When she arrived at �鶹��Ƶ, she planned to pursue international financial law. But as she considered her future, she began looking for a way to bring those two interests together. She reached out to department chairs across campus, asking questions about different majors and where they might lead.

A conversation with Professor of Public Health and Human Service Studies Cindy Fair helped her find that connection in public health. Studying its sociocultural dimensions alongside finance offered a path toward healthcare administration, a career she hadn’t previously considered.

For Gomez, the ability to explore that path began with the support that brought her to �鶹��Ƶ.

An Odyssey Program Scholar and Business Fellow from Sanford, North Carolina, Gomez receives the John L. Georgeo Scholarship. She credits the scholarship and the Odyssey Program with easing the financial pressure on her family and giving her room to make the most of college.

“I think without that, I don’t even know if �鶹��Ƶ could have been an option for me,” she said.

That support shaped more than her decision to attend. It allowed her to consider opportunities based on what she could learn, including an experience abroad supported by an additional Odyssey grant.

“It’s really nice to be able to go to college and just focus on being at college, not to focus about the financials of it,” she said.

Gomez came to �鶹��Ƶ after earning an associate degree from Central Carolina Community College while attending Lee Early College. The experience helped her develop study habits, explore possible careers and learn how to seek out resources. At �鶹��Ƶ, she continued asking questions and building relationships with people who could help her find her direction.

Her interests came together during an internship with Cura Systems in Singapore. There, she worked with nursing homes transitioning from handwritten records to a digital system.

Gomez helped set up tablets, developed instructions and guided staff through unfamiliar technology. Working with employees from different countries also challenged her to communicate across language barriers and build trust as they learned together.

As the company’s first intern, she had a chance to help shape her role. What began as an unfamiliar assignment became an opportunity to see how business processes and technology could support healthcare work.

“I didn’t ever think I’d be in a technology consulting role, but I really enjoyed it,” she said.

Her time abroad also gave her a clearer sense of herself. While studying in Australia, she began waking early to watch the sunrise and noticed how often people made time to be outside before and after work. She brought that routine back to Charlotte for her next internship, taking morning walks and walking to the office.

The experience helped her become more comfortable on her own and more deliberate about the life she wanted to build.

Back in North Carolina, Gomez applied what she was learning through a practicum with the Alamance County Health Department. Its baby closet provides donated clothing, diapers and wipes to local families. Gomez helped move its handwritten tracking process into a digital format, making information about visits and needed supplies easier to organize.

She has also explored food insecurity closer to campus. Through her PACE job as food justice coordinator in the Office of Environmental and Place-Based Education, Gomez works with Professor of Education Scott Morrison to research how universities help students access meals.

Being part of the Odyssey Program made her aware of the difference financial support can make. It also prompted her to think about students outside the program who might face similar needs. She has researched campus food pantries and meal swipe donation programs, hoping that work can contribute to additional resources at �鶹��Ƶ.

Gomez credits mentorship with helping her turn those interests into action. Business Fellows Director Tina Doss has been a consistent source of guidance, while Morrison encouraged her to become more involved in public health.

Those relationships have shaped how she approaches her own roles in admissions and student government. When younger students have questions, she wants to help them find someone who can answer.

“It’s just advocating for yourself and others is the biggest thing that you have to do,” she said.

After two summer internships with EY in Charlotte, Gomez plans to return to the firm full time after graduation. During her most recent internship, she worked with healthcare and life sciences clients, continuing to connect her finance education with her interest in health.

She also found a network of �鶹��Ƶ alumni at EY who made time to meet with interns and share advice. As she begins her career, she hopes to help develop more formal mentorship opportunities for interns in tax and audit.

The scholarship that helped Gomez attend �鶹��Ƶ gave her the freedom to explore an unexpected direction. The people she met along the way helped her pursue it. Now, she wants to offer that same guidance to students following her.

“I want everyone to succeed, honestly, more than I have,” she said.

With Rotary’s support, Ecker is currently earning her Master of Science in Food Security from the University of Edinburgh in Scotland so she can fulfill her mission of strengthening local and global food systems through sustainable, ecological practices.

Ecker is the eighth �鶹��Ƶ student in six consecutive years to receive District 7690’s Rotary Club’s Global Grant; the only recipients since 2021 have been �鶹��Ƶ students and alumni. She follows Faith Leslie ‘21, Allison Potter ’22, Kiara Hunter ’23, Megan Curling ’23, Ava de Bruin ’23, Nazaneen Shokri ’24, and Holly Miranda ‘20. All recipients since 2022 have had at least one major in public health, a testament to the Department of Public Health’s ability to successfully prepare leaders who address the most pressing public health concerns of the 21st century.

This opportunity is not limited to public health majors, though, and all interested �鶹��Ƶ students and alumni should contact the National and International Fellowships Office for more information about the application process. Applications will be due in mid-December, and the office will start supporting applicants in early November.

An undergraduate experience ‘rooted in collaboration’

Ecker arrived at �鶹��Ƶ as a Teaching Fellow prepared to major in elementary education, but everything changed for her after taking one course: Introduction to Public Health. She started to observe the intersections between education and public health and realized that a career in the field would allow her to meaningfully combine her interests. Soon after, she declared a double major in public health and international & global studies with a minor in French and joined the Global Partnership Scholars Program (formerly the Periclean Scholars Program) to put her newfound passion into practice.

As a Global Partnership Scholar, an experience she calls “an honor and one of the most meaningful parts of [her] �鶹��Ƶ experience,” Ecker spent three years learning about building ethical partnerships locally and abroad. She traveled to Jamkhed, India twice to work on the Comprehensive Rural Health Project, and served as a peer mentor to a younger cohort of scholars traveling to Sri Lanka. These experiences, paired with Ecker’s semester abroad in Denmark, helped shape her into an ethical, global citizen.

In addition to her international experiences, Ecker also knew she wanted to complete undergraduate research to make a long-term impact locally. Under the mentorship of Scott Morrison, professor of education, Ecker worked extensively with the , a grassroots organization in a historically Black Burlington neighborhood. Founded in 2017 by Lydia Jones and Joyce Moore, MCG’s mission is “to educate, empower and encourage individuals through acts of service and giving.”

Ecker’s project included two years of Community-Based Participatory Action Research (CBPAR), an approach that makes community members equal partners in the research process. She spent months attending community meetings, volunteering at the garden, and surveying residents to understand their needs. Ecker then worked in partnership with Morrison and Ashlie Thomas—a gardener, author, and nutrition scientist—to create “Rooted Together,” a free eight-week program for children in Morrowtown that combined gardening, literacy, math and nutrition lessons. She also worked to co-create service-learning opportunities so more �鶹��Ƶ students can get involved with the garden in the future.

“Bringing more professors and students to the table to support Morrowtown and its garden reflects the importance of putting the ‘co’ in collaboration,” she said.

In addition to these impressive achievements, Ecker also served as the co-president for the French Honors Society and an �鶹��Ƶ 1010 Peer Educator. She credits her successes to her wide range of �鶹��Ƶ mentors.

“I am fortunate to have mentors across public health, education, engineering, environmental science, French, and the International & Global Studies Program,” she said. “My primary mentor, Dr. Morrison in the School of Education, profoundly influenced my �鶹��Ƶ experience. My interest in food systems began with our research project, and his mentorship is part of the reason I am pursuing a master’s in food security. Equally as important, Molly Green, Amanda Tapler, Scott Wolter, Jacob Rutz, Sophie Adamson, Olivia Choplin, Mussa Idris, Waseem Kasim and Andrea Sinn also shaped my undergraduate experience through a deeply interdisciplinary lens. They continuously supported and challenged me to reach my full potential, and I would not be where I am today without their mentorship.”

An alignment of values

With these rich experiences under her belt, it only made sense that Ecker would continue to pursue advanced education in the field of public health, which is how she discovered the Master of Science in Food Security at The University of Edinburg, a program that combines foundational training alongside valuable international fieldwork placements. Ecker knew this was the next best step for her but needed support to make it a reality.

By working with the National and International Fellowships Office, Ecker learned about the Rotary Global Grant and the natural ways it aligned with the work she’d already done.

“I was motivated to apply because Rotary’s values and goals align closely with my own values and academic aims,” she explained. “I found a scholarship and a community that truly values serving others, which is what I have tried to do through my work with the Morrowtown community and my on-campus leadership. I chose Rotary because it supports selfless future leaders and global citizens who will make an impact.”

This alignment was also clear to the Piedmont District 7690 Rotary Club, and after a rigorous application and interview process, Ecker heard the news she’d been hoping for: she was the next recipient of the $30,000 grant. Now, Ecker is in the second month of her graduate studies at Edinburgh.

“I am thoroughly enjoying my modules. I am taking two core modules, Frameworks to Food Systems and Sustainability in Food Production, along with an elective called Sustainable Entrepreneurship. It has been amazing to finally study the theories, history, and vulnerability assessments of food security in depth, while also learning about the entrepreneurial and business side of the food system,” she said.

Looking ahead, she is eager to complete her dissertation project and an international field trip with her master’s cohort in April. While her dissertation ideas are still in development, Ecker hopes to focus on topics like sustainable business models in food systems or entrepreneurship and resilience in food-insecure communities. The international field trip will take place in Morocco, where she will learn about a new food system and visit international and local food security organizations.

Outside of the classroom, Ecker has loved exploring Edinburgh with her flatmates and members of the Rotary Club of Braids. One of the hallmarks of the Rotary Global Grant is the connections that are forged with local chapters so recipients feel welcomed and supported during their transition abroad.

“My Rotarian international hosts, Duncan, Paul, and Anne, have been a supportive community,” she said. “Duncan even picked my parents and I up from the airport when we arrived! My family was also invited to attend a Rotary luncheon to meet the Braids chapter. I could not think of a more wholesome welcome to a new country!”

While Ecker is still deciding what comes after the Master of Science program, she might go straight to work within international food security, or perhaps continue on to earn her PhD—her commitment to improving the lives of others is steadfast and clear. She is already well on her way to becoming precisely the kind of “selfless leader and global citizen” that Rotary International seeks to amplify.

But there are people who make it their mission to ensure those around them feel not only welcomed, but comfortable. At �鶹��Ƶ, Anette Cruz ’29 is one of those people.

“I like to bring a little bit of comfort to wherever I go,” said Cruz, a public health major from Graham, North Carolina.

Cruz brings that comfort with her to every program and organization she is involved in—the Odyssey Program, �鶹��Ƶ Academy and the Latinx-Hispanic Union.

When Cruz first arrived at �鶹��Ƶ, she found that comfort in the Mi Casa Living Learning Community. The community expanded her circle and helped her create a sense of home on campus. Through events hosted by Mi Casa, Cruz learned about new opportunities and met people she otherwise might never have known.

“I was able to find home here. I never once felt like I was alone,” Cruz said.

Cruz also knew she wanted to be a part of the Latinx-Hispanic Union, which she found on social media where she saw a close-knit community that shared its culture with the campus.

During her first year, she served on their executive board, and when the opportunity arose to serve during her sophomore year as president, she immediately took it. Cruz is now working to grow LHU’s presence across campus through collaborations with other student organizations and Latinx organizations at other universities. At the same time, she wants the �鶹��Ƶ community to know that everyone has a place at LHU.

“LHU isn’t just for Latinx and Hispanic students. It’s for everyone,” Cruz said. “Anyone can come to our events and have a good time.”

While Cruz has taken on several leadership roles at �鶹��Ƶ, she views leadership through the lens of helping others.

“I’ve always loved helping other people, or you could say mentoring people,” Cruz said. “I like seeing other people succeed.”

One of Cruz’s most significant experiences with mentorship at �鶹��Ƶ began before she officially enrolled as a first-year student. As a high school student, Cruz participated in �鶹��Ƶ Academy, where she found mentors and developed a desire to help younger students navigate experiences she had already been through.

One of those mentors is Manny Campos, the �鶹��Ƶ Academy assistant director of college success. He has seen Cruz grow during her time in the �鶹��Ƶ Academy.

“She has gone from being a quiet and reserved student in high school to becoming a leader in various spaces, including being President of LHU,” said Campos. “Anette leads by example, and I am beyond grateful to be a part of her support system as she continues her journey to her own success.”

Whenever someone in the program has shown interest in the advanced pathways PA program, she has tried to help them go in the right direction by giving advice and helping share what she had learned in the past.

“�鶹��Ƶ Academy really allowed for me to help these younger students,” she said.

For Cruz, Hispanic Heritage Month is more than a month of celebration. It’s about family, she said. It’s seeing everyone in the community get together and celebrate and sharing her culture with the rest of campus.

�鶹��Ƶ honors Hispanic Heritage Month

As part of Hispanic Heritage Month, �鶹��Ƶ is sharing stories that celebrate the contributions, identities and experiences of students, faculty and staff. This month recognizes the rich histories and cultures of Hispanic and Latine communities, while also honoring the ways these traditions connect with and inspire people of all backgrounds. This month provides a special opportunity to honor Hispanic and Latinx heritage, but it also serves as an invitation for all members of the university to engage, learn and celebrate together.

The prevalence of Type 2 Diabetes is increasing in Africa. Darfour-Oduro and her collaborators aimed to evaluate the impact of structured and supervised physical activity on HbA1c levels among adults with Type 2 diabetes and report on the pooled prevalence of physical activity in studies conducted in Africa.

The researchers conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis. They reviewed four online databases (PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus and CINAHL) between Oct. 12, 2024, and Dec. 23, 2024. They included observational studies as well as experimental studies conducted in Africa that reported physical activity among patients diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes. For the meta-analysis, the authors included studies reporting the prevalence of physical activity and studies evaluating the impact of structured and supervised physical activity on HbA1c.

The authors found that the pooled prevalence of physical activity was 56%. They also found that structured and supervised physical activity was associated with a 1.20 reduction in HbA1c levels.

The researchers identified barriers that affect participation in physical activity, and these ranged from patient knowledge and illness-related challenges to sociocultural and structural factors. The authors also found that support from peers and health care workers can encourage greater participation in physical activities.

For Darfour-Oduro, the key takeaway from this article is that physical activity can play an important role in improving the management of Type 2 diabetes in Africa.

“These findings show that diabetes programs should promote physical activity while addressing the social, cultural and environmental barriers that prevent people from being active,” Darfour-Oduro said. “Interventions should be affordable, accessible, culturally appropriate, and integrated into routine diabetes care and community settings.”

The activities’ goals included:

• Strengthening collaboration and teamwork
• Practicing effective communication and group decision-making
• Understanding the importance of listening to and valuing everyone’s perspectives
• Reflecting on ways teams can improve their approach to working together

For the workshop, “Purposeful Playful Collaboration and Teams,” Darfour-Oduro welcomed Daniella Alonzo Lopez from �鶹��Ƶ’s Center for Design Thinking to work with her students in the Global Health class.

The students were first divided into groups, and each group was asked to build the tallest tower possible using Brain Flakes toys. Before beginning, students discussed and developed a strategy for approaching the challenge and achieving their goal. After completing their towers, the students shared their experiences and discussed what worked well within their groups and what they could have improved to build a taller tower. This reflection encouraged students to look beyond the success of their final outcomes and consider how their approach, communication, and teamwork influenced the results.

Darfour-Oduro shared that the workshop was designed to prepare students for group projects in the Global Health class. For the project, each student will be assigned a country and will work in groups organized according to the World Health Organization (WHO) regions.

The workshop emphasized the importance of skills that extend beyond the classroom and into the field of global health, where addressing complex health challenges often require individuals with diverse perspectives and experiences to collaborate toward a shared goal.

Their chapter, titled , is intended to serve as a comprehensive guide and “how to” resource for academics seeking to engage in partnerships with community organizations in international settings, using the principles of Fair Trade Learning as a lodestar. The abstract for their chapter is as follows:

This chapter explores the complexities and ethical considerations of international community-engaged learning, highlighting the experiences of sustained partnerships between �鶹��Ƶ and two international organizations (the Comprehensive Rural Health Project in Jamkhed, India and Sarvodaya in Sri Lanka). Drawing on the Fair Trade Learning (FTL) model, the authors emphasize core principles such as cultural humility, reciprocity, and critical global citizenship, while addressing challenges unique to international contexts including positionality, narrative humility, accessibility and sustainability.

Through practical guidance and case examples, the chapter conveys the importance of co-creating community-engaged learning programs with community partners, prioritizing mutual benefit, and avoiding exploitative or colonialist dynamics. The chapter highlights various assessment tools to measure community impact. By integrating the UN Sustainable Development Goals and engaging with students’ identities and motivations, this chapter advocates for intentional, transformative community-engaged learning programs that support student, university, organization, and community development and global equity.

Anna Gratz ’30 was at a Girl Scout meeting when she got an unexpected text message: �鶹��Ƶ President Connie Ledoux Book wanted Gratz to call her.

“I had no idea what this was going to be about,” Gratz said. “So I stepped out, and I called her, and she told me the news. I was in shock. I was speechless.”

Book told Gratz she would receive the William R. Kenan Honors Scholarship, �鶹��Ƶ’s highest academic award, which provides a four-year, full-tuition grant for the top Honors Fellow entering �鶹��Ƶ each fall. Recipients will have extensive enrichment opportunities, including leadership development, service-learning experiences, study abroad, research stipends and internships. The scholarship was established in 2003 through a grant from the William R. Kenan Jr. Charitable Trust.

“I went right back into the meeting and told all my Girl Scout sisters,” she said. “They were so excited for me. It was a really great moment.”

A Girl Scout Gold Award recipient, Gratz said the organization was a critical part of her Honors Fellow interview. The Sugar Land, Texas native plans to major in public health and is considering a double major in human service studies as she explores potential careers ranging from physical and occupational therapy to public health administration and policy.

“I focused my Gold Award on helping children with disabilities advocate for themselves in the classroom,” she said. “This project stemmed from my passion for helping people break past social and personal barriers, and I want to continue to use this passion at �鶹��Ƶ and in my future career.”

The scholarship will give Gratz greater freedom to explore her interests at �鶹��Ƶ and eventually pursue graduate education. She entered college knowing she wanted to work in a health-related field, particularly one involving children, but is intentionally keeping an open mind about where that interest might lead.

In high school, she volunteered with Texas Children’s Hospital and participated in a museum camp connected with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. She also has an interest in working with children and adults with disabilities, primarily at GiGi’s Playhouse Sugar Land, where she has spent the past six years volunteering and teaching American Sign Language to individuals with Down Syndrome. The financial support provided by the scholarship will play an important role in that journey, she said, allowing her to think about graduate school without the financial burden of paying for her undergraduate education.

Not only did Gratz receive a personal call from Book about the honor, but she was also acknowledged during New Student Convocation on Aug. 22.

“It’s truly just the best honor,” Gratz said. “The amount of support �鶹��Ƶ has given me is insanely incredible. I feel so supported in every which way.”

That sense of connection was among the reasons Gratz initially chose �鶹��Ƶ. She was drawn to the university’s small class sizes, the opportunity to develop relationships with professors and the university’s Jewish community.

“I am a chronic front-row sitter and questioner,” she said. “I can get that individual relationship with the professors; I love that they know our names and want to get to know us and the perspectives that we bring. It’s just very welcoming and really values each student.”

As her �鶹��Ƶ experience begins, Gratz is eager to embrace both the academic and community opportunities ahead.

“I really love learning, and not just for the grade, but to learn in an intellectual way and question the world around me,” she said. “I’m also just very excited to make new friends, join new student organizations and immerse myself in a new environment.”

Recipients of the annual awards are nominated by their colleagues and selected by the College’s dean and associate deans.

“Each of these award recipients demonstrate dedication to their students and colleagues,” said Hilton Kelly, dean of �鶹��Ƶ College, the College of Arts and Sciences. “I am so pleased to recognize each of these faculty and staff members for all of their work and contributions to supporting the mission of the College.”

The 2026 College Excellence Award recipients:

Excellence in Teaching Award

Kristen Mazur

Associate Professor of Mathematics and Statistics

Associate Professor Kristen Mazur builds her classrooms around the idea that students learn best when they are encouraged to take intellectual risks, embrace productive struggles and grow through challenges. She was the leader in the development of �鶹��Ƶ’s Precalculus program and co-creator of the Mathematics and Statistics Learning Assistant Program, helping strengthen pathways into science, technology, engineering and mathematics fields. She received the Trevor Evans Award, established by the Mathematical Association of America, for scholarship of an exceptional mathematics article that is accessible to undergraduates which was published in “Math Horizons.” Mazur also has multiple publications with undergraduate co-authors.

Excellence in Scholarship

Yanica Faustin

Assistant Professor of Public Health

Assistant Professor Yanica Faustin’s work focuses on health equity and understanding and dismantling the systemic and structural barriers that shape health and well-being for marginalized communities. Faustin was �鶹��Ƶ’s first recipient of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Health Equity Scholars for Action award, a national grant supporting groundbreaking scholarship that advances health equity. This award helped position �鶹��Ƶ on a national stage in public health research. In addition to peer-reviewed publications, invited presentations and public scholarship, she has built a research program committed to developing future scholars. Faustin has also advanced national conversations around maternal and reproductive health, racial inequities in birth outcomes, severe maternal morbidity and the health experiences of Black communities across the diaspora.

Excellence in Service-Leadership Award

Corey Roberts

Assistant Professor of Native American and Indigenous Studies

Assistant Professor Corey Roberts’ service has been defined by a commitment to collaboration and community engagement. Through leadership of the Occaneechi Band of the Saponi Nation (OBSN) Heritage Language and Learning Working Group, Roberts helped secure multiple grants, develop educational initiatives, organize conferences and workshops and deepens the partnership between �鶹��Ƶ and the OBSN. These efforts brought together students, faculty, staff, tribal leaders and community members in meaningful and lasting ways. He helped to lead the creation and installation of a historic marker at The Oaks that includes Yesa:sahí language and a land acknowledgment, along with coordinating signage on OBSN tribal grounds. The dedication brought more than 120 members of the �鶹��Ƶ and tribal communities together. Roberts also helped organize the Undergraduate Conference on Languages and Cultures, coordinated Polyglot Lunches, co-advises the Native American Student Association and delivered guest lectures that embody language, culture, community and belonging.

Excellence in Mentoring Award

Lauren Guilmette

Associate Professor of Philosophy

Associate Professor Lauren Guilmette has created numerous opportunities for students to connect their academic work with the wider world. From mentoring independent research projects, Honors students, Summer Undergraduate Research Experience scholars and graduate school applicants, to creating programs that connect students with faculty mentors, community partners and scholars across the country, Guilmette bands the horizons of what mentoring can be. As an advisor to the Gender & Sexuality Living Learning Community, Guilmette has cultivated spaces where students find community, leadership opportunities and a sense of belonging. Through partnerships with local organizations, grassroots initiatives, and community leaders, students have been encouraged to see themselves not simply as learners, but as engaged citizens capable of making a difference in the world. She also has a gift for connecting people, students with mentors, students with communities, students with one another and students with a deeper sense of purpose.

Staff Excellence Award

Beth DeFord

Program Assistant for Psychology, Human Service Studies and Public Health

Program Assistant Beth DeFord has spent more than two decades tracking down the right answer, identifying a potential problem before it arises, navigating a complicated process, helping a colleague meet a deadline and working behind the scenes to ensure things run smoothly. Known for approaching tasks with professionalism, precision, kindness and a desire to help others succeed, faculty trust her expertise, students benefit from her support and colleagues rely on her wisdom and institutional knowledge. DeFord supports three academic departments, Psychology, Human Service Studies and Public Health, to provide assistance to faculty, supervise student employees, support hundreds of students and manages a building. One nominator described DeFord as a superhero who manages an enormous workload, yet somehow makes it all look effortless.

Before they could create communications campaigns, students in Professor Julie Lellis’ Senior Seminar in Health Communications spent time listening.

They listened to physicians and midwives. They listened to expectant mothers. And they listened to the stories behind the data as part of a partnership with Cone Health’s program that challenged students to address real-world maternal health communication needs.

Those conversations and observations laid the foundation for the students’ semester-long projects. Working with the Cone Health Center for Women’s Healthcare at MedCenter for Women, students developed strategic communications campaigns aimed at increasing enrollment, improving retention and expanding awareness of the program among patients and healthcare providers.

As part of the partnership, students worked directly with healthcare professionals, including Dr. Kim Newton, founder and lead physician of Mom+Baby Combined Care, and Virginia Smith, CenteringPregnancy coordinator. Several students also attended the North Carolina and Virginia Centering Consortium, gaining firsthand insight into the impact of group prenatal care on maternal and infant health outcomes. During Finals Week, students presented their campaigns to Newton and Smith, who visited �鶹��Ƶ’s campus.

CenteringPregnancy is an evidence-based model of group prenatal care that combines health assessments, education and peer support. Research has shown the approach can improve maternal and infant health outcomes while helping reduce disparities in care. At the MedCenter for Women in Greensboro, many participants are covered by Medicaid, and the clinic serves uninsured and underinsured patients throughout the region.

“The �鶹��Ƶ students were a great part of our team,” Newton said. “They took the time to understand and engage with CenteringPregnancy and really captured how the group care feels different and meets people where they are. Their presentations were impressive to say the least and also provided our team with a roadmap for how to ensure our work to expand Centering feels cohesive and genuine.”

For Emmy Beauvais ’26, a strategic communications major with minors in health communications and business administration, the project demonstrated how classroom learning can translate into community impact.

“Participating in the Health Comm Senior Seminar class – and working with Virginia and Dr. Newton – was one of the most meaningful experiences of my time at �鶹��Ƶ,” Beauvais said. “Unlike classroom projects, this project gave us the opportunity to develop and present a real communications campaign for an actual client. We did this through research-backed goals, objectives and strategies, and tangible deliverables that could be implemented in practice.”

Beauvais said attending the regional consortium early in the semester helped shape the team’s work and deepen her understanding of maternal healthcare challenges and opportunities.

“Overall, this experience showed me what it looks like to create work that extends beyond the classroom and truly can make a meaningful impact on a community,” she said.

The course also received a Community Partnership Initiative Grant from �鶹��Ƶ’s Kernodle Center. The grant helped Centering providers purchase educational supplies for participants, while students assembled Baby Go! Bags filled with diapers, wipes, burp cloths and other newborn essentials for expectant mothers.

Lellis, who directs the health communications minor, said the partnership allowed students to see both the personal and systemic dimensions of healthcare communication.

“Students experienced everything from the joy of hearing a baby’s heartbeat to the heartache of exploring the realities of health disparities in maternal care,” Lellis said. “They learned how Centering is changing outcomes and making a direct impact on the lives of pregnant women in our local area.”

Lellis explained that the experience challenged students to translate research and data into actionable communications strategies for a community partner.

“Students learned how to generate insights based on data and turn those insights into creative strategies that inform audiences and motivate them to act,” she said.

�鶹��Ƶ has been repeatedly recognized for the number of its alumni who participate in the Fulbright Program as teachers, graduate students, and researchers and has been named a top-producer of Fulbright students in six separate years. Students and alumni interested in the Fulbright Program or other nationally competitive fellowships are invited to contact the National and International Fellowships Office. The deadline to notify the office of your intent to apply for Fulbright in this upcoming cycle is June 1, 2026. Rising seniors are required to work with the National and International Fellowships Office to apply for Fulbright, and alumni are highly encouraged to do so.

Those who received awards this year are:

Azul Bellot ’26

Azul Bellot, a double major in psychology and sociolinguistics with a minor in TESOL, has received a Fulbright grant to teach English in Spain. She is The �鶹��Ƶ Commitment scholar in the Odyssey Program and a student scholar with The Center for Engaged Learning.

Bellot has been preparing for an experience like Fulbright long before she arrived at �鶹��Ƶ. Reflecting on her early years, she says, “Growing up as the daughter of Mexican immigrants, I was my family’s translator from a young age. I navigated formal systems, adult conversations, and bureaucratic spaces in both English and Spanish long before I had the language to describe what that experience was doing to me. It gave me a deep understanding of what it means for language to be a gateway, and what it costs when that gateway is closed.”

These formative years laid the groundwork for her time at �鶹��Ƶ, where she developed her own independent sociolinguistics major, volunteered as an English tutor for children and adults, and conducted research on meaningful mentoring relationships. To Bellot, a Fulbright English Teaching Assistantship in Spain is “the most honest intersection of everything [she’s] been working towards: language, identity, education, and community.”

After Fulbright, Bellot plans to pursue more international fellowships before returning to academia to earn her PhD in Applied Linguistics. Her �鶹��Ƶ mentors include Archie Crowley, assistant professor of English; Nina Namaste, professor of Spanish; and Sylvia Muñoz, assistant dean of students and director for the Center for Race, Ethnicity and Diversity Education.

Anya Bratić ’26

Anya Bratić, a double major in international & global Studies and public policy with a minor in public health, has received a Fulbright grant to teach English in Vietnam. She is an �鶹��Ƶ College Fellow, a Periclean Scholar, and the Student Government Association Student Body President.

To Bratić, Fulbright represents the intersection of her two greatest passions: global engagement and teaching. She found ways to blend these passions during her time at �鶹��Ƶ. As a Periclean Scholar, she had the opportunity to study abroad in India to understand what mutually beneficial relationships look like in practice, not just in theory. As a student consultant with the Center for Design Thinking, she developed a love for teaching and facilitation, specifically the challenge of guiding others through the structured process of finding meaningful solutions to “wicked” problems. Serving as an English teaching assistant will allow her to refine her intercultural and teaching skills while strengthening diplomatic relations between the United States and Vietnam.

After Fulbright, Bratić is interested in pursuing a career in diplomacy or global social impact. “Simply put, I want to work at the intersection of people, policy and purpose,” she says. Bratić’s constellation of �鶹��Ƶ mentors includes Amanda Tapler, associate teaching professor of public health studies; Safia Swimelar, professor of political science and public policy; Sean McMahon, professor of entrepreneurship; and Danielle Lake, director of design thinking and associate professor of human service studies.

Molly Moylan ’26

Biochemistry major Molly Moylan has received a Fulbright grant to teach English in Spain.

At �鶹��Ƶ, Moylan took every opportunity to foster and blend her passions for STEM research, teaching and service. As a researcher, Moylan worked with chemistry professor Dan Wright to study trace metals within medicinal herbs and spices. She refined her teaching skills by serving with America Reads, the Village Project, the CityGate Dream Center, and more. Most notably, Moylan found a way to combine her passions by co-founding Imagine Science, a program designed to address declining student engagement in science education by bringing hands-on experiments and activities to local after-school programs.

In Spain, Moylan will serve as an English Teaching Assistant in Galicia, a region that is especially interested in promoting students’ scientific thinking skills. This Fulbright year will serve as crucial preparation for Moylan as she applies to medical school. The language and cultural skills she will gain in Spain will allow her to better serve Spanish-speaking patients in the future.

Moylan’s most influential �鶹��Ƶ mentor has been Assistant Professor of Chemistry Dan Wright. “Dr. Dan Wright has been instrumental in my success at �鶹��Ƶ,” she said. “Through his continued support, my confidence in both my personal and professional capacities has grown immensely, and I am extremely grateful to have had him as a mentor.”

Madison Powers ’25

Madison Powers, who graduated in 2025 with a degree in journalism and a minor in Spanish, has received a Fulbright grant to teach English in Spain. At �鶹��Ƶ, Powers was a communications fellow and a 2023 Pulitzer reporting fellow. Since graduating, she has served as an editorial intern at Garden & Gun Magazine in Charleston, South Carolina.

Powers has long had her sights set on a Fulbright English Teaching Assistantship in Spain. During her undergraduate years, she spent a semester in Sevilla and fostered her dual passions for cross-cultural exchange and global education. Eager to return, she applied for Fulbright in last year’s application cycle and was named a semifinalist. She remained so committed to the value of a Fulbright experience that she chose to reapply this year, and her hard work and persistence paid off.

Powers will serve as an English teaching assistant in Madrid. She is excited to live and work in a large, diverse city while improving her Spanish language skills and forming connections with her community. Serving in Madrid will also allow her to work closely with students on Global Classrooms/Model UN projects, which are important to the development of their critical thinking and cross-cultural skills.

This Fulbright year will serve as a bridge between Powers’ current and future journalistic work. Upon returning to the U.S, she plans to work as a journalist reporting on and working in Spanish-speaking communities. Her �鶹��Ƶ mentors include Kelly Furnas, associate teaching professor of journalism; Jan Register, administrative assistant for the Truitt Center for Religious and Spiritual Life; and Pablo Celis-Castillo, associate professor of Spanish.

Aryanna Vindas ’25

Aryanna Vindas, a graduate of the class of 2025, has received a Fulbright grant to teach English in South Korea. She graduated with a BFA in Dance Performance and Choreography and a minor in Asian studies.

Serving as an English teaching assistant in South Korea is a natural extension of the work Vindas began at �鶹��Ƶ. She completed a two-year undergraduate research project about Korean Buddhist mindfulness, studied abroad for a semester in South Korea, and undertook a rigorous course of Korean language study. Simultaneously, she developed her teaching skills by serving as a volunteer English teacher, tutoring Spanish, and leading and assisting dance classes.

Because her grant does not begin until January 2027, Vindas has chosen to go above and beyond to prepare. She will spend this summer in South Korea completing intensive language study at Yonsei University in Seoul, which will help her integrate more successfully into her future host community and build more meaningful relationships with her students.

After Fulbright, Vindas plans to enroll in graduate school to continue the research on Buddhist mindfulness she began at �鶹��Ƶ. Vindas’ �鶹��Ƶ mentors include Renay Aumiller, associate professor of dance; the “wonderful” dance staff; and Pamela Winfield, professor of religious studies and associate director of international & global studies.

In addition to these students, one senior has been named an alternate. Alternates are still in the competition and have the chance to be promoted to finalists (recipients of the grant) up until the official start of the grant period. We will update this story as we continue to hear news of their progress.

Rebecca Lovasco ’26

Rebecca Lovasco, a psychology major with minors in women’s, gender, and sexuality studies and neuroscience, has been selected as an alternate for a Fulbright study/research grant in Taiwan to earn a master’s degree in Mind, Brain, and Consciousness at Taipei Medical University.

Lovasco is an �鶹��Ƶ College Fellow who went on to win the Lumen Prize. Her research, which integrates cognitive neuroscience, clinical psychology, and philosophy of mind, explores how anxiety and depression affect reinforcement learning and conscious visual perception. Outside of her research, Lovasco is proud to have served as a law enforcement crisis counselor with the Campus Alamance program.

Lovasco’s �鶹��Ƶ mentors include Kristina Krasich, assistant professor of psychology; William Schreiber, associate professor of psychology; Kim Epting, professor of psychology; Alexa Darby, professor of psychology; and Jill McSweeney, assistant director of the Center for the Advancement of Teaching and Learning and assistant professor of wellness.