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School of Medicine Greenville

Research Education Program

The University of South Carolina School of Medicine Greenville is creating new pathways for underrepresented students in South Carolina to pursue graduate programs in STEM fields.

About the Program

June 2, 2025 - July 25, 2025

The Research Education Program is supported through a five-year, $1.8 million NIH R25 grant from the National Institutes of Health, National Institute on Aging to provide research experience and academic enrichment.

The Research Education Program is designed to grow workforce diversity in science, technology, engineering and math fields by preparing underrepresented racial and ethnic minority students for graduate programs.

As a program participant, you will gain research experience, academic skills and readiness for STEM career advancement.

Program components

The summer experience provides biomedical research opportunities with expert faculty, professional development, workshop training and science/journal club meetings in aging research, as well as networking with other young scholars and researchers. As a participant, you will have the opportunity to present your work at a research symposium and/or professional conferences.

You will be immersed in an empowering culture of scientific research that allows you to grow your confidence and skills in independent in biomedical research and explore career goals.

You will participate in pre-professional development sessions that include:

  • educational activities that emphasize the relevance of aging and of the science of aging to your life
  • diversity in aging research
  • academic skill development in time management, exam taking, anxiety management and mentor-guided individual development plans.

You will receive

  • a stipend  and per diem for the entire 8-week summer program.
  • funds to travel to present research at local, regional and national conferences.

Build deeper connections with like-minded students and faculty mentors. The program aims to help you create the foundation of your professional network to support you as you complete your undergraduate studies, attend graduate schools and begin your career.

As a program participant, you will have the chance to utilize your training and mentoring to facilitate your own research project and present it in multiple conferences. You will also have the opportunity to produce abstracts and manuscripts.

The NIH R25 Student ambassador program is a program for NIH R25 that creates a liaison between graduates and potential NIH NIA scholars. It also promotes collaboration between research mentors and current NIH NIA scholars. Student ambassadors not only help with recruitment for the NIH R25 program, but they engage in near peer mentoring and professional development. Through the initiatives of the student ambassador, relationships and leadership skills will be built on trust. For more information, please see the attached document. 

  • Adam Pemberton
  • Alyssa Miller
  • Taylor Seawell
  • Lidadi Agbomi
  • Olala Harris
  • Mia Pringle
  • Samuel Imeh-Nathaniel
  • Hannah Archer
  • Oreoluwa Coker-Ayo
  • Jalaiya Huggins
  • Lystasha Kershaw
  • Adam Pemberton 
  • Alyssa Miller 
  • MiLana Wiltshire 
  • Taylor Seawell 
  • Lidadi Agbomi 
  • Kiara Simmons
  • Alyssa Miller- 2024 Student Ambassador Impact and Achievement Award
  • Lidadi Agbomi- 2024 Student Ambassador Impact and Achievement Award

How to Apply

Applications are closed for the 2024 summer research program. Applications for summer 2025 will be available here and be due in Spring 2025.  To learn more about the program and applications, please email NISHIKA@greenvillemed.sc.edu.

 

Student Contributions

Our NIH R25 students play a fundamental part in research and utilize their training and mentoring to facilitate their own research projects. The NIH R25 scholars presents their research projects in multiple conferences. In addition, they produce several abstracts and manuscripts. Highlighted in this section, you will also see awards and accolades received by the NIH R25 scholars.

  • Bhakti Patel- 1st Place for Best Presentation Award
  • Jerin Mathew- 2nd Place for Best Presentation Award
  • Kira Buford-Rucker- 3rd Place for Best Presentation
  • Shalaya Murray- 1st Place for Best Poster Award
  • Luanne Plemmons- 2nd Place for Best Poster Award
  • Caroline Smith- 3rd Place for Best Poster Award
  • Kira Buford Rucker- Leadership Award
  • Bhakti Patel- Leadership Award
  • Nikhil Kulkarni- Outstanding Scholar Award (insert link)
  • Emmanuel Imeh-Nathaniel- Outstanding Scholar Award (insert link)
  • Tremayne Ansani- R25 Citizenship Award
  • Arlena Thompson- R25 Citizenship Award
  • Austin D’Addario- Peer Mentor Achievement and Impact Award
  • Emmanuel Imeh-Nathaniel- 1st Place for Best Presentation Award 
  • Nikhil Kulkarni- 2nd Place for Best Presentation Award 
  • Scarlett Saitta- 3rd Place for Best Presentation Award 
  • Hannah Archer- Best Poster Presentation- 5th Annual Symposium
  • Ivan VenBeverhoudt and Sofia Deambrosi- Best Poster Presentation- 5th Annual Symposium 
  • Olala Harris- Leadership Award
  • Emmanuel Imeh-Nathaniel- Leadership Award
  • Jalaiya Huggins- R25 Citizenship Award 
  • Malik White-Hayes- R25 Citizenship Award
  • Mallorie Gainey- Peer Mentor Impact and Achievement Award 
  • Hannah Archer- R25 Engagement and Outreach Award
  • Scarlett Saitta- R25 Engagement and Outreach Award
  • Alyssa Miller and Samuel Imeh-Nathaniel- Outstanding Scholar Award: https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/frdem.2023.1137856/full
  • Alyssa Miller and Ashna Desai Outstanding Scholar Award- https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fnagi.2022.1052330/full
  • Hannah Archer and Alyssa Miller- Best Poster Presentation- USC Upstate Symposium
  • Lidadi Abomi- Rising 2023 Graduate Scholar and July 2023 feature of Diverse Magazine- https://lsc-pagepro.mydigitalpublication.com/publication/?i=795377
  • Lidadi Agbomi - Clemson University
    Awarded a certification of participation for Outstanding ePoster Presentation at the Annual Biomedical Research Conference for Minority Students (November 2021)
  • Cassie Simmons - https://www.mdpi.com/2077-0383/12/4/1519

 

Mentor Accolades

Our NIH R25 research mentors play a fundamental part in research and utilize their training and knowledge to guide our scholars as they facilitate their own research projects. Highlighted in this section, you will also see awards and accolades received by the NIH R25 research mentors.

  • Dr. Stephen Ojo, Anderson University- 2024 Mentor Impact and Achievement Award
  • Dr. Bruce Gao, Clemson University- 2024 Mentor Impact and Achievement Award
  • Dr. Renee Chosed, USCSOMG- 2023 Mentor Impact and Achievement Award
  • Dr. Larry Lowe, Benedict College- 2023 Mentor Impact and Achievement Award

 

Congratulations to our NIH R25 NIA Scholars

Check out where our NIH R25 NIA Scholars have graduated and been accepted into graduate school:

  • Hannah Young from Anderson University. She will be attending Charleston Southern University for their Doctor of Physical Therapy program.
  • Lidadi Agbomi. She will be attending Clemson University for their Doctor of Bioengineering program.
  • Adam Pemberton from Benedict College. He will be attending the University of South Carolina Columbia for their Biomedical Sciences Program
  • Kiara Simmons from Benedict College. She will be attending graduate school at Georgia Southern. She will also be attending Eshelman School of Pharmacy at University of North Carolina School of Medicine
  • Alyssa Miller from North Greenville University. She will be attending the Cardiovascular Technology Leadership Program at Prisma Heat
  • Taylor Seawell from Clemson University. She will be attending Clemson University for their Doctor of Boengineering program
  • MiLana Wiltshire from Claflin University. She will be attending University of South Carolina Columbia's Master's Entry to Nursing Program

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