Students

Raising the Bar

Raising the bar title
Graduate students earn prestigious fellowships
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One of the most compelling aspects of the Auburn College of Education student experience is found in the research opportunities available to our exceptional students like those listed below.

Predoctoral Clinical/Translational Research Program at the University of Alabama at Birmingham’s (UAB) Center for Clinical and Translational Science

UAB’s Predoctoral Clinical/Translational Research Program, or TL1, is a full-time program for predoctoral students funded through the National Institutes of Health National Research Service Award program. During the course of one year, trainees receive mentoring and research experience while developing projects with the goal of reducing health issues that disproportionately affect the Deep South.

Recipients: Soolim Jeong and Chloe Jones
Portrait of Soolim Jeong

Soolim Jeong
Doctoral Student, Kinesiology

A student in the School of Kinesiology, Jeong works in the Neurovascular Physiology Lab and her research focuses on racial disparities in cardiovascular health with emphasis on social determinants of health and blood pressure.

The TL1 fellowship offers a great opportunity for me to work closely with other institutions and mentors in the Southeast region and I am excited to be a part of this community. — Soolim Jeong
Portrait of Chloe Jones

Chloe Jones
Doctoral Student, Kinesiology

A fourth-year doctoral student in the School of Kinesiology, Jones’ research focuses on finding culturally tailored methods to increase knowledge about and motivation to exercise in young Black women with the goal of increasing the chances of exercise adherence.

This program will allow me to receive further mentorship and training on how to transition my work from an individual level to a larger population, allowing increased accessibility to exercise and physical activity at a regional and ultimately national level. — Chloe Jones

Presidential Graduate Opportunity Program

The Presidential Graduate Opportunity Program Fellowships are part of a focused initiative to enhance the diversity, inclusion and retention of Auburn University’s graduate student population. The fellowships are awarded annually to a select number of highly qualified students who intend to pursue or who are currently pursuing doctoral degrees in established and emerging areas of excellence.

Recipients: Derick Anglin and Tamarceo Shaw
Portrait of Derick Anglin

Derick Anglin
Doctoral Student, Kinesiology

Anglin is pursuing his doctoral degree in the School of Kinesiology, continuing his studies under the mentorship of Professor Michael Roberts, director of the Nutrabolt Applied and Molecular Physiology Laboratory.

With nutrition being a big aspect of my life, I want to also assist with researching the effects of nutritional supplements on whole-body and muscle physiology. Researching skeletal muscles and adaptations has always been a passion of mine. — Derick Anglin
Portrait of Tamarceo Shaw

Tamarceo Shaw
Doctoral Student, Music Education

Shaw has pursued research in vocal pedagogy since he experienced issues with his vocal folds as an undergraduate student and sought help from a speech-language pathologist. While pursuing his doctorate in music education, Shaw plans to continue working on his teaching manual for vocal music educators, which will serve as a teaching guide for music educators without an extensive background in vocal pedagogy.

My long-term goal is to open a music school that will serve underrepresented and low-income students. I grew up in a low-income household, and I understand that enrolling your child in music lessons can be a financial burden. However, I don’t want the lack of money to be the reason why students choose not to study music. — Tamarceo Shaw

Presidential Graduate Research Fellowship

The Presidential Graduate Research Fellowship is part of a focused initiative to enhance Auburn University’s research and scholarly profile by attracting outstanding students for doctoral studies. These fellowships are offered to a select number of highly qualified new student applicants—current Auburn undergraduate or master’s students or new external applicants—who intend to pursue doctoral and terminal professional degrees in established and emerging areas of excellence.

Recipients: Marina Meyer Vega, Keven Santamaría-Guzmán and Moriah Wallace
Portrait of Marina Meyer-Vega

Marina Meyer Vega
Doctoral Student, Kinesiology

Working with patients as a healthcare provider during the COVID-19 pandemic piqued Meyer Vega’s interest in integrating research and neuroscience into the rehabilitation process, in addition to the structural and musculoskeletal aspects. Her long-term goal is to become a leading clinical researcher. As a graduate of Universidad Popular Autónoma del Estado de Puebla in Mexico, she chose Auburn’s Kinesiology Ph.D. program due to the quality laboratories and technology available and because the university strongly promotes neuroscientific research.

The seeds of my fascination to study physical therapy were sown due to my desire to create a change that could go beyond the boundaries of my own community. This experience will enable me to grow as an academic, a clinician and most importantly as a human being, thus having significant impact on medical education and research and advancing clinical healthcare services in my country. — Marina Meyer Vega

Keven Santamaría-Guzmán
Doctoral Student, Kinesiology

After coordinating a program that focuses on physical and academic activities for older adults at the University of Costa Rica, Santamaría-Guzmán has a strong desire to utilize research methods, laboratory techniques and technologies to continue contributing to the health, functional independence and quality of life in older adults while pursuing his doctorate in the School of Kinesiology.

This fellowship will allow me to grow as an academic and as a human being, and this, in turn, will allow this experience to have a positive impact on research activities in my country, to advance science and make a positive contribution to the health of society. — Keven Santamaría-Guzmán
Portait of Moriah Wallace

Moriah Wallace
Doctoral Student, Mathematics Education

Wallace is pursuing her doctorate in mathematics education, and as an African American woman entering a STEM field, Wallace’s research will focus on recognizing the value of and making significant contributions to underrepresented populations.

Through this doctoral program, I will advocate for and contribute valuable research to reach underrepresented students. I will also create schools where students excel in pedagogy, curriculum, and support without limitations. I want to inspire not only women, Black women, and minorities, but anyone who values the future of education. — Moriah Wallace