September 9, 2016 | Erin Bluvas, bluvase@sc.edu
Now in its seventh year, the Presidential Fellowship program is the most prestigious graduate-level award at the University of South Carolina. This merit-based program provides a four-year, $32,000 stipend for doctoral students and $20,000 (over five semesters) for Master of Fine Arts students.
The Graduate School announced 83 Presidential Fellows from 27 states and 13 countries for the 2016-2017 academic year. Ten of these promising students call the Arnold School of Public Health home. Learn more about the Arnold School's Presidential Fellows (who represent all six departments) below and learn more about Presidential Fellows university-wide with The Graduate School's directory.
"The strengths of the faculty in the Epidemiology and Biostatistics department were a huge reason I decided to pursue my Ph.D. at USC. I knew there would be plenty of opportunities to get involved in research that parallels my interests and that I would be able to get quality mentorship under Dr. Susan Steck."
"I chose USC for the curriculum in the Environmental Health Science Ph.D. program, as well as the research performed by the faculty. The program is very much in line with my own interests, and I think it will well prepare me for a career in microbial ecology research."
"(With my degree, I'm hoping to accomplish) A shift in the current paradigm of care promoting direct access to physical therapy intervention for musculoskeletal complaints. The goal of this model is to promote early intervention with an appropriate provider (PT) resulting in lower healthcare costs, improved patient outcomes and satisfaction, and decreased likelihood of chronicity."
"I was drawn to USC by the incredible public health work done here, specifically in global noncommunicable disease. People at the Arnold School emphasized the importance of doing meaningful work that moves public health forward, and their integrity and optimism were contagious. I was struck by the Arnold School’s focus on translating research into practice."
"I chose to study my Ph.D. at USC because of their high impact publications and research in public health in the area of health insurance coverage, healthcare financing, health disparity and HIV, which is in line with my research interests. Also, USC gives graduate students teaching opportunities, which enables them to impart knowledge to other students, in line with my long term goal as a prospective teacher."
"My advisor, Julius Fridriksson, is a very well respected and accomplished researcher in my field and was my first choice when considering graduate programs. I hope to refine some of my clinical skills and improve my knowledge of neuroimaging techniques. I’d also like to produce research that is translational and can positively impact clinical practice and outcomes for people with aphasia."
"I decided to attend USC because of my interest in my mentor’s research and the chance to collaborate with other science graduate students in the BBIP program. I hope to expand my knowledge and experience within the research process, collaborate on exercise research for patients with chronic disabilities and prepare myself for a career in academic physical therapy."
"I came to USC to pursue my master’s in epidemiology and decided to stay for my doctorate because of the high quality program, excellent teachers and mentors, and great weather. I’m lucky enough to work with Drs. Liu and Wilcoxon the NIH-funded HIPP Study, which is helping me gain firsthandexperience in clinical research and primary data analysis."
"In addition to the opportunity to study at the Arnold School of Public Health, I selected USC to join Dr. Andrew Kaczynski’s Built Environment and Community Health (BEACH) Lab. My interests align perfectly with the studies and goals of the lab, and I look forward to learning from and contributing to the meaningful research it produces."
"I came to USC because of the nationally ranked School of Public Health and Exercise Science program, as well as my acceptance into the BBIP program, which allows me to gain research experience in various labs and complete courses in both exercise science and neuroscience. I saw the Presidential Fellowship as an incredible opportunity to network with and learn from other graduate students across different departments."