Student Awards

3rd Place: Predicting survival outcomes in breast cancer patients by proteomic analysis by Nhi Le, Jumana Edam (CLS)

Kim Stephens and Erika Sanchez with their 3rd Place Poster - Educational Section

Texas State University seniors Heather Hansen (CLS major) and Derek Miller were selected for the prestigious AIME Hooded Scholar Award. They will be flying on a chartered plane to Sydney, Australia on February 17th to attend a week-long mentoring conference. 

Upon returning to San Marcos, they will be starting a student chapter out of the University and local high schools to lead one of the most successful mentoring models across the globe. The model is called AIME and they have been running (until this inaugural year for the U.S.) in Australia, ending educational inequality for disadvantaged kids. Heather and Derek will be provided with a grant to develop and start a mentoring program that focuses on helping the LGBTQIA+ community at their local high schools.

For Immediate Press Release:

Traverse City, MI – Joanna Miranda, a senior at Texas State University, is one of five students, out of more than 300 nationwide applicants, to receive a $2,000 scholarship from the American Proficiency Institute (API). The API scholarship program enters its 11th year with over 50 students receiving funds to further their medical laboratory science education.

“The enthusiasm these students have for the science behind the clinical laboratory is clear,” remarked Daniel C. Edson, President of API. “From an intrigue with genetics to culturing reindeer samples for enteric pathogens, this year’s scholarship winners have a variety of interests and experiences.”

Becoming a medical laboratory scientist means that I will be making my mark on the world, one test at a time,” explained Ms. Miranda, who serves as the President of the Texas State Society of Clinical Laboratory Science student organization.

Rodney Rohde, PhD, Chair and Professor of Clinical Laboratory Science and Associate Dean for Research in the College of Health Professions at Texas State University, remarked that in addition to her academic achievement, Ms. Miranda has volunteered at St. David’s Hospital and has become certified as a phlebotomist. “We appreciate her positive professional attitude and sharing of her skills with other students.”

“API scholarships aim to support students driving the future of the laboratory profession,” said Edson.

The American Proficiency Institute is one of the largest proficiency testing providers in the world, serving over 20,000 laboratories. API offers innovative solutions and technical excellence for the proficiency testing needs of hospital and reference laboratories, physician offices, clinics, and point-of-care testing sites.

Congratulations Joanna! Your @TXST_CLS Family is so Proud of you! It's a GREAT time to #beabobcat at #TXST! #WeSaveLivesEveryday in the #MedicalLaboratory!

We are excited to announce that one of our 1st year (junior) @TXST_CLS students, Rachel Johnson, has been selected for the Mayo Clinic Summer Laboratory Science Program. This is a national competitive program and we believe Rachel is the FIRST Texas State University student to be selected for this honor.

Rachel will spend 10 weeks at the Summer Lab Science Program at Mayo Clinic's campus in Rochester, Minnesota, which offers students the opportunity to gain experience in the clinical laboratory environment by working alongside Mayo Clinic laboratory employees.

Traverse City, MI – Heather Hansen, a junior at Texas State University, is one of five students nationwide to receive a $2,000 scholarship from the American Proficiency Institute (API).

“Now in our tenth year of awarding API Scholarships, the caliber of students entering the medical laboratory science profession continues to impress me,” noted Daniel C. Edson, President of API. “This year’s scholarship winners are particularly inspirational. From growing up in a homeless shelter to regularly donating blood as a means of giving back, they all found a calling for the clinical laboratory profession.”

Ms. Hansen says that medical laboratory science is “the hidden profession that saves lives.” After enduring years of bullying, the medical laboratory provides her with a voice. “I am a hero in training,” she explains. Ms. Hansen rose to become the President of her campus’ Partnership for Research and Education in Materials.

Rodney E. Rohde, PhD, Chair and Professor of Clinical Laboratory Science at Texas State University, recognized her potential, “Ms. Hansen has already proven herself as an outstanding student, researcher, presenter, and leader.”

“We are proud to support the future of the laboratory profession through these API scholarships,” added Edson.

The American Proficiency Institute is one of the largest proficiency testing providers in the world, serving over 20,000 laboratories. API offers innovative solutions and technical excellence for the proficiency testing needs of hospital laboratories, physician offices, clinics, and point-of-care testing sites.

Join me in Congratulating Mr. Eric Bruton (1st year #TxStCLS student) on being chosen for one of the Summer Undergraduate Research Institution for the Study of Kidney Disease Fellowships (SURISKD) 2016 at UT Southwestern Medical Center. The SURISKD Program is a sub-program under the SURF Program. The SURISKD 2016 Program begins Monday, June 6, 2016 and ends Friday, August 12, 2016.

The SURISKD 2016 Program will provide Eric with an opportunity to immerse himself in a kidney-related research project for 10 weeks, Monday through Friday, under a mentor's supervision. The minimum expectation for each fellow is that they will devote 40 hours/week on their summer research project. In addition to pursuing an individual research project, SURISKD fellows attend bi-weekly research seminars given by members of the faculty on topics of current interest in kidney research and a lab course that demonstrates techniques related to kidney research. At the end of the program, each fellow will present a poster on his or her own research to the other SURISKD fellows and the faculty mentors. Approximately 15 fellows will participate in the SURISKD program this summer.

A strong desire to serve others unites the winners of the 2015 American Proficiency Institute (API) scholarships. Five medical laboratory science students, struck by the power of a diagnosis, are eager to pursue careers in the laboratory field.“

Whether serving active duty in the military or by experiencing difficulties with the birth of a child, these students have an overwhelming desire to give back to the community,” said Daniel C. Edson, President of API. “Once exposed to medical laboratory science and its interesting coursework, these students chose the laboratory profession as their route for giving back.”

Congratulations to the following students, alumni, and colleagues for their Awards and Honors during the 2015 ASCLS Annual Conference in Atlanta!

Meghan Colvin (Cohort 2015) - Beckman Coulter Travel grant, Alpha Mu Tau Scholarship
Jazmen Myers (Cohort 2015) - Dorothy Morrison Memorial Scholarship, ASCLS Student Forum (SF) Travel Grant, Elected ASCLS SF National Chair (2nd ever for Texas State CLS Program), SF Leadership Award nominee, Keys to the Future
Bihn Pham (Cohort 2015) - ASCLS Education and Research (E&R) Scholarship
Jasmin Davis (Cohort 2011) - ASCLS E&R Edward C. Dolbey Graduate Scholarship
Elizabeth M. Edmunds (Cohort 2014) - New Professional Member of the Year nominee, Keys to the Future
Professor Joanna Ellis (Cohort 2007) - Theriot Award (2nd)
Dr. Gerald D. Redwine (Professor, Cohort 1995) - CLS Distinguished Author Award for Clin Lab Sci journal Focus article (STD MDx)
Stephanie Fennelly (Jimenez, Cohort 2011) - Round Table Presentation on Cystic Fibrosis Molecular detection
Melissa Tucker (Cohort 2007) - attendance & Queen of Fun!
Lindsey Coulter (Cohort 2014) - attendance & CDC EID Fellowship tour
George Kummerer (Cohort 2015) - attendance and chauffeur!
Debbie Faubion (Cohort 1978) - attendance and ALWAYS involved!
Professor Dave Falleur - ASCLS Annual Meeting Chair 2015, ASCLS AMI Meeting Chair 2016, The Godfather! smile emoticon
Dr. Rodney E. Rohde (Professor & Chair, CLS Program) - Cardinal Health #‎urEssential Award Winner, CLS Distinguished Author for Clin Lab Sci Focus Article (STD MDx), Clin Lab Sci Clinical Practice Article (Ebola) & Joseph J. Kleiner Memorial Award for Best Clin Lab Sci journal article for year (MRSA)

Jazmen Myers was has been awarded two national scholarships - the 2014-2015 Siemens-ASCP Scholarship and the Clinical Laboratory Standards Institute (CLSI) Scholarship Siemens Healthcare Diagnostics and the American Society for Clinical Pathology (ASCP) have a shared goal to support the development of highly trained laboratory professionals through Siemens–ASCP Scholarships. ASCP is actively committed to the medical laboratory profession and dedicated students like you who will play a critical and valuable role in improving patient outcomes and securing the future Pathology and Laboratory Medicine workforce.

Additionally, Jazmen was the third place winner of the 2015 CLSI scholarship award.  There were a total of 35 applicants from all over the country who were enrolled in either Medical Laboratory Scientist (MLS) programs or Medical Laboratory Technician (MLT) programs.

In addition to the scholarship award, Jazmen will receive a complimentary one-year CLSI student membership, recognition in CLSI’s monthly eNews publication, and recognition at the 2015 Clinical Laboratory Educators’ Conference.

WAY TO GO Jaz!!

Jazmen Myers receiving her G2 Intelligence scholarship check in Washington, DC.

The Texas State CLS Program is very pleased to announce that current CLS Senior, Jazmen Myers, has been awarded the 2014 G2 Intelligence Scholarship Award. Jazmen is the sole winner of this nationally competitive scholarship program. G2 Intelligence's scholarship is awarded annually to help develop future leaders and qualified medical technology professionals. It signifies that the individual(s) has (or have) demonstrated a high level of knowledge, motivation, and drive for educational excellence in the clinical laboratory sciences field. McKesson Business Performance Services is generously donating $2,500 to further the education of an individual student enrolled in an accredited program in Clinical Laboratory Sciences.

Jazmen traveled to Washington DC on Thursday, October 16, 2014 to receive the award as part of G2I Intelligence’s annual conference, Lab Institute.

Of special importance, if you visit the web link you will recognize that past winners of this award have come from places like UMass Dartmouth, University of Kentucky, Vanderbilt, Rush University, among others. Texas State University will now JOIN that prestigious listing of scholarship winners.

Please join me in congratulating Jazmen on her wonderful award and thanks for helping put us on that list!

Eat em up Cats!

Dr. Rohde & the CLS Program

Left to right> Adrian Rubio (Tarleton State, Student Forum alternate delegate), Texas State student Jazmen Myers, TX State CLS alumna Jasmin Davis & Elizabeth Edmunds. Far right is Brooks Kennedy (U.T. M.D. Anderson CLS Program alumni, ASCLS Undergraduate Research Poster winner)

Texas State CLS student, Jazmen Myers, was elected as the National Student Forum Vice Chair at the 82nd Annual Meeting of the American Society for Clinical Laboratory Science (ASCLS) held in Chicago, Ill July 28 - August 2nd, 2014. Jazmen is an incoming senior in the CLS Program where she also serves at Vice President of the Texas State CLS Student Society. Her position represents all national CLS students. Jazmen is the first Texas State CLS Student to be elected as a national Vice Chair in the Student Forum. She also received the highly competitive ASCLS Student Travel Award to Chicago.

Texas State CLS alumna (2011), Jasmin S. Davis, was nominated as a New Professional Member of the Year. Jasmin was also elected as a Communications Co-Coordinator for the New Professionals and New Members Forum where she will serve as a liaison to the ASCLS Board of Directors and membership. Jasmin was also the first Texas State student to serve ASCLS National Student Forum Chair during 2011-12 and she has continued to be involved at multiple levels in ASCLS.

Recent graduate Elizabeth Edmunds, also traveled to Chicago for the ASCLS Annual meeting as the Student Forum Chair of the state Texas Association for Clinical Laboratory Science (TACLS). Elizabeth will be graduating from the CLS Program this summer on August 8th and has plans to practice in the Austin area. Elizabeth recently became certified as a MLS (ASCP). Congrats!!

 

APHL – CDC Emerging Infectious Disease (EID) Fellowship Announcement

Lindsey Blythe Coulter, a student in the Clinical Laboratory Science (CLS) Program at Texas State University, was recently awarded an Emerging Infectious Disease (EID) Fellowship. The EID Laboratory Fellowship Program, sponsored by the Association of Public Health Laboratories (APHL) and the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), trains and prepares scientists for careers in public health laboratories and supports public health initiatives related to infectious disease research. The EID Fellowship is a prestigious and nationally competitive award. In this application cycle, Lindsey was one of only six awards from a pool of 325 applicants.

Lindsey previously completed a BS in microbiology (2010) and MS in Biology (2012) at Texas State with a thesis focus on antibiotic and bacteriophage therapy against bacterial biofilms.  Dr. Rodney E. Rohde, Professor and Chair in the Texas State CLS Program, was one of Lindsey’s MS thesis committee members and recruited her into the CLS Program. Professor Rohde sponsored Ms. Coulter in an independent research MRSA study and advised and sponsored her EID application. She will graduate in August of 2014 with a BSCLS and plans to become certified as a Medical Laboratory Scientist (MLS) prior to her Fellowship. Lindsey is the first Texas State student to receive this nationally recognized Fellowship.

The EID Advanced Laboratory Training Fellowship is a one-year program designed for bachelor’s or master’s level scientists, with emphasis on the practical application of technologies, methodologies and practices related to emerging infectious diseases. Areas of training and/or research include: development and evaluation of diagnostic techniques, antimicrobial sensitivity and resistance, principles and practices of vector or animal control, emerging pathogens and laboratory-epidemiology interaction.

Lindsey will participate in an orientation session at CDC in Atlanta from August 13-15^th, 2014 to gain a general understanding of the public health laboratory system and how it relates to infectious disease surveillance, prevention, research and control. She will then be placed in a local, state or federal (CDC) public health laboratory of her choice in the US. Fellows are provided with a stipend, medical insurance, travel to the host laboratory and a professional development allowance.

- See more at > https://www.cdc.gov/fellowships/index.html

Congratulations to Jalisa Hall, Texas State Track and Field team member for her Gold Medal in the Hammer Throw at the Western Athletic Conference Championships. Jalisa won with a hammer throw of 191 feet, two inches.  The women's team dominated with a 39-point victory (179-140).