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���ϲ����� Funding
Spring 2010

Students at ���ϲ����� have access to many funding sources to support their projects around the world. In addition to Odyssey Program grants, funding is available from the ���ϲ�����-Murphy Foundation Programs in Literature and Language, the Crain-Maling Center of Jewish Culture, the Miller Center for Vocation, Ethics, and Calling, and Project Pericles. ��Congratulations to all ���ϲ����� grant recipients.

ODYSSEY PROGRAM GRANTS

With the February 2010 funding cycle awards of $138,238, the grand total for funding since the program’s inception in 2005 is $1,372,942.50. In this funding cycle, many projects received financial support form the ���ϲ�����-Murphy Foundation Programs in Literature and Language.

A total of 45 projects were funded by the Committee for Engaged Learning for this summer. Students will volunteer their talents to serve orphans and refugees, explore ancient chapels in England, gain valuable work and research experience, and use their artistic skills of songs, words and images in countries around the world.

The Odyssey Grant recipients include:

Haley Aaron
The Role of Central American Agoutis in the Dispersal of Plants in Costa Rican Forests
Category: Undergraduate Research
Sponsor: Dr. Jennifer Penner

The Central American agouti is a small mammal, a larger cousin of the guinea pig. When food is abundant, it creates underground stores of seeds known as scatter-caches throughout its territory. If the cache isn’t used for food either by the original animal or by a “robber,” there’s a chance that the stored seeds will sprout, resulting in plant dispersal. In Costa Rica, Haley Aaron and Dr. Jennifer Penner will tag seeds with small metal plates and bury fake caches through the foraging area. “By tracking the seeds with metal detectors we will be able to determine the survivorship of individual caches to determine which factors contribute most to foraging success and forest regeneration,” Aaron said.

Luke Adlong
Taking Service from Toad Suck Arkansas to Transylvania Romania
Category: Service to the World
Sponsor: Dr. Peg Falls-Corbitt

Luke Adlong will be joining a group of doctors, nurses, dentists, and dental hygienists from Conway on a medical mission trip to the central European country of Romania this summer. In many of the country’s rural areas, access to doctors and dentists can be non-existent.�� Adlong hopes to combine his interest in medicine with his desire to help others. “By serving the people of Fagaras, Romania, I hope to learn how the worlds of medicine and service go hand-in-hand,” said Adlong.

Hanna Al-Jibouri
Writing in Prague
Category: Special Projects
Sponsor: Prof. Hope Coulter

Hanna Al-Jibouri is one of only ten American and eight Czech Republic students selected to participate in an intensive four-week poetry workshop at Charles University in Prague. “Poetry has always been my first choice when it comes to self-expression,” said Al-Jibouri. During the class, she’ll learn more about her art form in sessions with internationally renowned poet Dr. James Ragan. She also hopes to draw poetic inspiration from living in the Czech Republic, and she will compile a small book with new works and photography. This grant was underwritten by the generous support of the ���ϲ����� Murphy Foundation.

Reena Badyal
Interning with Jus Broadcasting
Category: Professional and Leadership Development
Sponsor: Julie Brown

Jus Broadcasting of New York City was the first Punjabi-based television network launched in the United States.�� Immigrants from the northern state of India have made the network increasingly popular in America. “Jus Broadcasting offers an array of Punjabi programming including news, music, religion, and live-tv shows,” said Reena Badyal. She will serve as an intern at the station this summer, learning the details of interviewing, editing and broadcasting while gaining a new understanding of her Punjabi culture and community.

Kaci Billings and Hailey Hundley
Aspiring Physicians Volunteering in a Kenyan Missions Hospital
Category: Service to the World
Sponsor: Dr. George Harper

Kaci Billings and Hailey Hundley each have a goal of becoming a doctor. This summer they will volunteer at the Maseno Missions Hospital in Kenya, which is supervised by two doctors from San Diego. Billings and Hundley will observe the doctors as they provide healthcare to the underprivileged people of Maseno and nearby regions in Kenya. “This experience will serve to strengthen my dedication to pursuing a career in the medical field,” Billings said. “I am confident that this journey will provide me with an enhanced sensitivity to culture and diversity and redefine my commitment to medicine,” Hundley added. In a country where thousands are suffering from malaria, typhoid fever and HIV/AIDS, the clinic itself faces challenges through limited resources and staff. ��This experience will give them a unique perspective on medical service in other countries.

Spencer Briggs
AIDS & African Culture: A Broader View
Category: Global Awareness
Sponsor: Dr. Joyce Hardin

A physician in Africa needs to understand the culture of the people, how they live and interact with each other and their environment to successfully encourage them to seek the medical attention they need. As a volunteer with the HIV/AIDS Awareness Campaign in Arusha, Tanzania, Spencer Briggs will live with a host family and gain a deeper understanding of the country. She’ll also become more familiar with HIV/AIDS as a global concern. “In Arusha, where AIDS is widespread, I will learn more about how the disease affects the infected person and what it is like to have such an epidemic be common in a community,” Briggs said. She will support home-based projects for families living with the disease, including teaching about nutrition and health.

AhYoung Byun
Differences in the Composition of Coral Snake and Rattlesnake Venoms
Category: Undergraduate Research
Sponsor: Dr. Randall Kopper

“Although the eastern coral snake and the western diamondback rattlesnake are common in the United States, researchers know very little about their venom components and the differences between them,” AhYung Byun said. She will use venom samples from each species to compare the protein components them and determine their relative concentrations. She hopes that the results will contribute to our understanding of the ecology and evolution of snake venoms, including whether they are used for self-defense or predation.

Patrick Cherry, Katie deFrance, and Michael Nollen
Newton's Method as a Dynamical System
Category: Undergraduate Research
Sponsor: Prof. Lars Seme

Newton’s method is a technique for finding the roots of a function by iteration. You begin with an initial guess “near” the solution, then repeat and improve on each result until you have the desired accuracy for your answer. Things get more complex when dealing with functions with more than one root—and that’s the area of interest for Patrick Cherry, Katie deFrance and Michael Nollen. “The goal is not simply to repeat previously accomplished results, but to stretch our mathematical knowledge and to participate in a experience different than that of simply working problems encountered in a typical classroom setting,” they said. They will use the tools of pure mathematics and advanced computer programs to work on their research.

Stephanie Davenport
Enhancing the Quality of Life in Belize
Category: Service to the World
Sponsor: Dr. Leslie Zorwick

Homes in the village of Seine Beight in Belize are built on stilts, which prompts mothers to carry their children until they can walk rather than risk a fall. This custom can lead to developmental delays because the babies aren’t able explore their surroundings and increase their motor, perceptual and intellectual function through sensory input. “By being held all the time for their very survival and safety, babies of the village are deprived of these experiences,” Stephanie Davenport said. As part of a 36-member mission trip, Davenport will volunteer with a physical therapist working with the mothers and their children, giving her a chance to observe a possible career path. She’ll also participate in a Vacation Bible School and lead tai chi exercises for elderly villagers.

Logan Estill
Summer of Hospital Service
Category: Service to the World
Sponsor: Dr. Jennifer Penner

This summer, Logan Estill will be a volunteer in the Neuro-Trauma Intensive Care Unit at the Memorial Hermann Hospital – The Medical Center in Houston, Texas. While there, he will shadow the unit’s nurses as they tend to the patients in their care. Estill will see first-hand the level of care required by those with severe head and neck trauma. He will also have the unique opportunity to shadow the clinical liaison who monitors the patients’ happiness and satisfaction and provides support to their families. “By shadowing the clinical liaison, I will obtain practical skills and learn methods of aiding those in emotional traumas,” Estill said. He will get a practical understanding of topics covered in his social and evolutionary psychology courses while serving in the hospital.

Erik Honkonen
Certified Golf Fitness Instructor
Category: Professional and Leadership Development
Sponsor: Danny Powell

As a member of the ���ϲ����� golf team, Erik Honkonen understands how to play the game. As a certified golf fitness instructor through the Titleist Performance Institute, he’ll know the latest in golf-specific health and fitness, including golf swing biomechanics, physical screening techniques, exercise prescriptions, and golf swing analysis. He’ll share his knowledge during an internship at Quail Ridge Country Club in Groton, Mass. “This project will provide a great professional experience to me and also allow me to help others learn about the developing concept of golf-specific fitness,” Honkonen said.

Haiyan Huang
Volunteer of EXPO 2010 Shanghai China
Category: Service to the World
Sponsor: Dr. Jay McDaniel

The first World Exposition was held in London in 1851; it’s still going strong 150 years later. China was selected to host the 2010 World Expo in Shanghai with a theme focusing on cities and urban environments. Approximately 200 nations and international organizations will participate in the event, which should attract about 70 million visitors. “The main aim of the World Expo is to share information from different areas like business, communication, technology and culture,” Haiyan Huang said. After immersing herself in English for a year as a student at ���ϲ�����, she hopes to offer her translating services to visitors and help as needed to make the event a success.

Hannah Hudspeth
Vital Voices: Hearing Women
Category: Professional and Leadership Development
Sponsor: Dr. Aaron Simmons

Headquartered in Washington, D.C., Vital Voices is a non-governmental organization with programs in developing countries, focusing on the business, political and civil society sectors. The organization works to increase women's political participation and representation, support women business leaders and entrepreneurs, and combat human rights violations affecting women across the globe. This summer, Hannah Hudspeth will intern with Vital Voices, learning about public service and community development. “Vital Voices: Hearing Women will give me the opportunity to immerse myself in the global issues facing women today, showing me how to address and effectively help with these concerns,” Hudspeth said.

Kerry Kanatzar and James Shelton
Latin Inscriptions and Epigraphy at PortAnta in Portugal
Category: Special Projects
Sponsor: Dr. Andrew Scott

In a three-week workshop at the Museu Nacional de Arqueologia in Lisbon, Portugal, Kerry Kanatzar and James Shelton will learn about Latin epigraphy. This is the study and interpretation of ancient inscriptions, and they will�� have the rare opportunity to examine the museum’s collection of artifacts. “The program provides training in epigraphic methodology, which will allow us to combine what we have learned at ���ϲ����� with the study of the material culture of Roman antiquity,” they said. This grant was underwritten by the generous support of the ���ϲ����� Murphy Foundation.


Madeleine Keenan
Holistic Chemistry: Interning with a Nutritional Biochemist
Category: Professional and Leadership Development
Sponsor: Dr. Courtney Hatch

Tara Palmer, a nutritional biochemist in Eugene, Ore., has made a business of creating personalized nutritional programs for her clients based upon biochemical analysis. This summer, Madeleine Keenan will intern with her to see how individual plans vary based on each client’s level of motivation, fitness, health issues, and personal tastes. “I look forward to exploring a possible career-path that would allow me to blend my interest in health, nutrition, and human relations with my academic study of biochemistry,” she said. Keenan will also learn how Palmer organizes and markets her private practice and observe her as she relates to her patients.

Megan Kurten
Relief for Refugees in Thailand
Category: Service to the World
Sponsor: Dr. Ralph Scott

The Burmese Hill Tribes fled to Thailand to escape an oppressive military regime that rules their own country. As refugees, they have no citizenship rights in Thailand, leading to a hard existence in the refugee settlements and camps. “There is not a lot I can do about the political situation, but I can help the refugees,” Megan Kurten said. She will travel to the village of Baan Thong Luang to provide educational, medical and agricultural supplies for the residents of the settlement. When she returns, she’ll be able to raise awareness of the plight of the Burmese Hill Tribes with her first-hand knowledge of their unique culture and the political challenges they face.

Rachel Lee
The Helping Hands of Villa Milagro
Category: Special Projects
Sponsor: Dr. Jane Harris

This summer, Rachel Lee will return to a place close to her heart. During the past three years, her church youth group has performed mission work at Villa Milagro in Peru. Located in the isolated and poverty-stricken Cajamarca Valley, this�� “Place of Miracles” serves area residents. Lee will work in an orphanage, shadow a medical mission group and aid a Peruvian teacher at a local public school. “Teaching in a Spanish classroom will broaden my cultural understanding and expose me to the socio-anthropological aspects involved in mission work,” Lee said.

Hannah McGrew
Nossa Senhora: Discovering the role of the Virgin in Brazilian Culture
Category: Global Awareness
Sponsor: Dr. Jon Arms

The patron saint of Brazil is “Nossa Senhora Aparecida,” a clay statue less than three feet tall of the Virgin Mary, which was found in a river by fishermen in 1717. Many miracles have been attributed to her, and the second largest Basilica in the world was erected in her honor. Images of the dark brown statue appear in works of religious art and are a major influence in the popular culture of Brazil, a country where Roman Catholicism has intermixed with elements of indigenous religions. “For two weeks, I will explore and learn about images of the Virgin and the religious and spiritual lore associated with her,” McGrew said.

Alexander Melnykovych
Internship at Historic Locust Grove
Category: Professional and Leadership Development
Sponsor: Dr. Allison Shutt

Gen. George Rogers Clark was a Revolutionary War hero and the founder of Louisville, Kentucky. He spent the last years of his life at Locust Grove, the home of his sister Lucy Clark Croghan and her husband, William. Locust Grove is a National Historic Landmark, featuring the 1790 house and outbuildings along with a museum. Alexander Melnykovych will be an intern at Locust Grove this summer, revising the electronic records documenting the artifacts at the site. This task could include taking digital photographs and researching the history of an object to ensure the accuracy of Locust Grove records. “This internship will be incredibly valuable in developing my skills as an aspiring historian by allowing me to gain experience in the practice of historical research and history education while providing an intimate look as the behind the scenes operation of a historical site,” Melnykovych said.

Lira Mondal
Following the Lieder: An In-Depth Study of German Art Song in Austria
Category: Professional and Leadership Development
Sponsor: Dr. John Krebs

��“Lieder” are German art songs based on poems with pastoral or romantic themes that were made popular by composers such as Franz Schubert and Hugo Wolf. All serious classical singers are expected to be familiar with the style. Lira Mondal is no exception. She will spend a month in Austria this summer in an intensive program focusing on the Lied. ��“The Lied Austria International program is an outstanding opportunity because it offers daily voice lessons with distinguished faculty, along with personalized diction coaching, literary interpretation, and German language classes, all in one place,” Mondal said. By understanding the language behind the notes she sings, she hopes to have a deeper appreciation of the interaction between text and music for her public performances.

Natascha Morris
Publishing Internship
Category: Professional and Leadership Development
Sponsor: Dr. Tyrone Jaeger

With aspirations of working in the publishing industry, Natascha Morris will head to New York this summer to pursue an internship.�� The city is home to many major publishing houses, including Random House, HarperCollins and Simon and Schuster. “Having the opportunity to intern for my future career is essential to my career decisions within the next two years,” Morris said. She is eager to interact with others in the industry and to see the world of publishing from the inside. This grant was underwritten by the generous support of the ���ϲ����� Murphy Foundation.

Allison Mosley
Physical Therapy Volunteering in Romania
Category: Special Projects
Sponsor: Dr. Leslie Templeton

“I believe that one of the greatest gifts you can give someone is the gift of care, especially towards the end of one’s life,” Allison Mosley said. That is the driving force behind her project to volunteer at a hospice in Brasov, Romania. More than 600 adults and 70 children with advanced illnesses or incurable diseases live at the site. Mosley will assist a licensed physical therapist as treatment plans are created and implemented for the children. The goal is to help the patients remain as functional as possible through strength therapy and audio and visual stimulation.

Parham Motaghedi
Esperanto: Why There is Always Hope
Category: Special Projects
Sponsor: Dr. Jon Arms

In the late 1880s in Poland, Dr. Kudovic L. Zamenhof created Esperanto, a simple language with roots in Slavic, Germanic, and Romance languages. His goal was to create a means of communicating that was simple, neutral, and international. “One can merely look at the word Esperanto, which means ‘one who hopes,’ to comprehend what this language is trying to accomplish,” Parham Motaghedi said. After teaching himself the basics of Esperanto, he will learn more about the language and Esperanto culture at the third annual Summer Esperanto Study in Piestany, Slovakia in July. This grant was underwritten by the generous support of the ���ϲ����� Murphy Foundation.

Kevin Omolo
Enlightening Kenyan Youth for a Greener Future
Category: Professional and Leadership Development
Sponsor: Prof. Irmina Fabricio

Kevin Omolo of Kenya knows that his homeland faces many severe challenges. Kenya faces poverty and starvation caused by drought and deforestation. Young Kenyans are particularly vulnerable in a widespread HIV/AIDS epidemic, since extreme poverty can force them into dangerous practices such as prostitution. Omolo will organize a summer camp for 30 high school students in Nairobi, Kenya, where he will focus on climate change education, ecosystems, and HIV/AIDS awareness.�� “If the current generation is educated and trained to incorporate behavior change and live cautiously, then they will not evaluate things only by short term judgment,” Omolo said. He will also help with the country’s reforesting efforts by planting 130 trees.

Megan Pearce and Tristan Stolz
Working with Orphans in Malawi, Africa
Category: Global Awareness
Sponsor: Dr. Peg Falls-Corbitt

In the small African nation of Malawi, millions of children are orphans—many due to AIDS or famine. The Ministry of Hope operates an orphanage that serves children in the city of Lilongwe. This summer, Megan Pearce and Tristan Stolz will volunteer at the orphanage, doing everything from feeding the children and assisting with their physical needs to teaching English. “The primary emphasis will be on the emotional and physical well-being of the young children in the orphanage; however, we might be called upon to assist in the care of the widowed and/or disabled members of the community,” Pearce and Stolz said.

Anna Ragni and Dana Rumph
"Sea"ing Turtles in Costa Rica
Category: Special Projects
Sponsor: Dr. Joe Lombardi

Through being hunted for their meat and the poaching of their eggs, the number of Olive Ridley sea turtles has decreased dramatically over the last century. In Costa Rica, Pretoma is a conservation agency that works to protect these endangered sea turtles and their nesting environments. The organization has successfully released more than 65,000 hatchlings back into the wild. Anna Ragni and Dana Rumph will work with Pretoma, performing nightly beach patrols, tagging sea turtles, and collecting freshly laid eggs to be incubated in a safe base. “We are interested in understanding the techniques and approaches involved in the wildlife protection movement as well as native Costa Rican attitudes toward conservation and sea turtles in general,” they said.

Austin Rhodes
My Deutsch Immersion
Category: Global Awareness
Sponsor: Dr. Wayne Oudekerk

The Goethe-Institute offers intensive immersion programs focusing on German language and culture at four cities throughout the country. Austin Rhodes will participate in a two-week session in Dresden. As part of the education, the institute encourages cultural immersion through evening and weekend excursions. “I endeavor to further my proficiency with the German language and my education in their culture,” Rhodes said. This grant was underwritten by the generous support of the ���ϲ����� Murphy Foundation.


Katherine Roehm and Katherine Dennis
���ϲ����� Edible Forest Garden and Arkansas Heritage Vegetables
Category: Special Projects
Sponsor: Dr. Stella Capek

Katherine Roehm, Katherine Dennis, Madeline Keenan, Laura McCaughey, Gabe Levin and Katy Brantley plan to work together to create a landscape on campus that’s good enough to eat. Known as an edible forest garden, it incorporates food-producing perennial vegetation such as pawpaw trees or strawberry plants as the color and texture palette in a living art piece.�� “The skills needed to create such a garden encompass the fields of art and design, the scientific knowledge required for agricultural and plant choices, as well as knowledge of sustainable farming practices,” they said. They will share the garden’s bounty with the campus, in the hope that the Arkansas heritage seeds used in the project will be incorporated in other gardens.

Laura Rowe
Performance at Durham Cathedral: A Choral Experience in England
Category: Artistic Creativity
Sponsor: Dr. Nancy Fleming

As part of the Arkansas Interfaith Conference’s Choir Camp, Laura Rowe has been invited to perform at Durham Cathedral in England. The group will participate in three Evensongs and two Sunday services. When the choir is not rehearsing, Rowe will be able to visit noted historical locations in the surrounding area and in Paris.�� “My learning goals for this project are to develop as a musician by performing in an unfamiliar setting and to gain a better appreciation for non-performance art through cultural sites in England and France,” Rowe said.

Evan Sadler and Caufield Schnug
Memory and Architecture: Gaudí in Film and Photography
Category: Special Projects
Sponsor: Dr. Kristi McKim

Antonio Gaudí was a Catalan architect whose distinctive style incorporated neo-Gothic, Art Nouveau, and curving organic elements.�� His unique and colorful creations from the late 19^th and early 20^th centuries are an integral part of Barcelona. ��When Evan Sadler and Caufield Schnug travel to Spain, they will film the architect’s works and also take photographs of the buildings. “Unlike the medium of film that emphasizes the temporality of filmed subjects, photography seems to have an instantaneous and holistic value,” they said. They will explore the theoretical differences between film and photography during the course of their project.

Gavin Schalliol
Reading the Tea Leaves: Café Culture in Jordan
Category: Special Projects
Sponsor: Dr. Todd Berryman

In Arabic countries, the café is a central part of the culture. They are the first businesses to open in the morning and the last to close in the evening. Gavin Schalliol will explore café culture in Jordan, using photography to record the business as an environment and anthropology to assess how the patrons utilize the space. “In addition to photography and ethnography, this project will also further my linguistic skills,” Schalliol said. The intensive experience of researching the cafés will require him to rely on his knowledge of Arabic. This grant is co-sponsored with the generous support of the ���ϲ����� Murphy Foundation.

Hannah Sintek, Kyle Bradbury, and Sarah Hill
Service to the World: How Policy Protects Sea Turtles
Category: Service to the World
Sponsor: Dr. Peter Gess

Archelon, the Sea Turtle Protection Society of Greece, was founded in 1983 with the goal of protecting the endangered loggerhead turtle.�� The society incorporates research and monitoring of the turtles with management plans for habitat restoration, along with public education programs. By volunteering with Archelon in Greece, Hannah Sintek, Kyle Bradbury and Sarah Hill will help protect the turtles and experience the impact of the society’s initiatives.�� “Archelon is a partner member of the European Union for the Conservation of the Coasts, and the organization’s members are key players in helping to formulate international sea turtle conservation plans,” they said.

Brad SoRelle
South Africa Wildlife Volunteer Program
Category: Global Awareness
Sponsor: Dr. Jenn Dearolf

Brad SoRelle will bring his interests of wildlife conservation and animal behavior together through a volunteer experience with Global Vision International. He will travel to South Africa to help conserve the country’s wildlife at a nature or game reserve. “The initial part of my work in South Africa will entail specific training to learn how to monitor wildlife, such as lions, leopards, elephants, and hyenas, using tracking skills and telemetry,” SoRelle said. He will observe and collect data on their feeding habits, movement patterns and behavior. In addition, he will participate in a biodiversity study to develop an inventory of the flora and fauna in the mountainous region of South Africa.

Sarah Spencer and Jennifer Byerly
The Public and Private Places of Worship in England
Category: Undergraduate Research
Sponsor: Dr. Sasha Pfau

When King Henry VIII of England separated from the Catholic Church to form the Church of England in 1534, British places of worship reflected the change.�� The result could be as major as expanding a small church into a major cathedral or as minor as adding a stained glass window. In many cases, traces of the old religion were completely swept away. ��“Examples of these alterations can be found throughout England in locations ranging from private chapels built to honor the Tudor family to large cathedrals open to Britain’s faithful,” Sarah Spencer and Jennifer Byerly said. They will contrast the differences in architecture and iconography in public cathedrals and private chapels, exploring places of worship that escaped the destruction and others that were specifically designed to curry favor with the king and his heirs.

Steve Weingold
The Treatment of Executed Members of the Nobility
Category: Undergraduate Research
Sponsor: Dr. Sasha Pfau

Combining his two interests of history and the law, Steve Weingold will research the treatment of members of the English nobility who committed crimes during the 16^th and 17^th centuries. He will rely on the massive collection of primary and secondary sources in the British Library in London.�� “The British Library will provide me a wealth of information, and many of the primary sources located there, such as chronicles, government documents, newspapers, and broadsheets, are not available through any other venue,” he said. Weingold hopes to discover the contemporary opinions of previously unrepresented groups to include in his thesis.

David Yablick
Copperhead Snakes - Is the Arkansas River a Barrier to Gene Flow
Category: Undergraduate Research
Sponsor: Dr. George Harper

The Southern Copperhead is widespread in Arkansas, usually living near a water source. However, it avoids crossing large rivers or streams. David Yablick will collect and genetically analyze tissue from snakes of both sides of the Arkansas River.�� “This is important because new differences may appear in the Copperhead populations on either side of the river, which may eventually lead to a divergence in species among the snakes,” Yablick said. He will compare samples from snakes obtained in the Ozark Mountains to those found in the Ouachita Mountains since the Arkansas river divides the mountain chains.

Dr. Andres Caro
Mechanisms of alcohol-induced liver damage
Category: Undergraduate Research

“Fifteen million Americans suffer from alcoholism,” said Dr. Andres Caro. This summer, he will work with ��Grant Chandler, Sarah Thompson and Sinehan Bayrak to discover how alcohol damages the liver, with each student responsible for a distinct area of the research project.�� They will learn how to keep a structured laboratory notebook, which will be a valuable skill as they pursue further research projects.

Dr. Anne Goldberg
Anthropology Internships in Santa Fe, New Mexico
Category: Professional and Leadership Development

Dr. Anne Goldberg has arranged for two ���ϲ����� students to experience anthropology during internships at two noted sites in New Mexico.�� The Wheelwright Museum focuses on traditional and contemporary Navajo and other Native American arts. The museum may need a student to conduct interviews at Santo Domingo pueblo along with other research. The School for Advanced Research is a center for the study of archaeology and ethnology of the American Southwest.�� An intern could be called upon to work in its widely respected in-house press for scholarly books. ��“These internships could pilot an on-going relationship with these and similar institutions in Santa Fe,” Dr. Goldberg said.

Dr. Anne Goldberg and Prof. Maxine Payne
Oral History and Photography on the United States-Mexico Border: Women, Ranching and Globalization
Category: Special Projects

The disciplines of anthropology and art will combine this summer as Ellen Granger and Alyssa Moran travel to the American Southwest with Dr. Anne Goldberg and Prof. Maxine Payne. The collaborative project will document women’s lives on ranches on both sides of the United States-Mexico border through oral histories and photography. “Students will bring together the visual, oral, and written as they convey the stories of these women’s lives,” they said.

Dr. Liz Gron
Ridin' Dirty with Science
Category: Service to the World/Special Projects

Now in its fourth year, “Ridin’ Dirty with Science” is an outreach program offered in conjunction with the Boys and Girls Club of Faulkner County that engages local middle school students in fun, interesting, and interactive experiments to bring basic chemistry, biology and physics principles to life. ���ϲ����� students volunteer their time to teach the students through cutting- For example, “Throw Barbie from the Balcony” will involve students in the basics of physics. There will be two, two-day lab sessions at ���ϲ�����. This year’s session is coordinated by Allyson Keen, Tyler Lewis, Kimberly Pollard and Anna Sciortino.

Dr. David Hales
Boron trichloride: The missing link in boron halide cluster ion chemistry
Category: Undergraduate Research

Rane Dearing will work with Dr. David Hales on a research project exploring the reactions that take place when clusters of boron trichloride molecules are ionized.��Dearing will��engage in��experimental work with a tandem��mass spectrometer and��will use state-of-the-art computational chemistry software to create model structures of the��cluster ions.

Dr. Richard Murray
The Role of Neurogenin1 in Sensory Neuron Fate Determination in the Mouse
Category: Undergraduate Research

Dr. Rick Murray, Hailey Hundley and Molly Robbins will perform original biomedical research at ���ϲ����� this summer. They will examine the development of pain sensing neurons in the presence and absence of the neurogenin1 gene in laboratory mice.

Dr. Damon Spayde
In Search of a "New Standard Model": Probing New Physics with the Qweak Experiment
Category: Undergraduate Research

Dr. Damon Spayde and two physics students will travel to the Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility in Newport News, Va., to witness ground-breaking experiments performed with the institution’s multi-million dollar equipment.�� It will be a rare opportunity for undergraduates to see the accelerator at the lab in operation, which will be a valuable preparation for additional research performed on campus.

Dr. Ann Willyard
Sky Island Pines
Category: Undergraduate Research

Dr. Ann Willyard and three students will conduct field research in the American Southwest. Their collaborative experiment will explore whether or not the isolated populations of a high-altitude ponderosa pine represent a previously unrecognized species. The live on “sky islands,” which are the isolated and forested mountains that seem to float in a sea of desert.

CRAIN-MALING CENTER OF JEWISH CULTURE GRANTS

Leah Samuelson
AIPAC Policy Conference
Category: ��Special Projects
Supervisor: ��Dr. Todd Berryman

Leah Samuelson will attend the annual conference this spring of the American Israel Public Affairs Committee in Washington D.C., in order to expand on the knowledge of Middle East politics that she has gained from Dr. Todd Berryman’s course on conflict in the modern Middle East. ��That conference will be attended by over 6,000 community and student activists, a third of the House of Representatives, more than half the Senate, and influential policy makers, such as Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. ��Samuelson will chronicle her experience in journal. ��She hopes the conference will enable her to gain a fuller understanding of the conflict in Israel and help her toward imagining her own solutions to the conflict.

MILLER CENTER FOR VOCATION, ETHICS, AND CALLING GRANTS

Miller Center Service Fellowships Summer 2010

Colin Bagby-Quapaw Quarter United Methodist Church, Little Rock, AR

Quapaw Quarter United Methodist Church��is a growing downtown church with new and emerging ministries and programs for the homeless. Bagby will help coordinate a weekly breakfast, distribute clothing, and other essential items to the needy community as well as offering devotionals during the Sunday morning breakfast.

Sarah Beth Bell-Women’s Shelter of Central Arkansas, Conway, AR

The Women’s Shelter of Central Arkansas is a safe place for battered and abused women and their children. Bell will help facilitate support groups for children and adults, answer the rape crisis hotline, and perform client intake procedures as well as helping prepare for the shelter’s annual fundraiser.

Eva Englert-Stewpot, Dallas, TX

The Stewpot operates under the . Englert will be assisting Stewpot with and eight-week day camp for low-income and homeless children.

Heather Newell-The Gathering Place, Denver, CO

The Gathering Place exists to support women and their children who are experiencing homelessness or poverty by providing a safe daytime refuge and resources for self-sufficiency with Denver’s only daytime drop-in center for women and children. Newell will be working closely with the community helping to create appropriate activities for children.

Paul Richards-Theressa Hoover United Methodist Church, Little Rock, AR

Theressa Hoover United Methodist Church is in downtown Little Rock and is involved in a large and varying amount of projects in its community, from affordable housing for the poor, substance abuse remediation, and prison ministries. Richards will be assisting with programs involving children, working with the youth group and helping with the community garden.

Allison Sauls-Grace Community United Methodist Church, Shreveport, LA

Grace Community United Methodist Church offers ministries in Shreveport through The Common Ground Community and The Pool of Siloam Medical Ministry and Free Clinic. Sauls will be working with both The Common Ground Community and the Pool of Siloam Medical Ministry to assist with the needs of the homeless in the area.

Emily Uhar-Experiential Learning International, The Philippines

Experiential Learning International works with the Department of Social Welfare and Development in the Philippines. Uhar will be volunteering in the street children department, a government office which provides services to homeless youth, including education and addiction resources.

Jennifer Zilly-UrbanPromise Ministries, Camden, New Jersey

The UrbanPromise Ministries mission statement reads, “To equip Camden’s children and young adults with the skills necessary for academic achievement, life management, spiritual growth and Christian leadership.” Zilly will be involved in tutoring, mentoring and coaching of younger children in the Camden, NJ community.


PROJECT PERICLES GRANTS

Rose Thomson will work as volunteer aide in Education Department of International Institute of St. Louis, MO, helping transition recent immigrants/refugees to United States.

Hannah Hudspeth will intern in the Washington D.C., office of Congressman Vic Snyder.��

HENDRIX-MURPHY FOUNDATION PROGRAMS IN LITERATURE AND LANGUAGE

Ben West and Tiffanie Jones
Arkansas Shakespeare Theatre
Coordinator: D. Sutherland, B. Entzminger

The Arkansas Shakespeare Theatre at the University of Central Arkansas hosts the annual Shakespeare Festival. Students will gain invaluable professional experience working for the duration of the festival in a variety of on- and off-stage positions.

Creative Writing Residency: Nebraska Summer Writer’s Conference
Coordinator: T. Jaeger

Five students will participate in the week-long Nebraska Summers Writers Conference, which offers students the opportunity to select a class taught by professional writers, as well as meet with other writers, editors, and publishers.

Leah Groat, Mac Barnes, Delaney Roberts, Anna Broadwell-Gulde, Jadon Wiese, Sierra McCabe, Hanna Liberson, Bernice McMillan, Molly Miller, Laura Turvey, Meredith Miles, Kelli LaPorte, and Jose Miguel Vilahomat
���ϲ����� in Madrid
Coordinator: J. Vilahomat

���ϲ����� in Madrid enrolls students in the Universidad Compultense for one month, during which students will take seven literature topics at the 501 level as well as attend several afternoon conferences. Students will gain exposure to literature and language through coursework, the opportunity to share a residence with Spanish speakers, and by participating in cultural outings and celebrations Madrid.

Caitlin Mulkern, Sara Slimp, Melanie Roach, Lauren Carrington Rowley, Elizabeth Cox, Christine Walsh, Dorothy Schuler, Katharine Gillett, and Brandon Stegall
���ϲ����� in Florence
Coordinator: J. Vilahomat, R. Miller

���ϲ����� in Florence enrolls students in a month-long language program in the University of Florence. Students will learn basic Italian through coursework, lectures, and excursions throughout the city.

Sarah Arnold, Becca Bona, Victoria Garrett, and Elizabeth Qualia
British Studies at Oxford
Coordinator: B. Entzminger

This program provides scholarships for ���ϲ����� students to participate in the British Studies at Oxford six-week program at St. John’s College, Oxford University.�� Students will choose from a variety of courses, attend daily lectures given by British scholars, and experience a rich array of activities that include trips to the theatres in London and Stratford among other historical sites.

Takayla Ames, Chase Crawford, Kent Dunson, Madeleine Keenan, Taylor Kidd, Sabrina Moor, Julia Shimada and Laura Turvey
Murphy Away Projects: The Literature and Image of Culture and the Environment in Northern New Mexico
Coordinator: J. Kosiorek

Murphy Away Projects support off-campus student-faculty projects that focus on literature and language around the globe. Eight students will travel to northern New Mexico where they will engage with writers, activists, and community members, as well as view examples of historic and contemporary land use in order to examine the culture and environment of the region. This project is co-sponsored by the Odyssey Program.

London Literary Project Seminar
Coordinator: R. Resinski

Faculty and four students will pursue language and/or literature projects of their own design in London while participating in a daily seminar about their work.

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