An Impressive Lineup: Student Internships, Research Projects, Fellowships, Grad Schools, Jobs

Converse students are on the move with a flurry of accomplishments this spring. With summer just around the corner, an impressive lineup of research projects, internships, fellowships, jobs, and graduate school acceptances is coming together. Following is the first glimpse of what students have in store. The list will be updated throughout the spring.

Accomplishments

• Madeline Faulk ’14 was selected to attend professional auditions at the Southeastern Theatre Conference in Mobile, Alabama where she received numerous callbacks and job offers for her work in musical theatre.
• Rebekah Fredholm ’14 was selected as a finalist in the 34th Photography Contest sponsored by Nikon. The book, Best of College and High School Photography 2014, will publish the works of all the winners. Rebekah’s photograph was selected from over 16,600 entries. Cash awards, grants and equipment will be awarded.
• Lorita Agu ’15, Victoria Bobo ’15, and Natacha Karambizi ’15 will present their research at the April meeting of the American Chemical Society (Western Carolinas section) at Furman University.
• Prints by Dalia Delanuez ’14, Mandy Ferguson ’15, Lisa Fernandez ’15 and Hailey Hodge ’14 are currently on view in the 6th Annual National Undergraduate Print Portfolio Exchange and Exhibition at the Charles Park Library Gallery on the campus of Central Michigan University.
• Works on view will become part of the Permanent Collection of the Central Michigan Print Club. A collection of artworks by Mary Cooke ’14, Dalia Delanuez, Hailey Hodge ’14, Mandy Ferguson ’15, Rosetta Nesbitt ’14, and Sam Smith ’14 will represent the Converse Art and Design Department at the 2nd Annual Collegiate Invitational Art Exhibition on view at the Downtown Spartanburg Library throughout the months of April and May. This exhibition was established by Miranda Sawyer ’12 in 2013 as means to provide the Greater Upstate in South Carolina an opportunity to experience the wealth of visual talent from students who attend the local colleges and universities. Converse studio faculty Andrew Blanchard and Teresa Prater will also have work in the exhibition.
• Emily Patterson and Sara Freeman assisted with a project on “Reading Instruction for Deaf and Hard of Hearing (D/HH) Students.” The project was awarded to a team of researchers led by Georgia State University by the Special Education Research & Development Center of the Institute of Education Sciences. Emily and Sara were videographers assisting in the collection of data for the project. 

Summer Internships, Fellowships, Research Projects and Jobs

• Eleven Converse students were awarded funding for faculty-mentored research projects by the South Carolina Independent Colleges and Universities consortium. Converse garnered the second highest number of funded proposals in the state. Projects include: Reshma Thomas and Nichole Tackett with Dr. Edna Steele, “Effects of Estrogenic Food on the Estrous Cycle of Wistar Rats;” Brenna Whei-Lan Byler with Dr. Monica McCoy, “The Impact of Self-Monitoring on Multiple Audience Self-Presentation Management,” Katherine Martin and Melissa Lawter with Dr. Marie LePage, “Physical Activity, Disordered Eating, and Sleep in Female College Athletes and Non-Athletes: A Study using Fit-Bit Flex Technology;” Lily Sanchez with Drs. Kevin DeLapp and Rafael Hernandez, “A New Perspective on Perspectivism: Exploring Mexico’s Contribution to Cultural Philosophy;” Abigail Tillman with Dr. Neval Erturk, “Effects of reishi on apoptotic mechanisms on cancerous versus non-cancerous human epithelial cell lines;” Brandy Blanton with Dr. Joe Dunn, “Scottish Independence: A Youthful Voice;” Kristen Jurewicz with Prof. Ruth Beals, “The History and Application of Furniture Caning in South Carolina;” Madeline Morris and Emili Pickenpaugh with Dr. Tracy Ksiazak, “Which coping strategies predict lowered mental health symptomology in college students?” and Kasey Anderson with Drs. John Theilmann and Marie LePage, “Psychological Disorders in the Salem Witch Trials.”
• Mary Therese Jackson ’15 was awarded a ten-week summer fellowship with Seattle Pacific University’s MFA program.
• Kandice Miles ’16 was awarded an internship at Oak Ridge National Laboratory in conjunction with the Department of Energy.
• Nichole Tackett ’15 has been accepted into the MedEx Academy with the Greenville Hospital System for Summer 2014.
• Jordy Taylor ’14 will be a lacrosse coach, rock climbing instructor and biology mountain trail guide at Camp Weequahic (PA) this summer. She will also spend 10 days free diving with sharks in the Florida Keys (a biology major, her research interest is sharks).

Class of 2014 Graduate School Acceptances

• Stefanie Carter ’14 has been accepted to the Ph.D. program in History at the University of Texas at Austin. The offer is fully funded, with an assistantship.
• Mary Cooke ’14 was accepted to MFA programs at Clemson and USC and has accepted Clemson’s offer, which includes a tuition waver, a teaching assistantship, and the University Recruitment Fellowship for the 14-15 academic year.
• Ansley Taylor Corson ’14 was accepted into her first-choice PhD program in Clinical Health Psychology at Eastern Carolina University, complete with full funding, an assistantship, and substantial stipend. 
• Minhaz Dalal ’14 was accepted to the Pharmacy School at Presbyterian College.
• Jordan Denski ’14 was accepted to and will attend the MUSC School of Pharmacy.
• Kathleen Hines ’14 has accepted a full ride for a PhD in English at Southern Methodist University, with free tuition, living stipend, health insurance, travel funds, and a computer. She was also awarded a major scholarship from NYU to pursue an MA in English.
• Hailey Hodge ’14 has been accepted as an MFA candidate in the New Projects Program at Columbus College of Art and Design in Columbus, OH; the Graduate Studio Art program at Memphis College of Art; and the Print Media Program at Pacific Northwest College of Art in Portland, OR.
• Jessica Huffman ’14 was accepted to the Pharmacy School at East Tennessee State University.
• Emily Kennell ’14 was accepted into the Doctor of Pharmacy programs at Presbyterian College and Mercer University. She was also accepted to Pharmacy school at MUSC.
• Caitlin McAlhany ’14 was accepted into the Masters of Divinity program at Duke University.
• Jesse Pope ’14 was accepted to Duke University’s physical therapy doctoral program. She was also accepted into a similar program at the Medical University of South Carolina.
• Shaleshea Reid ’14 was accepted into Master’s in Public Administration programs at American University, the University of South Carolina, the University of Georgia, and DePaul University.
• Jordy Taylor ’14 was accepted to the Graduate School at the College of Charleston with a teaching assistantship position to study Marine Biology. Jordy was recently featured in a Huffington Post blog about her shark research and choice to attend a women’s college.
• Melanie Waddell ’14 was accepted into Northeastern University’s International Relations graduate program.
• Avery Winchester ’14 has been accepted to the Nursing Program at Mercer University with a nursing entrance examination score that is in the 96th percentile in the nation.