Our Eberly Scholars are committed to scholarship, leadership and service. Meet this
year's cohort and learn how they've made the most of their college experiences.
Julianna Baibos
Major: International Studies and Political Science
Julianna Baibos is earning her bachelor’s degree in International Studies and
Political Science. During her undergraduate studies she completed the First-Year
Leadership Academy, received the WVU President’s List distinction from spring
2021 to spring 2023, and served as an Honors College Mentor. In addition
to her academic achievements, she has been the WVU Women’s Ice Hockey Team
Captain since August of 2022, will complete the Project 168 program and join
the 168 Society, and held an internship at the Department of Justice since
2022. One of the experiences that had a lasting impression on Julianna was
studying abroad in Strasbourg, France, where she learned about comparative
law and politics. After graduation, she plans to work for the federal government
in a position that allows her to serve the public while utilizing the skills
and knowledge she developed as an undergrad.
Hayley Bockius
Major: Biochemistry, with minors in medical humanities and health
studies
Hayley Bockius is earning a bachelor’s degree in Biochemistry, with minors in medical
humanities and health studies. She is the current Managing Editor for the
Mountaineer Undergraduate Research Review, has over 500 hours of research
experience, and currently holds the position of Volunteer Chair for the Biochemistry
Club. After graduation, Hayley plans to attend medical school with the hope
of becoming a retina specialist. She maintained the President’s List distinction
every semester of college and received the Scholarship of Distinction Level
1 as an incoming freshman. Reflecting on her time at WVU, she is grateful
for the incredible support from all her professors, advisors, and mentors.
She says that the strong network of support she has built here at WVU will
be what she misses the most.
Suraya Boggs
Major: Sociology and Anthropology, with a minor in law and legal
studies
Suraya Boggs is earning bachelor’s degrees in Sociology and Anthropology with
a minor in law and legal studies. She plans to become a lawyer with a focus
on immigration so that she can aid people like her mother. Eventually, she
wants to move onto human rights and nonprofit organizations, like the Southern
Poverty Law Center. While pursuing an undergraduate degree, Suraya has engaged
in volunteer opportunities at the Morgantown Stray and Feral Cats Inc., Appalachian
Prison Book Project, and the WVU Davis College Diversity Mural Project. She
has also served as the WVU NAACP Treasurer, interned at Erica Brannon Gunn’s
Law Office, and worked as a tutor with the Academic Resource Center. One
of her most memorable experiences at WVU was traveling abroad to Italy with
her fellow Honors College students.
Emily Budik
Major: Psychology and Art Therapy with a minor in statistics
Emily Budik is earning bachelor’s degrees in Psychology and Art Therapy with a minor
in statistics. Upon graduation she will go to London for a master’s degree
in Psychology of the Arts, Neuroaesthetics and Creativity. She hopes to become
a neuropsychologist and spearhead the integration of using artistic creations
as a neurological assessment tool to determine issues with specific areas
of the brain. She’s held an internship at the WVU Rockefeller Neuroscience
Institute, worked on several research projects, like the Children and Screens
and Formal Elements Art Therapy Scale projects, and has worked in the WVU
Cognition, Anxiety, and Treatment Lab with Dr. Shari Steinman. In addition
to being named an Eberly Scholar, Emily has received the 1st place Mentored
Research Award, Level 1 Scholarship of Distinction, and the WVU Creative
Arts Scholarship, among others.
Carter Leadmon
Major: Mathematics and Computer Science
Carter Leadmon is a Mathematics and Computer Science dual major. He plans to enter
the tech industry after graduating. Since his freshman year, Carter has been
a member of the SGA, where he started as an intern and now serves as At-Large
Senator. During his undergraduate education he also found time to volunteer
at The Ranch Community Store, First Baptist Church of Hurrican Christmas
Dinner Box Ministry, and WVU sponsored trail clean ups. One of the nonacademic
accomplishments he is most proud of is being selected as an Orientation Leader,
because it allowed him to share his love of the University and the State.
Julia Leyden
Major: History, Philosophy, and Political Science major
Julia Leyden is a triple History, Philosophy, and Political Science major.
She values education and considers it one of her passions. As a WVU student,
she served as a Research Apprentice through the RAP Program for Dr. Samuel
Workman, and Dr. Herschel Thomas and studied Appalachian Budget Data. Their
paper “County Budgetary Dynamics: Findings from Appalachia” was awarded 'Best
Paper in Public Policy' by the APSA Public Policy Section. Julia credits
the philosophy classes she has taken here at WVU for changing how she thinks
about and perceives the world. They have made her a better, smarter, and
more thoughtful person. One of her proudest accomplishments is working with
South Middle School’s West Virginia History Bowl team, where she serves as
an assistant coach. After graduation, Julia plans to either attend Law school
or get a Ph.D. in order to become a professor.
Charlie Long
Major: Political Science and Philosophy
Charlie Long is a Political Science and Philosophy major who hopes to attend
law school after graduation. His favorite place on campus is Woodburn Hall
because of its beauty and the memories it holds. Charlie is President and
Cofounder of the WVU Pre-Law Society and worked as a Congressional Intern
for United States Senator Joe Manchin over the summer of 2023. The non-academic
accomplishment that he is most proud of is landing the position of Chief
of Staff within WVU's Student Government Association. While he values hard
work, Charlie strives for balance and progress in all areas of his life,
at all times. He makes sure to schedule time for fun, reflection and time
with his family. His most memorable moment at WVU was speaking at the Spring
2023 TEDx event because it showed him that he is, in fact, a good public
speaker. After his talk, Charlie was delighted to discover many of his best
friends were in the audience, who showered me with hugs and flowers. It was
that moment that he realized how lucky he was to have a close-knit group
of friends on campus.
Christian Miller
Major: Political Science and International Studies
Christian Miller is a Political Science and International Studies major. During
his time at WVU, Christian participated in the Henry Clay Center College
Student Congress as an exclusive representative for West Virginia, among
51 students representing each state and Washington D.C. There, he received
the "Outstanding Policy Position and Compromise Award." In the Fall 2023
semester, he worked as an Immigration Law Intern at Catholic Charities West
Virginia Refugee Resettlement and Immigration Services. In that role, he
offered direct support and assistance to individuals as they navigated the
immigration, refugee, and asylee application process. A pivotal experience
that influenced his commitment to this cause was when he was welcomed into
the home of his college roommate's family. The family immigrated from Bolivia
when his roommate was a child. This act of kindness exposed Christian to
their rich culture and inspired his commitment to assisting refugees and
immigrants in the United States. What he will miss most about his time at
WVU is the strong camaraderie and the welcoming atmosphere.
McKenna Moore
Major: Anthropology and Sociology
McKenna Moore is an Anthropology and Sociology major obtaining a minor in Native
American Studies. At WVU, McKenna works in the Archaeological Training &
Research Lab, and she serves as a Monongalia County 4-H Younger Camp Counselor.
She began working at a lifeguard at the WVU Recreation Center her freshman
year of college and quickly rose to the position of Head Lifeguard by the
end of the year. She was then promoted to the position of Program Assistant
where she helped manage the Aquatics department. McKenna’s current career
goal is to work as a Forensic Anthropologist after she completes her education.
She is also interested in using her forensic anthropology training to help
communities that have been through catastrophic events by assisting in the
identification of various remains left in the aftermath. In doing so, McKenna
hopes to help preserve heritage and reunite people with their lost belongings
and loved ones. Her favorite place on campus is the osteology lab in the
Life Science Building because it was in this classroom that she fell in love
with Forensic Anthropology and Human Osteology.
Vanessa Mueller
Major: Biochemistry
Vanessa Mueller is a Biochemistry major. She plans to attend medical school
to pursue her dream of becoming a physician. Since her freshman year, she
has volunteered more than 100 hours at Ruby Memorial Hospital in the NICU,
Emergency Department, OR, and heart and vascular OR. Vanessa also crochets
prayer shawls for donation to St. Andrews Lutheran Church, which gives them
to hospitals for patients and visitors in need of comfort. At WVU, she has
volunteered for the WVU Global Medical and Dental Brigades and at Pantry
Plus More, which provides food to residents of Monongalia County. Her favorite
WVU memory is singing Country Roads as a group for an indigenous community
during a WVU Global Medical and Dental Brigades trip to Panama. In her spare
time, Vanessa loves hiking and considers it an essential part of who she
is. Learning how to pace herself as she hikes is a lot like college, she
says, in that it involves spreading out the difficulties but taking them
on in her own way.
Garrison Phillips
Major: Political Science and History with minors in Philosophy and
Military Science
Garrison Phillips is a Political Science and History major with minors in Philosophy
and Military Science. WVU Army ROTC and his experience within the Simultaneous
Membership Program through the West Virginia Army National Guard have greatly
impacted him, ultimately allowing him to become the best version of himself.
He has led platoons of 40+ people, and he has spent considerable time pushing
his mental and physical limits through obstacle courses, physical fitness
tests, and a litany of other physically demanding tasks. While the military
has been a major cultivator of his leadership skills, Garrison credits his
academic career at WVU for teaching him many things about what it means to
be a good leader. Over time, he has learned the importance of care, compassion,
and empathy in helping, supporting, and leading others. After graduation,
he will miss the late nights spent studying hanging out with friends, as
well as the times spent in the WVU library or elsewhere on campus working
and learning new things each day.
Bethanny Prascik
Major: Anthropology and Dance
Bethanny Prascik is an Anthropology and Dance major. She plans to further her
education in graduate school by pursuing a degree in either Conservation
or Museum Studies. Bethanny is working toward a certificate from the Global
Mountaineers Program, which requires a combination of courses in global competency
and intercultural knowledge, as well as a study abroad component. This past
summer, she studied abroad for six-weeks in Sam Gemini, Italy. She also completed
a tour of historically significant sites in Siena, Florence, and Rome during
the Winter Intercession term. Bethanny also participates in several major
dance performances each year. In Spring 2022, she choreographed her own dance
piece titled “Bury a Friend” to the Billie Eilish song of the same name.
She was a dancer in the Audacious Women project, an Honors Excel choreography
and research project by two senior Dance and Theatre majors that explored
the societal roles imposed upon women throughout history.
Madison Santmyer
Major: Political Science and International Studies
Madison Santmyer is a Political Science and International Studies major with
minors in Spanish and Globalization. She participated in a Model United Nations’
Conference in Erfurt, Germany over Thanksgiving break for her international
studies capstone project. During her time at WVU, she has developed a passion
for public service. On campus, Madison founded the group Women in Politics
and Government and served as president until last Spring. She has also served
as a Senator-at-Large, Inclusion Committee Chair and member of the Bureau
of Finance for Student Government Association. The non-academic accomplishment
she is most proud of is serving as current Student Body President in SGA,
which helped hone her leadership and conflict resolution skills. Madison
recently began working as an English tutor for the Literacy Volunteers of
Preston and Monongalia County.
Taya Sullivan
Major: Neuroscience and Spanish
Taya Sullivan is a Neuroscience (B.S.) and Spanish (B.A.) major with a minor
in linguistics. She intends to combine these three fields and pursue a PhD
researching auditory neuroscience, speech production and perception, and
the neuroscience of language acquisition. She has worked as an Undergraduate
Research Apprentice under Dr. Jonah Katz and Dr. Sergio Robles-Puente, examining
various topics in acoustic phonetics, phonology, and cognitive science of
English and Spanish. Her most memorable moment at WV is planning and executing
a successful gender-affirming clothing drive for transgender students on
campus as part of the Honors LGBTQ+ and Allies Affinity Group. Outside of
academics, Taya is most proud of having taught herself to cook. She is also
teaching herself Korean and has gained a modest level of fluency in the language
so far.
Quinn Wooten
Major: Political Science and International Studies
Quinn Wooten is a Political Science and International Studies major. He is
a West Virginia native and has always wanted to work in public service to
help his home state. Last academic year, Quinn served as the Student Government
Association’s Eberly College Senator. In this position, he helped pass legislation
that helped create an Eberly College Student Advisory Board and helped spread
awareness of community service opportunities to perspective and new students.
The college class that has left the largest impact on Quinn is Empirical
Political Analysis – one of his most difficult classes. The class showed
him the importance of hard work and not giving up when things get difficult,
because the skills he learned there have since served him well in many other
classes.