Undergraduate Research and Creative Activities Program

Vaughn Vandegrift URCA Assistant Research Mentor of the Semester Award

Dr. Anita Joy, School of Dental Medicine

Nominated by: Casey Ritchard

"Dr Joy is obviously a very highly educated woman and loves her positions as head anatomy professor at SIU-SDM.  I idolize her intelligence and the modesty that she possesses regarding her intelligence.  Dr. Joy is a person who loves sharing this intelligence.  She loves challenging us with questions thought the protocols and presentations.  She always wants to ensure that we know exactly what will ocurrs at each step and why this step will produce a certain outcome... Dr. Joy [also] supports and encourages us more than just in the laboratory setting."

URCA Research Assistant of the Semester Award

Mollee Pezold, Speech- Language Pathology

Nominated by: Dr. Kathryn Brady

"Mollee is just a sophomore, but she functions in the research setting like a graduate student.  She is the total package: intelligent, analytical, organized, detail-oriented, flexible, collaborative, even-keeled, and friendly.  Mollee has essentially become my lab manager, and other students working in the lab quickly become aware both of her competence and her collegiality."

V.V. Research Mentor

Dr. Christopher Rosnick, Psychology
Nominated by Samantha Forehand

Dr. Anne Flaherty, Political Science
Nominated by Nasir Almasari

Dr. Jianwei Huang, Civil Engineering
Nominated by Justin Downey

Research Assistant

Bentley Gedris, Engineering
Nominated by Dr. Abdolreza Osouli

Brandon Beckemeyer, Engineering
Nominated by Dr. Abdolreza Osouli

Sarah Giacomini, School of Dental Medicine
Nominated by Dr. Anita Joy

Alyssa Gretak, Psychology
Nominated by Dr. Joel Nadler

Alissa Yoder, Kinesiology
Nominated by Dr. Joshua Wooten

Caige Smith, Kinesiology
Nominated by Dr. Jennifer Gapin

Grayce Voreis, SECD
Nominated by Dr. Amie King

Michelle Pherson, Biology
Nominated by Dr. Darron Luesse

Kristine Scharven, School of Nursing
Nominated by Dr. Marjorie Baier