Documente Academic
Documente Profesional
Documente Cultură
Dover
Mary Miller (T, W) mcmiller@udel.edu 302-857-1214
GEORGETOWN
Mary Miller (M, Th, F) mcmiller@udel.edu 302-855-1657
WILMINGTON
Howard Fishman hfishman@udel.edu 302-571-5331 Renee Fisher (M, Th) rfisher@udel.edu 302-571-5230
Newark Office
Renee Fisher (T, W, F) rfisher@udel.edu 302-831-8108
Danielle Levredge, a 2012 graduate of the UDAAP in Georgetown, is a Spring 2013 recipient of the Benjamin Gilman Scholarship. The award allowed Levredge to take part in a study abroad trip to northern Africa, where she is taking leadership classes related to her Public Policy major. Her trip, which began on Jan. 1, will include the Moroccan cities of Casablanca, Rabat, Fez, Marrakech, Meknes, Ouarzazate, and Essaouira, before returning to the U.S. on Jan. 30. The Benjamin Gilman Scholarship (BGS) is a congressionally funded program created to offer undergraduate U.S. students the opportunity to participate in the study abroad experience, particularly those students who have been traditionally underrepresented in study abroad programs in the past those with limited financial means, com-
munity college students, students with disabilities, and those of diverse ethnic backgrounds. Students must be receiving Pell Grant funding to be eligible. The Associate reached Levredge via email in Rabat, Morocco, to talk about her experiences and her continuing work with the BGS. Levredge grew up in Seaford, Delaware, where she attended high school. She entered the Associate in Arts Program in September 2010, and says she only discovered the BGS by chance. I actually saw the scholarship in the tiny print on the back page of a flyer outside the Georgetown academic office, she said. Its so fortunate I picked it up!
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Cody Prang, a graduate of the Wilmington campus of the Associate in Arts Program, is now pursuing his Ph.D. at New York University. An anthropology major while at UD, Prang is now affiliated with NYUs Center for the Study of Human Origins and the New York Consortium for Evolutionary Primatology. In a recent email interview, Prang shared his thoughts on the Associate in Arts Program, his experiences with UD, and his future academic pursuits.
The Associate: Why did you choose the Associate in Arts Program? Cody Prang: I wasnt a very good student throughout high school because I was more interested in playing music and skateboarding. I also thought high school was boring. The AA Program was simply my best option and it greatly exceeded my expectations. I dont know if I would have discovered anthropology, or pursued a graduate education, if it werent for the program.
TA: At what point did you decide to major in anthropology? CP: I took Anthropology 101 during my first semester because it fulfilled UDs multicultural requirement. I had a good experience in the class, so I decided to take Anthropology of Human Nature the following spring semester. At that point I began to realize that I really enjoyed learning about
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Do you have news or a story idea for The Associate? Email editor Erin Tanner at etanner@udel.edu.
$4,000 toward her trip to Africa. As a recipient of the award and a future peer mentor, Levredge hopes to get the word out to other students who might think that the study abroad experience is beyond their reach. My biggest concern was the minimal likelihood of it happening to me to be chosen as a recipient, but its completely possible. You dont have to have a 3.8 GPA or be an astronaut, cancercuring, genius, prestigious student to be awardedyou just have to try, Levredge said. My biggest piece of advice for students who dont even dare to think about it is that money is out there, she added, noting that there are billions of dollars in federal and state grants, as well as local and private scholarships, available to students who take the time to seek them out. Even some UD offices and organizations offer money to their members for things like this, she said. In essence, free money waiting to be of use to you! Levredge also noted the importance of talking to as many people as possible about wanting to take part in the study abroad experience. Mention your ambition to at least want to go, she said. They will know people to talk to for money or places to look. Ultimately, Levredge said, students need to take the initiative in seeking to achieve their academic goals. Even if someone close to you believes its unattainableprove them wrong! she said. The world is out there ready for you, and opportunities are begging to be found. They happen much more often when you go out looking for them instead of waiting for them to happen! For more information about the Benjamin Gilman Scholarship, visit http://www.iie.org/Programs/GilmanScholarship-Program. For more information about UDs Student Support Services Program, visit http://sssp.ae.udel.edu/. To contact Danielle Levredge for assistance with the BGS application process, email her at levredge@udel.edu.
Important dates:
Monday, Feb. 4:
Classes begin at 8:00 a.m.
Monday, April 1:
Classes resume at 8 a.m.
Winter 2013
tion to Newark will find it easier if they get involved with social events and clubs; meeting new people, she said, is the key to making the adjustment. By the time you make your way up to the main campus, youre surrounded by people who have most likely already spent at least two years together, so it almost feels as if youre the new kid in school and youre trying to make the most of an awkward situation she said. However, it doesnt have to remain that way. There are so many opportunities to meet new people on campus, so get out there and get socializing! To learn more UDs Office of Service Learning, visit www.servicelearning.udel.edu. For more information about Supporting Kidds: The Center for Grieving Children and Their Families, visit www.supportingkidds.org. Winter 2013
anyone else on campus. I knew that in order to pursue a career in biological anthropology, I had to be a strong student and I was determined to do well. Although I didnt get as involved on campus as I probably should have, I think its important for students to find their place on campus. TA: Your senior thesis examined the lateral tarsal morphology of the gorilla. What was your primary research focus in that area? CP: I studied the shape and function of eastern and western gorilla foot bones for my senior thesis. I worked with Dr. Karen Rosenberg at UD and Dr. Matt Tocheri of the Human Origins Program at the Smithsonian Institution. Im broadly interested in the evolution of upright walking in humans, and one area of the skeleton that differs markedly in humans compared to non-human primates is the foot. In my field, the study of non-human primates is very common and gorillas provide a unique opportunity to study foot evolution because eastern gorilla feet have unique adaptations for moving around on the ground, while western gorilla feet retain adaptations for living in the trees. During my time on main campus, I was involved with the McNair Scholars Program. I owe many of my achievements to McNair. Its essentially a graduate school preparation program for low-income, first-generation college students and groups that are typically underrepresented in college. I suggest that anyone
eligible apply. Another great program is the Undergraduate Research Program. Both McNair and the URP offer money for doing summer research with a faculty member. TA: You are now working with the Center for the Study of Human Origins at NYU. Could you explain more about your current research focus and your plans for the future? CP: Im currently in a Ph.D. program at NYU and I have affiliations with the Center for the Study of Human Origins (CSHO) at NYU and the New York Consortium for Evolutionary Primatology (NYCEP). NYCEP is a consortium that includes NYU, CUNY, Columbia, and the American Museum of Natural History. My research focuses on postcranial morphological evolution in humans, our earliest ancestors, and our closest living relatives, the apes. Ive just finished my first semester in graduate school and, after a brief break, Ill be working on a manuscript to submit for publication before I start classes again in February. The McNair Scholars Program offers preparation for doctoral study to low-income, first-generation college students and students from groups underrepresented in graduate education. McNair Scholars participate in extensive undergraduate research internships in their field of interest. To learn more about the McNair Program or to fill out an application, visit http://mcnair.urel.udel.edu.
SEED Scholarships
Have questions about your SEED Scholarship? Check out the following web resources. If you have additional questions, check with your student advisor.
State of Delaware SEED Grants: seedscholarship.delaware.gov UDAAP: www.cas.udel.edu/associateinarts UD Admissions: www.admissions.udel.edu/apply SEED Grants at UD: www.udel.edu/associateinarts/SEED UD Scholarships and Financial Aid: www.udel.edu/finaid FAFSA: www.fafsa.ed.gov