UK Faculty Mentor: Olufunmilola Abraham, PhD, MS, BPharm

Research topic: Medication safety and adherence, health education, and culturally relevant health practices

Maiya is a sophomore from Richmond, Kentucky, studying Public Health and Neuroscience with plans to attend medical school. Her interest in improving health outcomes for families through education-based interventions began through her work with the Families Moving Together research team in the College of Health Sciences. She also developed an interest in medication use and patient outcomes through her experience as a certified nursing assistant (CNA). Maiya is excited to continue expanding her research skills and to contribute to advancing community wellbeing through the SPARK program. On campus, she is involved in Phi Delta Epsilon, Movement Mentors, Premedical Women’s Society, and Kentucky Rural Health Association. 

UK Faculty Mentors: Melinda Ickes, PhD and Delvon Mattingly, PhD

Research topic: Community-engaged prevention, youth tobacco and substance use prevention/mental health promotion, the impact of psychosocial, policy, and structural determinants of health on substance use and cancer prevention

Karmen Parker is from Louisville, Kentucky and is currently a sophomore at the University of Kentucky. She is part of the College of Arts & Sciences, the Lewis Honors College and the UK BLUE Law Society. She aspires to attend the University of Kentucky Rosenberg College of Law and become a medical attorney. Her main research focal point stems from spreading equality and equity in healthcare resources to all. She believes that becoming a medical law/regulatory compliance attorney will ensure that laws and regulations are followed appropriately, to ensure that people obtain the care they need effectively and with purpose. Through the SPARK program, she hopes to sharpen and solidify her research skills to later produce and publish research of her own that can aid communities in need of justice.

UK Faculty Mentor: Justin X. Moore, PhD

Research topic: Cancer epidemiology 

Shreya is a sophomore at the University of Kentucky studying neuroscience and public health. Originally from rural Eastern Kentucky, she is passionate about addressing health disparities and improving access to education and care in underserved communities. She is the treasurer of the Student Public Health Association and a volunteering committee member with the Kentucky Rural Health Association. Her academic interests center on the intersection of medicine and public health with a long-term goal of pursuing a career as a physician. Through the SPARK program, she aims to build research and leadership skills and contribute to work addressing inequities in rural and underserved communities. 

UK Faculty Mentor: Rachel Farr, PhD

Research topic: Diverse family systems and issues of adoption, including child development, parenting, family functioning, and intersectionality of identities

Bella is a sophomore from Owensboro, Kentucky studying Public Health and is a student in the Lewis Honors College, with plans to attend law school after graduation. She hopes to integrate her passion for health promotion and civic engagement into a future career focused on advancing optimal health through policy and law. Through the SPARK program, Bella seeks to develop a strong understanding of the social determinants of health in order to better address the needs of underserved populations. She is deeply committed to promoting physical activity and improving access to active lifestyles, as reflected through her campus involvement with the Movement Mentors Club, her role as a group fitness instructor, and her work as a research assistant with the Active Girls Healthy Women and Families Moving Together projects. She hopes to use all of these experiences to advance health and wellbeing.

College: Public Health

Major: Public Health with a minor in Economics 

Year: Sophomore

Akua is an immigrant from Accra, Ghana who aspires to be a global health doctor. She hopes to travel to developing countries as a surgeon and minister care to marginalized communities. Her goal is to alleviate pain and suffering as a physician to disadvantaged populations and use research to dismantle the systematic barriers in healthcare cost and quality for marginalized communities. She hopes that her SPARK project will help international and local communities in KY access better healthcare at an affordable price. 

College: Martin-Gatton College of Agriculture, Food, and the Environment

Major: Agricultural and Medical Biotechnology (ABT) with a minor in Biology and a Certificate in Medical Behavioral Science

Year: Junior

Maddy is a junior from Chicago, Illinois, currently dedicated to earning her bachelor's degree in Agricultural and Medical Biotechnology with a minor in Biology and a certificate in Medical Behavioral Sciences. On campus, she is a part of the Step-Up program, a student research assistant in the Kawashima Lab, and a student volunteer at the EPA. She is deeply invested in using both data and narrative to address the complex realities of social determinants of health. By blending quantitative data with powerful storytelling, she hopes to bring a human dimension to the numbers, making the systemic issues more relatable and urgent. After graduation, she plans to get her MPH, specializing in medical behavioral sciences or epidemiology, and continue pursuing her efforts in alleviating social determinants of health that creates disparities between communities.

College: Education

Major: Kinesiology and Exercise Science, Pre-dental Track

Year: Junior

Ainsley is a junior from Murray, Kentucky, who is studying kinesiology with plans to attend dental school. Growing up in a rural area with a passion for dentistry has inspired Ainsley to research the oral health needs of her fellow Kentuckians. Through the SPARK program, she hopes to gain the skills and knowledge to help underserved populations, which she can apply in her future career. 

College: Arts & Sciences

Major:  Political science  with a minor in Law and Justice

Year: Sophomore 

Amy is a first-generation student born to immigrant parents from Mexico. Her goals after university involve building a career as an actor in legislation that helps marginalized communities. She aspires to work in government through doing political research and continue to gain experience through volunteer work such as Americorps VISTA. She's currently involved at Centro de San Juan Diego, where she helps immigrant communities in Lexington and works as a First Gen peer mentor at the University of Kentucky. 

Her research interests center around health policy and the attitudes of immigrant and uninsured individuals towards healthcare. 

College: Public Health

Major: Public Health and Business Management major with a minor in Business and Economics

Year: Junior

Thelma is originally from Ghana and is a junior at the University of Kentucky, double majoring in Public Health and Business Management. Her research focuses on health equity and improving access to healthcare and mental health services for underserved populations, including immigrants and racial minorities. She is passionate about addressing systemic barriers to healthcare and aspires to become a policymaker in the near future. She plans to attend graduate school to further her education and develop solutions to create more equitable healthcare systems. Outside of academics, she serves as a Peer Coach, CARES Ambassador, and mentor, helping students navigate their educational journeys and personal challenges.

College: Arts & Sciences

Major: Pre-professional Biology with a Certificate in Medical Behavioral Science 

Year: Sophomore

Mariam is a sophomore at the University of Kentucky's College of Arts and Sciences and Lewis Honors College. Originally from Alexandria, Egypt, Mariam has called Lexington home for the past seven years. Her experience as a first-generation immigrant has sparked her interest in pursuing a career as a primary care physician and working with underserved patient populations, particularly immigrants and refugees. She aims to grow her impact within the immigrant and refugee community by working in international settings and contributing to conversations in global health through health diplomacy and research. In her spare time, she enjoys writing, gardening, and learning new languages.