Elon names 2014 Lumen Scholars

The university's top award comes with $15,000 to support and celebrate academic and creative achievements.

Fifteen rising juniors at Elon have been named recipients of the 2014 Lumen Prize, the university’s premier award that comes with a $15,000 scholarship to support and celebrate their academic achievements and research proposals.

Lumen Scholars will work closely with their mentors over the next two years to pursue and complete their projects. Efforts traditionally include course work, study abroad, research both on and off campus, internships locally and overseas, program development, and creative productions and performances.

The name for the Lumen Prize comes from Elon’s historic motto, “Numen Lumen,” which are Latin words meaning “spiritual light” and “intellectual light.” The words, which are found on the Elon University seal, signify the highest purposes of an Elon education.

The 2014 winners:

Michelle Alfini
Communications
Project title: “‘Friendship, Solidarity and Fair Play:’ Exploring Political Implications of U.S. Framing of Human Rights Violations of Modern Olympic Hosts”
Mentor: Glenn Scott

Zachary Fisher
Biology
Project title: “Evaluation of the Molecular Signaling Role of Fibroblast Activation Protein in Cancer Cell Migration”
Mentor: Yuko Miyamoto

Emma Gierman
Public Health Studies
Project title: Investigation of Alzheimer’s Disease Therapy Through the Modeling of Interactions Between Cellular Prion Protein and Amyloid-ß Peptide”
Mentor: Michael Terribilini

Kathleen Hupfeld
Exercise Science
Project title: “Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation: Behavioral and Neurophysiological Effects on Motor Planning and Motor Learning in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder”
Mentor: Caroline Ketcham

Claire Lockard
Philosophy
Project title: “Towards a More Aspirational Alternative in Higher Education: Moving Beyond Conventional Diversity Discourse
Mentor: Anthony Weston

Heather McDonough-Caplan
Psychology / Computer Science
Project title: “Depression hurts (us all): The role of implicit ambivalence and the use of mental illness education to reduce stigma”
Mentor: India Johnson

Helen Meskhidze
Physics / Philosophy
Project title: Developing an Atlas of Starburst Galaxy Emission Lines”
Mentor: Chris Richardson

Caley Mikesell
Public Health Studies
Project title: “Latino Voices: Expertise in educational inclusivity and paternal involvement from engaged fathers”
Mentor: Jean Rattigan-Rohr

Sarah Carrie Moore
Public Health Studies
Project title: “Disrupting Nature Deficit Disorder: Developing and Implementing an Interdisciplinary, Place-Based Unit of Study for 4th Grade Students in Burlington, NC”
Mentor: Scott Morrison

Anna Patterson
Sociology / Communications
Project title: “I Get by with a Little Help from My Friends: Narrative-Based Community Interventions Designed to Experimentally Induce Adolescent Resilience”
Mentor: Alexis Franzese

Alyssa Romano
Chemistry
Project title: Measurement of the Efficiency of Ruthenium and Osmium Compounds Toward the Catalytic Synthesis of Benzimidazole”
Mentor: Karl Sienerth

Sophie Rupp
Public Health Studies / Geographic Information Systems
Project title: Transition: The Role of Social Support in Adjustment to Education and Employment Settings for Emerging Adults with End-Stage Renal Disease”
Mentor: Cynthia Fair

Christian Seitz
Chemistry
Project title: Why does the Acetaldehyde Enolate Favor Reaction at the O Atom During Nucleophilic Substitution? Contributions by Resonance and Inductive Effects”
Mentor: Joel Karty

Megan Sibree
Biology
Project title: The Role of Chromosomal Instability in Cancer Induction Mechanisms Utilized by Environmental Carcinogens”
Mentor: Linda Niedziela

Sarah Vaughan
Biology
Project title: Guardian of the Genome: Computational Modeling of p53 Interactions with S100B”
Mentor: Michael Terribilini

Scholarship recipients were chosen through a two-step process. Candidates submitted applications with background statements and project proposals, a letter of nomination from a faculty mentor, and an additional letter of recommendation. The second stage consisted of an interview.

Members of the faculty selection committee for 2013-2014:

Lucinda Austin
Steve Bednar
Wally Bixby
Ben Evans
Vicky Fischer Faw
Young Do Kim
Mary Knight-McKenna
Yuko Miyamoto
Janet Myers
Michael Matthews
Aunchalee Palmquist