The School of Human Environmental Sciences has awarded the Alice P. Killpatrick and John I. and Patricia J. Buster fellowships to six deserving graduate students. Each graduate student received a $2,500 stipend for the fall 2018 semester.
Sarah Butterbaugh, Killpatrick Fellow, is pursuing a Ph.D. in family sciences and considers her passion in life to be serving others. Throughout her academic career, she has focused on helping children with disabilities, working with struggling young women and families, and now mentoring young adults. She has become an expert in emerging adulthood and plans to research the college years of a person’s life, the time when a person truly explores who they are. Butterbaugh is a member of the College of Agriculture, Food, and Environment Graduate Student Success Team and is a department representative on the Graduate Student Congress.
Alyssa Campbell, Killpatrick Fellow, is pursuing a Ph.D. in family sciences with the goal of becoming an educator at a research-intensive university. Campbell was a previous Killpatrick Fellowship recipient for her master’s thesis concerning attitudes and beliefs surrounding sexual assault within university and military communities. She is continuing her research by extending it into areas of policy and clinical practice. Campbell is getting hands-on experience by working as an associate therapist in a private practice, providing services to individuals and families with the goal of achieving full licensure. She is a department representative on the Graduate Student Congress and was a military family life counselor with the Military Teen Adventure Camp this summer.
Austyn Erickson, Killpatrick Fellow, is pursuing a master’s degree in dietetics and human nutrition. She made a personal investment in the field after her father required triple bypass heart surgery. Erickson has gone back to school in an attempt to encourage healthier eating in her family and friends, and she is troubled by the lack of accessibility to healthy foods. She hopes to educate poor communities and children about healthy food choices, to create more sustainable food systems, and to teach people about how foods can reduce the risks of chronic diseases. Erikson has previously been involved with the Power of Produce Club, which encouraged kids to try different types of fruits and vegetables. She also volunteered for a research project that sent text messages to high schoolers encouraging them to eat more produce and reduce their number of sweetened drinks.
Phillip Thompson, Killpatrick Fellow, is pursuing a Ph.D. in family sciences. He is a husband, father, and ordained minister in the Missionary Baptist denomination. Thompson tries to be a good role model in all of his roles which leads to increased trust from his children, his wife, and his congregation. He sees receiving the fellowship as a blessing. Thompson was previously employed at the Kentucky State Reformatory and the Louisville Metro Youth Detention Center. He attended the Louisville Presbyterian Theological Seminary.
Kelci McHugh, who is pursuing a master’s of science in dietetics and human nutrition, received a renewal of her Killpatrick Fellowship. She has completed a dietetic internship which will allow her to take the registered dietitian exam. McHugh plans to attend two conferences at which she will present her work on fruit and vegetable consumption, and health outcomes.
Virginia Groppo, a master’s student in retailing and tourism management, was awarded the John I. and Patricia J. Buster Fellowship. Groppo plans to research performance apparel, specifically leggings, because manufacturers make many quality and wear claims about their products, but there is very little scientific research to consult when substantiating the claims. She has developed a passion for mentoring the next generation of women by volunteering as a youth-group leader at her church and by volunteering at this year’s Expanding Your Horizons STEM Conference.
Candidates for the Killpatrick Fellowship must maintain good academic standing, possess citizenship and leadership qualities, participate in community-based activities and demonstrate financial need. Masters-level candidates for the Buster Fellowship must be enrolled in a Plan A program which requires a written thesis, have a minimum of 18 hours in the program and have an approved research-based thesis proposal. Doctoral-level candidates must be in the dissertation phase of the program and have an approved research-based dissertation proposal. Applications for the spring semester are due to by January 15, 2019 and additional information is available at: http://hes.ca.uky.edu/content/fellowships.