Anthropological Sciences Student Wins Scholar-Citizen Scholarship Contest

Through an internship with the Radford University Forensic Science Institute, senior anthropological sciences major Michelle "Chelley" Whitman, under the direction of her faculty mentor Donna Boyd, is using her forensic knowledge to serve by examining unidentified human remains provided by the Virginia Office of the Chief Medical Examiner -- in hopes of gathering important information to solve cold criminal cases.

"According to the National Institute of Justice, there are over 40,000 sets of unidentified human remains curated in medical examiner's offices and other laboratories throughout the United States," says Whitman. "This translates to thousands of families wondering about the fate of their missing loved ones -- whether they are still alive and will someday walk through their front door or instead will remain forever lost and nameless,"  Whitman says.

She recently won a $600 scholarship for her essay "Creating a Bridge Between the Forensic Sciences and Families" which discusses how she expects her RU education to facilitate her growth as a scholar-citizen.

She says, "I am being trained to be the ultimate scholar-citizen by helping to identify the lost and nameless, bringing closure to their families, and allowing their bones to tell the story of their fate.  I am honored to be a part of this healing process."

For more information about the scholarship contest visit RU's Quality Enhancement Plan website.

To learn more about Whitman's experience as a scholar-citizen, read her award winning essay.

Apr 26, 2012
Ann Brown

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