Ian Ergui is one of three UM students selected to receive a grant to carry out student-driven projects as part of the ACC-IAC Fellows Program in Creativity and Innovation.  Ian is an Honors Program student and his student team will receive a grant to genetically modify one strain of archaea for industrial biolealeaching and enter the project in the 2013 International Genetically Engineered Machine (IGEM) Competition.  With this grant Ian and his team propose to genetically modify Thiobacillus ferooxidans with the hope of developing a faster-reproducing, cost-effective version of naturally occurring archaea.

Amanda Klafehn is one of three students selected in a competitive College-wide process.  Amanda is completing and internship with Southridge High School teachers to promote a college-gong culture among traditionally underserved students.  Amanda, an Honors Program student has been giving guest lectures in the school, working with assigned teachers on curricular enhancements of lesson plans, and most importantly, mentoring students by talking with them about collegiate culture, study habits, and reading and writing strategies, among other topics.

Christine Hartmann worked in Dr. Ying-Hui Fu’s neurogenetics lab at the Mission Bay Campus of the University of California - San Francisco for 10 weeks this summer.  She applied for this opportunity through the University of California San Francisco Summer Research Training Program (http://graduate.ucsf.edu/content/summer-research-opportunities).  For this project, Christine investigated miRNA’s role in regulating astrogliosis, a series of proliferative and morphological changes astrocytes undergo in the brain in response to injury. This involved culturing mouse cortical brain cells, transfecting with adenovirus, extracting RNA and performing quantitative Real-Time PCR. Additionally, she had the opportunity to regularly participate in journal club meetings, faculty seminars and several workshops related to graduate school and scientific writing.

Victoria Humphrey is current sophomore in the General Honors Program and a Hammond Scholar at the University of Miami. Not only an Honors Student, she is also Miss University of Miami 2011, and Florida’s Junior Miss 2010. In high school she was a National Achievement Scholar, AP Scholar with Distinction, and a Varsity Cheerleader. While she is a busy pre-medical student, she is also a member of UBS (United Black Students) and AMSA (American Medical Student Association). She believes that although academic excellence in college is important, it is equally important to be a well-rounded individual in other areas. While working hard on school work, she also takes the time to be with friends and experience the city of Miami.

This summer 20 Honors Program students participated in the Honors Summer Research Program.  Each student was paired with a faculty member to aid in a research project.  The subjects of their work vary from medical research on Parkinson’s Disease to finding what this full sensory integration means to airline rewards programs to red tides.  To read about some of the projects these students worked on, follow the Past Summer Research Projects link.

On August 23, 2011 The Honors Program held a reception for all new Freshmen and Transfer Students accepted to the Honors Program.  Speakers included Dr. Barker and the Vice President of HSA.  Questions were answered and students had the opportunity to meet the Director of the Honors Program, Dr. Barker, the Assistant Director, Ms. DuPuch, and some of the other Office or Academic Enhancement staff.

Josh Bergman, May 2011 Graduate and former President or HSA, received the Foote Fellowship upon entering UM as a Freshman. This Fellowship waived some prerequisite classes, allowing him to concentrate on taking classes within his major. Through the Foote Fellowship program, Josh is pursuing a finance major and three minors in philosophy, psychology, and accounting without needing to stay an extra semester to complete all the requirements.He is very grateful for this opportunity, and believes that it played an important role in helping him to be accepted to some prominent law schools including Duke, Georgetown, Cornell, NYU, U Penn, Chicago, and UVA (University of Virginia).

Julie Zamora, May 2011 graduate and Hammond Scholar at UM, recently attended the Undergraduate Scholarship Donor Recognition Luncheon, where she thanked the donors who made her Hammond Scholarship and college dreams possible.  While pursuing a degree in Health Sciences, she also finds time to train for the ING Half Marathon in Miami.  Julie plans go on to pursue doctoral studies in physical therapy, volunteer in medical missions, open her own sports rehabilitation clinic, and visit China to learn about integrating homeopathic methods with Western Medicine.  She thanks the donors who made her scholarship possible for allowing her to pursue these goals.

In November 2009, UM Honors Student, Kartik Telukuntla, received the honor of being selected as a finalist for Rhodes Scholarship. The Rhodes Scholarship is one of the oldest and most prestigious international fellowships and brings outstanding students from around the world to study at the University of Oxford in England.

On November 20, 2009, Kartik traveled to Birmingham, Alabama for the final round of interviews for District VII and competed against 11 other finalists.  Although he ultimately was not awarded the scholarship, he finds the experience invaluable and is proud to come as far as he did; “It was an honor and privilege to be considered a part of such an accomplished group of students.  I know everyone wished for a different outcome, but I think I gained a whole lot from just going through this entire process.  It has definitely forced me to think more about myself and what I truly want to accomplish in the future.”

To read more about Kartik’s Honor please visit http://www6.miami.edu/provost/oae/news/030810-2.html

In April 2010, UM Honors Student Kristina Rosales was awarded a Fulbright Grant to carry out independent research project in Brazil, making the third prestigious scholarship she has earned in her undergraduate career.  Rosales, a double major in International Studies and Political Science, earned the David L. Boren Scholarship to fund a junior semester abroad in Rio de Janeiro and the Pickering Fellowship, which provides funding for graduate school and prepares outstanding students for a career in the U.S. Foreign Service.

The Fulbright Grant will allow Rosales to conduct a self-designed research project that will examine the phenomenon of children and adolescents turning away from education to drug abuse in Rio de Janeiro’s poor neighborhoods.

“I am beyond words to explain how excited I am to take on this opportunity,” said Rosales. “I have been preparing for it since I went to Brazil to study abroad a year ago and it feels amazing to know that I will finally be able to conduct my project in Rio.”

To read more about Kristina’s Award please visit http://www6.miami.edu/provost/oae/news/041210-1.html