Student researchers wrap up Ester Howard Fellows program with poster presentations

This summer, six undergraduate students participated in the Ester H. Howard Student Research Fellows program, a program in its fifth year designed to support independent student research and inquiry.

The program was recently named after the late Ester Howard, a distinguished alumna who was an avid supporter of Campbell University and is remembered fondly. Her generous endowment of the Research Fellows program provided funding for student and faculty stipends and ensured the program will continue to thrive and expand.

The 2022 Howard Research Fellows pursued impactful research in a variety of diverse disciplines. They collaborated with their faculty mentors to complete their work over the eight-week summer program, attending progress meetings with their cohort along the way.

A poster session highlighting their research concluded the program on Aug. 22. 


The 2022 Howard Student Research Fellows cohort are:

Ann Braaten, Biology

  • Using Transposon Mutagenesis to Identify Genes in Lactococcus lactis Required for Biofilm Formation.
  • Mentor: Dr. Stephanie Mathews

Abigail Cooley, Biomedical Humanities

  • Psychological Hardiness in Division I Womens Lacrosse.
  • Mentor: Dr. Paula Parker

Colton Danks, Pharmaceutical Sciences

  • Characterization and Identification of a Bacteriophage Using Restriction Enzymes and DNA Fingerprinting Techniques.
  • Mentor: Dr. Tim Marks

Chloe Davis, Psychology

  • Examining the Role of Family Support and Family Dynamics on College Students’ Life Satisfaction During the COVID-19 Pandemic.
  • Mentor: Dr. Justin Nelson

Dean Locklear, Political Science

  • Historic Native American Presence on the Campbell University Campus and Land Acknowledgement.
  • Dr. Nicole Rushing

Callen Toscano, English

  • Symphony of Destruction: Gothic Romanticism and Nuclear Culture in 1980s Thrash Metal.
  • Mentors: Dr. Sherry Truffin, Dr. Jaclyn Stanke

Undergraduate students interested in participating in the 2023 edition of the program are encouraged to apply when the application opens in the fall, typically in mid-November. More information about the program can be found on the website: https://www.campbell.edu/about/strategic-plan/student-research-fellows-program/