clark selected the Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation, while Gorney designated the Hampton Roads Blue Green Oasis of Greener Norfolk.
Reslink received the Marlin Award for Sustainability Advocacy, which included $800 divided between a cash award and a donation to Keep Norfolk Beautiful.
Attendees also participated in selecting the Audience Choice Award, with Elena Lichtenwalner ’26 earning the $100 prize for her project focused on building awareness for the Neurodiversity Center at VWU.
President Scott D. Miller noted that the symposium reflects the vision of philanthropist Jane Batten to create an honors college with a global mission.
“We are grateful that Louis and Prudence Ryan believed in Mrs. Batten’s vision and established an endowment to support this symposium and the Ryan Prizes,” he said.
Longtime university benefactors, the Ryans established a $150,000 endowment to fund the symposium and its awards. In remarks shared via video, Louis Ryan emphasized the broader impact of environmental research.
“What a good education does is teach you how to think—critically, creatively, and holistically,” Ryan said. “These skills are essential to ensuring the survival and flourishing of humanity. Environmental research provides an ideal space to develop and apply them.”
He added that the symposium fosters meaningful inquiry and collaboration. “This creates a natural opportunity for students—and faculty—to engage in thoughtful research that deepens our understanding of environmental challenges and how best to address them.”