Diversity Highlights
Featured Stories and Scholars
Military-Affiliated Grads Featured Scholar – John Comparetto
Colonel (Retired) John Comparetto, a doctoral student in mathematics, received his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in electrical engineering from New York University, his master of business administration degree from Columbia University, and his master’s degree in strategic studies from the U.S. Army War College. After being commissioned in the U.S. Army Reserve, he volunteered for ...
Global Grads Featured Scholar – Ai Ye
Ai Ye is a doctoral student in psychology and neuroscience and a master’s student in statistics and operational research. She received her master’s degree in education from UCLA and her bachelor’s degree in engineering from Wuhan University in Hubei, China. She moved from southern China to the United States in 2012 to pursue her graduate ...
Global Grads Featured Scholar – Guan Wang
Guan Wang is a doctoral student in applied developmental science in the School of Education. She is originally from northeastern China and received her bachelor’s degree in linguistics from Peking University. Her master’s degree, from the University of Pennsylvania, is in interdisciplinary studies in human development. In addition to pursuing her doctoral degree, she is ...
Carolina Grad Student F1RSTS Featured Scholar – Steven Houang
Steven Houang is an MSPH-to-PhD student in health behavior within the UNC Gillings School of Global Public Health and is a member of The Graduate School’s Royster Society of Fellows. A Taiwanese American immigrant from San Francisco, he received his undergraduate degree in interdisciplinary science from The New School for Social Research. What made you choose ...
Military-Affiliated Grads Featured Scholar – Laura O’Malley
Sergeant Laura O’Malley is a doctoral student in education, specializing in school psychology. She received her bachelor’s degree in psychology from Temple University and her master’s degree in school psychology from Millersville University. She joined the U.S. Army Reserve in June 2018 and currently serves within the 254th Quartermaster Company in York, Pa. In the ...
Military-Affiliated Grads Featured Scholar – Joseph Biddix
Joseph Biddix, a student in UNC-Chapel Hill’s online Doctor of Nursing Practice program, has received two bachelor’s degrees from Carolina. While pursuing his bachelor’s degree in nursing, he was accepted into the U.S. Navy Nurse Candidate Program and, upon graduation with highest honors, was commissioned into the Navy. A lieutenant in the U.S. Navy Nurse ...
Carolina Grad Student F1RSTS Featured Scholar – Amy Wright
Amy Wright is a second-year master’s student in the School of Social Work. They also serve as a social work coordinator for the Student Health Action Coalition free health clinic and the social work student representative on the Student Executive Committee for the Office of Interprofessional Education and Practice. Amy received their undergraduate degree from ...
Global Grads Featured Scholar – Kemal Ozalp
Kemal Ozalp, a doctoral student in biology, is from Istanbul, Turkey, and received his bachelor’s degree from Yildiz Technical University and a master’s degree from Istanbul Technical University. He says he is planning for a career in which the university and private sectors figure prominently and his scientific discoveries can become products. “Even though the ...
Military-Affiliated Grads Featured Scholar – Michael Bressler
Michael Bressler is a dual degree master’s degree student within social work and public health. He plans to graduate at the end of this semester “with two master’s degrees and a world full of opportunities.” After serving for four years in the U.S. Marine Corps and deploying to Iraq in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom, ...
Global Grads Featured Scholar – Caitilin McMillan
Caitilin McMillan is a Rotary Peace Fellow and doctoral student in geography. She plans to pursue a master’s degree in clinical rehabilitation and mental health counseling, leading to a joint degree at UNC-Chapel Hill. Her work focuses on peacebuilding with justice and, in particular, enhancing how psychosocial needs and trauma are addressed in communities affected ...