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.
Mark Guinter, Epidemiology (Ph.D.)
"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."
Cassie Horton, Environmental Health Sciences (Ph.D)
"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."
Adam Lutz, Exercise Science (Ph.D)
"(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."
Jennifer Mandelbaum, Health Promotion, Education, and Behavior (Ph.D.)
"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."
Chamberline Ozigbu, Health Services Policy and Management (Ph.D.)
"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."
Lorelei Phillip, Communication Sciences and Disorders (Ph.D.)
"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."
Elizabeth Regan, Exercise Science (Ph.D.)
"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."
Lara Schneider, Epidemiology (Ph.D.)
"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."
Ellen Wenders Stowe, Health Promotion, Education, and Behavior (Ph.D.)
"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."
Kitty Tryon, Excercise Science (Ph.D.)
"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."