Molly Holmberg of Orono and Middlebury College recently was awarded one of 60 Thomas J. Watson Foundation fellowships to college seniors across the United States. While traveling outside the United States for one year after graduation, these seniors will pursue independent research projects. More than 1,000 students applied this year from 50 private liberal arts colleges and universities. The students first must be nominated by their college and then compete on a national level. The program was created in 1968 by the children of Thomas J. Watson Sr., founder of IBM Corp., and his wife, Jeannette K. Watson. A geography major, Molly Holmberg will travel to Peru, Madagascar, Mongolia and the Scottish Isles to study and map traditional transportation routes of isolated highland settlements.

Bangor’s Cheryl Russell, A.I.C., C.P.I.W., senior claims adjuster, was awarded the Region 1 Claims Professional of the Year Award at the Region 1 Conference of the National Association of Insurance Women in Newport, R.I., in March. The award is given to a claims person who has extensive experience in the claims industry and continually improves through insurance education, is involved in industry and community organizations and who is active in the NAIW. Russell, a member of NAIW since 1996, is president of NAIW of Eastern Maine.