USM Graduate Students Honored with Hall of Fame Portrait Unveiling

Wed, 04/24/2024 - 04:24pm | By: Shaadi Shoubaki

The University of Southern Mississippi (USM) Graduate School recognized 12 outstanding students in early April during the annual Graduate Student Hall of Fame Portrait Unveiling Ceremony. Inductees are selected by their academic dean from across the four colleges: Arts and Sciences, Business and Economic Development, Education and Human Sciences, and Nursing and Health Professions.

The 2024 honorees include:

*Abdulsalam Babatunde Adegoke, an Ibadan, Oyo State, Nigeria native, is pursuing a Ph.D. in Biological Sciences. His research investigates how blood-feeding arthropods, such as ticks, transmit pathogens that cause diseases to humans. Adegoke’s faculty advisor is Dr. Shahid Karim.

*Ana Ruth Cortés Arreaza, a Pinalejo, Santa Bárbara, Honduras native, is pursuing a Ph.D. in Human Capital Development (Instructional Technology Design). Her research examines career success among international students graduating from American universities and how institutions of higher education help prepare them for success in the United States job market. Arreaza’s faculty advisor is Dr. Quincy Brown.

*Ryan Aultman, a Seminary, Miss. native, is pursuing a Master of Science in Kinesiology (Exercise Science). His research focuses on autonomic responses, specifically pressor responses and the metaboreflex, in individuals presenting with metabolic syndrome or obesity. Aultman’s faculty advisor is Dr. Jon Stavres.

*Kaitlyn Boykin, an Ellisville, Miss. native, is pursuing a Ph.D. in Psychology (Experimental). Her research investigates social perceptions and interpersonal relationships, specifically the inferences we make about others based on various facial and body features. Boykin’s faculty advisor is Dr. Donald Sacco.

*Petron Dee Brown, a Nassau, Bahamas native, is pursuing his Master of Fine Arts in Theater (Performance). His research as a playwright explores international conversations on humanity, documentation of processes, movement, and voice work. Brown’s faculty advisor is Dr. Caitlyn Herzlinger.

*Michelle Gomez Dickerson, a Meridian, Miss. native, is pursuing a DNP in Nursing (Clinical). Her research focuses on the use of psychotropic medications often raises concerns among patients regarding their efficacy, adverse effects, and costs resulting in medication nonadherence. Dickerson’s faculty advisor is Dr. Lisa Morgan.

*Fabersha LaShun Flynt, an Athens, Ga. native, is pursuing an Ed.D. in Higher Education. Her research examines the complexities of racism, sexism, and microagression within predominantly white institutions and how Black women use their faith as a counterspace to circumvent these barriers in their attainment to senior leadership positions. Flynt’s faculty advisor is Dr. Kaity Prieto.

*Benjamin James Goudy, a Meridian, Miss. native, is pursuing a Master of Public Health in Health Administration Policy. His research explores how cultural values affect health behaviors in the Deep South, specifically concentrating on diet and physical activity. Goudy’s faculty advisor is Dr. Jennifer Lemacks.

*Melissa Queen Lomas, a Winston-Salem, N.C. native, is pursuing a Ph.D. in Human Capital Development. Her research explores night shift acute care nurses' narratives regarding burnout, low morale and engagement, and retention in the United States, with aggregated stories focusing on collaborative clinical solutions to mitigate these detrimental workforce conditions. Lomas’s faculty advisor is Dr. Quincy Brown.

*Oladeji Quadri Siyanbola, an Ipapo, Oyo State, Nigeria native, is pursuing a Ph.D. in Marine Science (Physical Oceanography). His research work focuses on the impacts of remotely generated internal waves on the ocean dynamics near the U.S. West Coast using regional numerical model simulations forced with a global ocean model simulation. Siyanbola’s faculty advisor is Dr. Maarten Buijsman. 

*Cassidy Tennity, a Collegeville, Pa. native, is pursuing a Ph.D. in Psychology (Clinical). Her research and clinical endeavors focus on delivering accessible evidence-based mental health services to vulnerable youth, particularly those entangled in the juvenile justice system Tennity’s faculty advisor is Dr. Nora Charles.

*Yunfei Wang, a Tieling, Liaoning, China native, is pursuing a Ph.D. in Polymer Science and Engineering. Her research focuses on the developing stretchable and self-healable semiconducting polymeric composites for wearable and implantable devices. Wang’s faculty advisor is Dr. Xiaodan Gu.

To learn more about the USM Graduate School visit their website or call 601.266.4639.