University of Southern Mississippi McNair Scholars Program

Meet Yishia Walton!

Yishia is a pre-med student researching the relationship between religiosity and trust in healthcare providers among adults in rural Mississippi. She is hopeful that her research will shape the way she practices medicine in the future.

Meet Xavier Woodson!

Xavier is a kinesiology major researching how a sedentary lifestyle affects people with osteoarthritis.

Meet Santell Martin!

Santell is from New Orleans, Louisiana. She came to USM to study forensic biology, and she is the first in her family to pursue an undergraduate degree in a hard science.

Meet Nadia White!

Nadia is studying public health with a minor in business administration. She says that she is committed to supporting underserved and minority communities through research aimed at addressing disparities and advancing equitable care.

Meet La’Destiny Lemock!

La’Destiny is a psychology major from Greenwood, MS. She is interested in how parenting affects children's social outlooks and psychological and emotional wellbeing.

Meet Jordan Davis!

Jordan is studying computer science at USM. He chose to pursue McNair because of the many tools and opportunities the program provides for his career development, and for the opportunity to motivate others to pursue their goals.

Meet Destynee Hemphill!

Destynee is studying Kinesiology at USM. Her research interest is injury severity and disclosure motivation among collegiate female athletes.

Meet Alexis Lewis!

Alexis is from the Jackson metro area, and she came to USM to study biological sciences. In her spare time, Alexis likes to read her Bible, dance, sing, play games, draw, and watch K-dramas.

Meet Bethany Butler!

Bethany is a junior majoring in Psychology. She is interested in researching how personality disorders effect competency to stand trial, and she seeks to reduce the rate of wrongful incarcerations. Bethany says she is motivated by her family.