WVU Distinguished Doctoral Scholarship Awardee
Destinee Harper, of Harrisonburg, Virginia, is exploring creative solutions for teaching and learning in prison as she works toward a doctorate in English from the WVU Eberly College of Arts and Sciences. The scholarship award will help her document and present her work, including interviews conducted with teachers and students to learn about navigating prison restrictions and challenging harmful carceral ideologies.
“I have seen education in prison facilitate incredible personal growth for both WVU instructors and students, myself included, and help build human connections that defy the isolation that prisons cultivate,” Harper said. “I am grateful to the WVU Foundation for supporting this worthwhile endeavor.”
Carl del Signore Foundation Scholarship Awardees
A native of Lahore, Pakistan, Esha Azhar is working toward a master’s degree in psychology at the Eberly College. She said the scholarship support will enable her to present her research, which focuses on assessing psychological well-being in adults after a natural disaster.
“Disasters and extreme weather events caused by climate change are an imminent issue today, and my master’s thesis and associated projects focus on studying individuals impacted by these adversities by examining their well-being in the aftermath, especially focusing on capitalizing their available resources to aid in recovery,” Azhar said. “I’m so grateful for the opportunity to receive this scholarship and take this essential work forward.”
Ciara Rodriguez, of Roxbury, New Jersey, is completing a master’s degree in behavior analysis within the Eberly College Department of Psychology.
“I am beyond grateful for this scholarship,” Rodriguez said. “This funding will provide vital financial support as I continue to conduct research with a goal of eradicating the school-to-prison pipeline. My research focuses on the intersection of forensic science and behavior analysis, and I specifically work with at-risk youth in West Virginia.”
A native of Martinsburg, Jailyn Wilson is also pursuing a master’s degree in psychology. Her research targets discrimination and the mental health of Black residents in Appalachian regions.
“My goal is to continue researching these topics to ensure that Appalachian communities and minoritized individuals within these communities are included in the literature for future interventions tailored toward their needs,” Wilson said. “I am extremely grateful for this award, as it has allowed me to continue researching topics that I am passionate about with less thought about financial burden.”
WVU graduate students are advancing research with WVU Foundation scholarship support. Recipients of the WVUF Distinguished Doctoral Scholarship include (top row, from left) Destinee Harper, Kushal Naharki, Raphael Oladokun and Erin Shepta. Recipients of the Carl del Signore Foundation Graduate Scholarship include (bottom row, from left) Esha Azhar, Matthew Klein, Ciara Rodriguez and Jailyn Wilson.
This article is republished from WVU Foundation — read the original article.
