Alumna Kennedi Henry to begin dental residency at ECU
UNC Pembroke alumna Kennedi Henry recently passed the North Carolina State Dental Board examination and will soon begin her residency at East Carolina University. Henry earned a bachelor's degree in chemistry in 2016 before earning a Doctor of Dental Medicine degree from the ECU School of Dental Medicine in May. She is set to begin a one-year Advanced Education in General Dentistry Residency at ECU this month.
Alumnus Wells Graham accepted to Ph.D. program at Wake Forest University
James “Wells” Graham Jr., a spring 2021 UNC Pembroke graduate and aspiring scientist, has decided to further his studies in the physics doctoral program at Wake Forest University. Graham earned his applied physics degree, graduating with magna cum laude honors, on May 21. A Laurinburg native and Scotland County High graduate, Graham was a RISE Fellow while attending UNCP.
Alumnus Evert Garcia-Guzman accepted into Physics Ph.D. program at UNC-Chapel Hill
Chemistry has always been Evert Garcia-Guzman’s strength academically. However, when he enrolled at UNC Pembroke four years ago, Guzman decided to push the boundaries and challenge himself by studying physics–a subject guaranteed to offer the academic rigor he needed. “I had never taken a physics course, and I wanted to learn more,” he said.
COMPASS2 Program to participate in 2021 STEM for All video showcase
The 2021 STEM for All Video Showcase will feature UNC Pembroke’s COMPASS2 scholarship program. The event will be held online May 11-18 at https://stemforall2021.videohall.com/.
Dr. Laura Staal wins Board of Governors 2021 Award for Excellence in Teaching
Hannah Middleton reached a crossroads during her sophomore year at UNCP. She began questioning whether a career in teaching was in her future. “I began having doubts about whether teaching was for me. I was actually about to talk to my advisor about getting out of the teaching program altogether,” she said. After taking Dr. Laura Staal’s Foundations of Reading course, Middleton rediscovered her passion. Rejuvenated, she went on to earn her degree and is weeks away from completing her first year as a special education teacher in Robeson County.
UNCP pair admitted to School of Veterinary Medicine at NC State
Alexis High is one step closer to fulfilling her dream of becoming a veterinarian. High will become the first graduate of UNCP’s Veterinary Education Access Scholars Program, a pathway initiative formed four years ago granting a select number of biology students guaranteed acceptance into N.C. State University’s College of Veterinary Medicine program. She is on track to complete her biology degree in May and begin the veterinary program this summer.
UNCP research scientist Ben Bahr earns top mentoring award
UNC Pembroke neuroscientist Ben Bahr has received the 2021 Outstanding Mentor Award from the health sciences division of the Council on Undergraduate Research. The award is a testament to Dr. Bahr’s passion for teaching the next generation of scientists and researchers. The award honors exceptional mentoring and advising by higher education faculty across all subdivisions of health sciences. Bahr joined the UNCP faculty in 2009 as the William C. Friday Distinguished Professor of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry.
Undergraduate Researchers in Bahr Lab win Conference Awards
Undergraduate researchers Mercedes Dos Santos and Jared Tuton won awards for their oral presentations during the 117th Annual Meeting of the North Carolina Academy of Science. Their presentations, based on research in Ben Bahr’s Alzheimer’s Disease Laboratory, were judged in the “Cell & Molecular Biology, Microbiology, and Physiology” section of the Collegiate Academy of the North Carolina Academy of Science (CANCAS).
Bahr Lab’s Paper on Traumatic Brain Injury Makes Headline News
Ben Bahr’s lab has made dramatic and award-winning progress in understanding and addressing the underlying causes and risk factors with regard to Alzheimer’s disease. In collaboration with researchers at the U.S.
Alumnus Justin Villanueva admitted to pharmacy program at UNC Chapel Hill
Justin Villanueva, a recent UNC Pembroke graduate, has been accepted into the UNC Eshelman School of Pharmacy is located at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Villanueva earned a bachelor’s degree in chemistry in Fall 2020. He credits UNCP’s small, rigorous classes and outstanding professors for “igniting the spark of flame” within him to pursue a Doctor of Pharmacy degree.