"The meeting was very informative and allowed the biology graduate students a chance to meet with the dean and discuss issues relevant to their degree programs," said Melissa Litherland, the society’s president. "I was delighted to meet such a group of dedicated and engaged students," said Dean Olson. "They clearly demonstrate the high quality education that departments in the College provide our students."
Among the participants were students who have received grants to support their work, including Jeff Helms, who received an American Heart Association Predoctoral Fellowship from the Greater Midwest Affiliate. These competitive fellowships (only the top 25-35% of applications are funded) provide a stipend as well funding for travel to present research at national meetings. Helms’s fellowship is worth $49,000 over the course of two years.
Also present was Tracie Ivy, who recently received a Dissertation Improvement Grant from the National Science Foundation worth $10,000. "I found it very encouraging to hear that Dean Olson is committed to elevating the research profile of Illinois State University," said Ivy. "Graduate students want to see that the quality of research that we do is recognized, both within the ISU community and within the scientific community at large."