Student Profiles
Serving the Underserved
A first-generation student, Amelia is passionate about expanding resources and access to leadership skill development and higher education information for students who attend alternative schools in West Virginia. She will continue her work helping disadvantaged students as WVU’s 2020 Newman Civic Fellow.
International Outreach
When Myya goes to Amman, Jordan to study Arabic as a Boren Scholar, she plans to continue her international community outreach and education by working with non-governmental organizations to help provide educational resources to refugees there.
"Coming from such a small place in West Virginia, I didn’t have many opportunities to learn about different languages, cultures and religions. Being a cultural minority myself, I’ve always wanted to do that outreach."
Pursuing Justice
As part of her internship with nonprofit law firm Mountain State Justice, Meg is leading the organization’s grant writing efforts to get funding to support a class action lawsuit seeking justice for imprisoned individuals who aren't receiving adequate healthcare.
Working Together on Solutions
Adam is slated to return to Oman in 2021 to further his study of Arabic at the Noor Majan Arabic Institute in Muscat as a Boren Scholar. With varied experiences abroad, including a National Model United Nations conference in China, Craig said what makes him most excited about becoming a Boren Scholar is the opportunity to not just talk about the problems caused by global conflicts, but to also work together on solutions.
"I feel excited about my generation and what we’re capable of doing for the world, and the ideas we have and our devotion to making the world a better place."
Pinpointing Fast Radio Bursts
Kshitij, a Physics graduate student, and WVU faculty Sarah Burke-Spolaor and Kevin Bandura were part of the team that pinpointed the precise location of “FRB 180916,” adding a new chapter to the mystery surrounding the origins of fast radio bursts.
From Refugee to Researcher
Amina has found a particularly interesting area of research — exposure to engineered nanomaterial (particles found in cosmetics, food and medical materials).
Specifically, her research aims to assess the cardiovascular health of the offspring when exposure to these particles occurs during pregnancy.
The Business of Music
“Because I have gained professional label experience while attending WVU, I was able to intern at Big Machine Label Group in Nashville, Tennessee, and apply what I have learned while working at Mon Hills Records to one of the most successful labels in the world."
Clinical Experience in Brazil
A senior nursing student from Washington, Pennsylvania, Ciara is one of two WVU students to earn 2020 Gilman Scholarships for making global connections in Brazil. She will spend four weeks gaining supervised clinical rotation experience while also learning Portuguese and reflecting on global citizenship in the health professions.
Old painkiller, new tricks
By interacting with different parts of the nervous system, pain relievers treat some pains better than others. Shane is investigating whether an anti-itch medication that targets a specific part of our nerve cells can make morphine — which targets a different part — more effective. His findings suggest it can.
A summer study with NIST
Oriana found her love for research after being part of WVU’s Summer Undergraduate Research Experience program. Because of her research in chemistry and forensic science, Oriana was awarded a summer research fellowship with the National Institute of Standards and Technology.
Determined to Go First
Dylan has taken the “Go First” mantra to heart. He was the first in his family to go to college, to travel abroad and even get on a plane.
Now he’s one step closer to his dream of becoming a Foreign Service Officer by becoming the first WVU student to receive the highly competitive Thomas R. Pickering Graduate Fellowship from the U.S. State Department.
Examining Ink
Henry is studying graphene-based inks and their use in chemical and gas sensors. His research could provide low-cost solutions in sensing methane leaks and could also monitor negative environmental changes.
Bridging cultures
Laura is WVU’s 26th Boren Scholar. She will be studying in Tanzania next year. "The experience of living abroad will be invaluable to me because one day I hope to partner with local organizations to promote human rights."
Mentoring Future College Students
David created Mountaineer Mentors, a group of top scholarship students at WVU who want to connect with students at their high schools to help them seek a college education. His mentoring efforts helped him earn a Newman Civic Fellowship.
Finding a niche in research
A summer research experience with Dr. Kimberly Meigh at the Speech Motor Control Lab helped Jake find his niche. He plans to pursue a master’s degree and possibly a PhD, with the goal of working in either academia or a research laboratory.
From the Lab to Capitol Hill
Jessi and her research partner, Caroline Leadmon, were among 60 students selected nationally by the Council on Undergraduate Research to present their research findings to members of Congress.
Stopping the spread of fake news
As a 2019 Facebook Emerging Scholar, Claudia will work with Facebook Research for two years to help them improve their technological interventions to limit the spread of false information.
From ‘Warrior Culture’ to ‘Campus Culture’
The transition to college from Army Ranger hasn’t been an easy one for Ed. As president of the Veterans of WVU student club, he’s lending a hand to other student-veterans on campus who might need an E-5 sergeant in their college life.
Critical Experience
Taima’s goal is to become a consular fellow in the U.S. State Department and the United Nations Population Fund, so her proficiency in world languages — and her summer in Morocco — will serve her well. She’s majoring in French and Spanish with a minor in Arabic Studies.
Growing a Business
Demitrus hopes to learn more about the global and Chinese markets — with an eye to strengthening the brand of clothing he has developed — while studying at Hong Kong Baptist University on a Gilman Scholarship.