Page 5 - Alcorn - The University Magazine: Spring, 2010

Purple & Gold
Alcorn State University has been very successful in providing its students with opportunities for developing a global perspective.
Global Programs staff is headed by Dr. Dovi Alipoe. “In cooperation with several other units of the university, we have successfully established connections with higher learning institutions abroad,” said Dr. Alipoe. “ ese connections pro- vide Alcorn students, faculty and staff with international experience and help Alcorn State in recruiting international students,” he said. More Russian students will come to study at Alcorn as a result of a recent visit by President George E. Ross and a group of senior administrators to Voronezh, Russia.
Presidents of Alcorn and Voronezh State Agricultural University (VSAU), one of the oldest agricultural schools of Russia, modified and extended the agreement of cooperation, which was signed by the two institutions in 2007. According to the agreement, ASU and VSAU will continue student and faculty exchange, initiate joint scientific research and develop a dual degree program, in which ASU and VSAU students would receive degrees from both institutions upon graduation. Several VSAU gradu- ates and transfer students are currently enrolled at ASU. “ ey have proven to be excellent scholars and talented indi- viduals,” says President Ross. “We invite more Russian students to pursue their education goals at Alcorn.”
Another initiative of the university specifically targeted for students major- ing in science is the Minority Health In- ternational Research Training (MHIRT) program. e ASU-MHIRT program is funded by the National Institutes of Health and offers students a ten-week intensive summer research training pro- gram in selected areas of health sciences at two research sites in India. e pur- pose of this international training is to
Dr. Dovi Alipoe
motivate and encourage minority stu- dents to pursue graduate or professional education, which will ultimately increase the bio-medically trained workforce who would lead research activities in areas of disparity in health and diseases among minority populations. e program has been held at ASU since 2000, under the direction of Dr. Bettaiya Rajanna, pro- fessor and chair of the Department of Biological Sciences.
In summer 2009, a group of ten se- lect ASU students continued the tradi- tion of conducting research in India. Upon their return, the students sub- mitted research projects based on their work in India to the Annual Biomedical Research Conference for Minority Stu-
Madhu Aditya, Mrs. Rajanna, Dr. Rajanna, Justin Nash, Kendra Robinson-Taylor
dents (ABRCMS). ree of those stu- dents received the coveted National Award for Outstanding Research Pre- sentations at the conference, which was held on November 7, 2009. Justin Nash, a junior majoring in biology/pre-medi- cine; Kendra Robinson-Taylor, a junior majoring in biochemistry/pre-medicine; and Madhu Aditya, a senior majoring in math and computer science, each re- ceived the highly respected, competitive national award along with a certificate of achievement and a $250 cash award.
Justin Nash said, “My ultimate goal upon graduation is to get into medical school and become a forensic patholo- gist. Admission to medical school is very competitive, so I hope that having this international research experience and winning a national award will increase my chances.” For Madhu Aditya, the trip to India was especially meaningful, since the city of Bangalore is the place where he was born. Part of his family still lives there. “We were really busy with our research projects, but I got to see my family once or twice. It was good to visit and practice the language skills.” Kendra Robinson-Taylor shared that she is very thankful to Alcorn and Dr. Rajanna for the opportunity to travel to India and do research in one of the foremost institu- tions in the country, Andhra University. “It enriched me culturally and scien- tifically. I learned a lot during those ten weeks, and this experience is priceless. I want to encourage Alcorn students ma- joring in science to apply to the MHIRT program. It is the chance of a lifetime.”
e next MHIRT training will be held June 1 through August 8, 2010. In the last ten years, 81 ASU students have received unique and enriching biomedi- cal research training in India.
3 I spring 2010