Fifteen sophomores received news Thursday morning that they were recipients of Elon University's Lumen Prize, a $15,000 award given to help students attain their "ambitious and serious intellectual goals."
Applicants were required to go through an extensive application process that included letters of recommendation and nomination, a detailed project plan and interview.
Ann Cahill, director of the program, released the list of the recipients Friday afternoon in an email to The Pendulum. Cahill said she waited until Friday to release the names for publication to give the awardees time to let the news sink in.
Below are the fifteen recipients, along with their major, mentor name and project title.
Nicole Ackman
Strategic Communications, History
Mentor: Michael Carignan
“The Salonnières: Women, the Public Sphere, and Education in Enlightenment-Era Paris”
Brianna Birchett
International Studies
Mentor: Brian Pennington
“Praise, Pity, and Persecution: The Effects of 20th Century Political Reformists on Modern
Conceptions of Devadasis”
Benjamin Bridges
Anthropology
Mentor: Tom Mould
“Navigating Globalization through Myth in Quechua Communities of Southern Peru”
Leena Dahal
International Studies and Strategic Communications
Mentor: Mussa Idris
“Chatting With My Best Friends: Intergenerational Responses to “Communication for
Development” Strategies in Rural Nepal”
Nicole Doolen
Exercise Science
Mentor: Wally Bixby
“Examining the third pillar of exercise prescription: ratings of pleasure-displeasure”
Jessica Graham
Biochemistry
Mentor: Tonya Train
“It’s a No-Brainer: Effects of Exposure of Methylphenidate on Neural Growth and Function”
Peter Jakes
Mathematics and Statistics
Mentor: Chad Awtrey
“Opening new avenues in STEM research and education: Increasing Accessibility for Solving
Higher Degree Polynomials with Galois Groups”
Ashley King
Exercise and Dance Science
Mentor: Joyce Davis
“The Effect of Chronic Knee Injury on Kinematic Knee Performance for the Saut de Chat in
Collegiate Female Dancers”
Beth Lester
Independent Major – Industrial Design Studies
Mentor: Scott Wolter
“Designing a Smart Mobility Product for an Elderly Population”
Kate Levenberg
Public Health
Mentor: Tonya Train
“The Impact of the Bupropion on Insulin Resistance”
Justin Morin
Economics, Finance
Mentor: Katy Rouse
“The Relationship Between Income Disparities and Hospitalization Rates of Ambulatory Care-
Sensitive Conditions”
Michelle Reissig
Public Health Studies (Socio-Cultural Context)
Mentor: Cynthia Fair
“Childbirth Self-efficacy and Birth Experiences of Primiparous African-American Women: The
Influence of Birth Stories Heard during Pregnancy”
MaryClaire Schulz
Strategic Communications
Mentor: Lucinda Austin
“International Corporate Social Responsibility and Female Stakeholder Entrepreneurship: The
Case of Coca-Cola’s 5by20 Initiative”
Alex Vandermaas-Peeler
Political Science and International Studies
Mentor: Safia Swimelar
“Analyzing Women’s Post-War Narratives in Bosnia and Rwanda: Implications for
Peacebuilding”
Carly Weddle
Chemistry
Mentor: Keely Glass
“Quantification of the Chemical Markers of Melanin to Enhance Early Diagnosis of Melanoma”