As a North Augusta High School student, Madelyn Wasden anticipated a career in journalism.
She changed course in a big way at USC Aiken, choosing biology instead - most recently working with zebrafish.
An extended project landed Wasden a gold medal at the university's annual Research Day event - honoring undergraduate participants with their judged projects that were presented orally or with posters.
Other gold medal winners were Luntadila Cesar Paulo, accounting and finance major; Courtney Burckhalter, biology; and Ashley Strother, biology.
Students competed within their fields in the areas of science, humanities and social sciences. Dr. Tim Lintner, a School of Education professor and the event coordinator, said the program may have brought a record number of students this year. The awards ceremony ran late, he said, because the entries were so good the judges actually agreed to provide additional medals.
Wasden plans to apply to medical school with the goal of becoming a fertility specialist for humans - "helping women achieve their dream of having children if they want to extend their families," she said. "Doing this in-vitro with fish is a segue with that. It's interesting and very rewarding."
Nursing student Andrew Boggs' research work focused on "An Examination of Lateral Hostility Experiences of Undergraduate Student Nurses," Specifically, he looked at the physical, psychological and emotional abuse that nurses and students may encounter in a clinical setting. That has cost hospital administrative systems about $4.3 million each year.
"Sixty percent of all transition nurses leave their first job in six months," Boggs siad. "The could be a shortage of 1 million nurse by 2020. The issue is that the more you have lateral violence, the more nurses are going to quit."
Silver medals
• Caitlin Butler, English
• Manuel Dominguez (chemistry), Dominick Colosimo, chemistry.
• Helen Morris, biology.
• Chitravati Choony (chemistry), Jeremy Fulmer, Trevian Loveless, Lukas Earhart.
Bronze medals
• Andrew Quirk, history.
• Andrew Boggs, nursing.
• David Gilbert (biology), M. Catherine Bridges, Ashley Strother, Courtney Burckhalter.
• Christina Thomas and Heather Jones (biology).
Honorable mention
• Olaoluwa Shorinwa (mechanical engineering).
• Jeremy Hargis (biology).
• Brianna Snelling (biology).
• Brittney Adams (biology).
• Autumn Busbee (biology), Yaowu Yaun.
• Khadijah Jihad (biology).
Additional student participants
• Lauren Baker, Ajay Krishnakumar, William Bradford Prothman-Roberts, Alexander Adkins, Han Zhang, Antwon Dallis, Jennifer Deily, Amy He, Amanda Jones, Austin Kaiser, Jennifer Jackson, Tyler Shealy, Stephanie Youngblood, Hannah Grooms, Kelsey Schettino, Micah Hurtt, Andrew Ward, Emma Foerster, Shelby Lee Behnke.
Also Sarah Weaver, Jeremy Weeks, Mark Bezpalko, Bruce Foxman, Emily Webb, Catherine Bridges, Sandra Urquiza, Dorothy Clemons-Erby, Sommer Farmer, Megan Taylor, Haley Boyd, Michael Nash, Tiana LaTrell Chandler, Daymond Parrilla, Mary Beth Roby, Ifeoluwa Ekundayo, Alexis Harvin, Tyisha Henderson, Carly Osborn, Marissa Wagner, Lauryn Johnson, Brittany Jowers, Marilyn Mason, Erin McLaughlin, Natalie Arthur, Melissa Lane, Kristian Pickrel, Amber Perry, Holly Reese, Elisa Davis, Marla Dixon, Dylan Timmerman, Kayce Vanpelt, Shameeka Webster, Austin Worden, Anna Thompson.
Faculty mentors
• Dr. William Harpine, Dr. Tom Mack, Alexia Helsey, Dr. Heather Peterson, Dr. Linda Rodriguez, Dr. Thayer McGahee, Dr. Nathan Hancock, Dr. Bill Jackson, Dr. Gerard Rowe, Dr. Rebecca Carr, Dr. Andrew Dyer, Dr. Michelle Vieyra, Dr. Brian Parr, Dr. Bethany Fralick, Dr. Meredith Elzy, Dr. Paul Newsom, Bradley Reinhart, Dr. Virginia Shervette, Dr. Monty Fetterolf, Dr. Zhenheng Li, Dr. April DeLaurier, Daniel Hoffman, Dr. Nandeo Choony, Dr. Laura Swain, Dr. Keri Weed, Dr. Garriet Smith and Dr. Matthew Miller.