University of Alabama student wins national grant for HIV/AIDS research
Al.com – Aug. 15
The National Science Foundation awarded a University of Alabama doctoral student a $16,000 grant for her research into the social factors surrounding HIV/AIDS knowledge and behavior, according to a UA press release. Martina Thomas, a doctoral student in UA’s anthropology department, developed her project studying HIV/AIDS risk knowledge and behavior in black female teens in Tuscaloosa after conducting research on body image perception for her Master’s degree in Mobile. While interviewing black women and their daughters for her Master’s, Thomas found that many people held common misconceptions about HIV/AIDS. “One of the things that influenced me was a couple of the mothers stating that they know who has HIV by the way they look,” Thomas said in the release. Thomas plans to study how HIV/AIDS perceptions affect the risk of young women coming into contact with disease. According to the release, Thomas isn’t just conducting scholarly research — she hopes her work will help shed light on who might be more at risk or more protected against the disease. “She aims not only to advance scholarship in our discipline—which she will do—but also advance social justice and public health,” Jason DeCaro, an associate professor and Thomas’s mentor, said. Thomas is part of fewer than 15 percent of applicants who received the NSF grant.
Tuscaloosa News – Aug. 15
Newnan Times-Herald (Ga.) – Aug. 14
WTXT-Fox (Columbus, Ga.) – Aug. 14
UA Honors students take part in Alabama and Outdoor Action
WVUA (Tuscaloosa) – Aug. 14
University of Alabama students start classes in one week, and some UA freshmen are taking this week to help others. More than 250 UA Honors College freshmen and upper-class leaders are serving their new Tuscaloosa community. This is video from last year’s programs. This year, Alabama Action students are reaching out to Brookwood Elementary School, and Outdoor Action students are spending their time at Hurricane Creek. The programs run through Friday.
UA Early College program gains traction in Chilton County
Clanton Advertiser – Aug. 14
Representatives from The University of Alabama spoke to school administrators in Chilton County on Tuesday about a UA program available to students wanting to earn college credit during high school. Students who are eligible for dual enrollment courses and meet grade requirements may earn high school and college credit for certain courses through UA Early College. Dr. Cheree Causey, director of UA Early College, said her staff members work with counselors at individual schools to ensure students in the program are on track to not only succeed in the college courses but also to graduate from high school. The program is in its fourth year and currently has about 1,000 students from 29 different states, as well as foreign countries including South Korea, Japan and Germany. “It is a very comprehensive program,” Causey said. “Your students in Chilton County can be studying with students from all over. This is the very same curriculum that if you’re a freshman, sophomore or junior, you would be taking these classes.”
Two accepted into UA early college program
Hartselle Enquirer – Aug. 14
The University of Alabama recently accepted students into the UA Early College program. Among the accepted students were Kendall Watson and Blaine Williams, both of Hartselle High School. UA Early College students are high school students from across the U.S. who earn college credit online and are eligible for the UA Summer Residential/ Honors Ready Experience. These students may earn up to 30 hours of college credit from UA and still be eligible for freshmen scholarships.
UA’s Shineman opens ‘Surfacing’ exhibition Thursday at Birmingham Public Library gallery
Al.com – Aug. 14
Sky Shineman, an art and art history professor at UA-Tuscaloosa, will exhibit paintings in the Birmingham Public Library’s fourth floor gallery, beginning Thursday, Aug. 15. A reception will be held Saturday, Aug. 17, from 3-5 p.m. The exhibition, titled “Surfacing: The Paintings of Sky Shineman,” runs through Sept. 20. Shineman earned degrees in education and studio art from Ohio State University, and has shown her work at various galleries, museums and art shows around the nation. She was featured in the Alabama State Council on the Arts Gallery in Montgomery, and the 7th annual international exhibition at the Shore Institute of the Contemporary Arts in Long Branch, N.J. Honors include a research grant from the University of Alabama and the Best in Show Purchase Award at the 26th annual West Alabama Juried Show.
Back-to-school rally slated for Saturday at Tuscaloosa Amphitheater
Tuscaloosa News – Aug. 14
A back-to-school rally at the Tuscaloosa Amphitheater on Saturday will feature former Alabama gymnasts Ashley Sledge and Morgan Dennis as guest speakers. The rally will be from 3-7 p.m. and is open to the public. It is the result of a partnership between the Tuscaloosa Interdenominational Ministerial Alliance, the Tuscaloosa Backpack Coalition, Community Service Programs of West Alabama, Operation Comfort, the city of Tuscaloosa and more than 30 churches, businesses and community agencies to support students in Tuscaloosa city and county schools, according to a news release … “This was something that the Backpack Coalition and Operation Comfort, which is made of up a lot of local churches and groups, have been doing for years … We thought this would be a great idea to connect the ideas together,” said Chris Spencer, director of community development for the University of Alabama Center for Community-Based Partnerships. This year, more than 2000 children will recieve backpacks.
Wiz Khalifa, Dispatch to headline University of Alabama’s Greekfest
Al.com – Aug. 14
Rapper Wiz Khalifa, jam band Dispatch and local act Mother Funk are all set to headline the Costa Greekfest, the annual philanthropic concert hosted by the Interfraternity Council. Greekfest is scheduled for Friday, Aug. 23, the third day of fall semester classes for University of Alabama students. All concert proceeds will go to support UA Greek Relief, which raises money for tornado relief, and the Bill Fish Foundation, which funds marine and coastal preservation. At last year’s Greekfest, headlined by rapper Nelly, $45,000 was raised for the two organizations. The concert, hosted in the soccer stadium parking lot behind the Phi Delta Theta and Sigma Chi houses, is open to all students and guests 18 years and older. Students can purchase two guest tickets in addition to their own, and guests must be accompanied into the concert by a student with a valid Action card.
Madison County Alumni Chapter raises funds for scholarships
WAAY-ABC (Huntsville) – Aug. 14
(Live Interview) Does your child attend the University of Alabama? The Madison County Alumni Chapter has a scholarship fundraiser kick-off and we have guests in to tell us more about it.