Mr. and Mrs. E. M. Ozment

The James E. Ozment Achievement Award in Natural History was established by Mr. and Mrs. E.M. Ozment, in memory of their son.

James Ozment was a 25 year old SIU graduate when he suffered a fatal fall in Giant City State Park in 1965. A candidate for his doctorate in botany, James received his bachelor’s degree in zoology in 1961 and a master’s degree in botany in 1963, both from SIU. He was the top student among those receiving bachelor’s degrees in August, 1961. James was also a member of Phi Eta Sigma and Phi Delta Phi honorary scholastic fraternities, and holder of a National Science Foundation Cooperative Fellowship.