Students in the news, March 23

MINNEAPOLIS — Five local students received Tribal College Student of the Year or Coca-Cola First-Generation Scholar awards at a recent ceremony held by the American Indian College Fund at the Minneapolis Convention Center.

The Adolph Coors Foundation sponsors the Tribal College and University Students of the Year and the Tribal College and University President Honoree of the Year. Each tribal college and university selects one student to represent their institution and the American Indian College Fund selects the TCU President Honoree. Students receive a $1,200 scholarship and the president is awarded a $1,200 honorarium.

The Coca-Cola Foundation provides scholarships for first-generation Native students who attend a tribal college or university. According to a release, the Coca-Cola Foundation has been awarded almost $3.6 million in scholarship support to the College Fund since 1990 to assist more than 500 students with their college education. Students can reapply for the scholarship each year if they maintain a 3.0 grade point average and are active in campus and community life.

The following students received Tribal College Student of the Year:
Darrin Brown Jr. of Leech Lake Tribal College, Angeline Harris of Red Lake Nation College and Lauri Zupan of White Earth Tribal and Community College.

The following students received Coca-Cola First-Generation Scholar awards:
Kyleisha Garrigan of Red Lake Nation College and Torrey Kingbird of Leech Lake Tribal College.

BEMIDJI — The following local students shared the results of their undergraduate research at the Red River Valley Association of the American Chemical Society Conference, held on the Bemidji State University campus in February.

Bemidji:

• Ridge Flatness, research project “Synthesis of LINC00896 Utilizing Biotechnology,” with support from faculty mentor Dr. Rachel Hellman Whitaker, associate professor of chemistry at BSU.
• Jacob Hanson, research project “Biochemical Characterization of LINC00896, a Non-Protein Coding RNA, which, when expressed, Contributes to the Development of Autism,” with support from faculty mentor Dr. Rachel Hellman Whitaker, associate professor of chemistry at BSU.
• Quinnan G. Hoskins, research project “Azide Based Fluorescent Coumarin Probe for H2S Detection,” with support from faculty mentor Dr. Katie Peterson, professor of chemistry at BSU.
• Chloe Knott, research project “NBD-Cm as a fluorescent probe for hydrogen sulfide detection,” with support from faculty mentor Dr. Katie Peterson, professor of chemistry at BSU.
• Jack Larson, research project “Accelerated Aging of Numotizine,” with support from faculty mentor Dale Dreyer, BSU college lab specialist.
• Robert Mangiamele, research project “Autzy, a Social Media App for People with Autism,” with support from faculty mentor Dr. Rachel Hellman Whitaker, associate professor of chemistry at BSU.
• Aydin Miller, research project “Synthesis of Coumarin-SDNP Fluorescent Probe for the Detection of Hydrogen Sulfide,” with support from faculty mentor Dr. Katie Peterson, professor of chemistry at BSU.
• Andrew Rizea, research project “Autzy, a Social Media App for People with Autism,” with support from faculty mentor Dr. Rachel Hellman Whitaker, associate professor of chemistry at BSU.
• Trevor Rohder, research project “Biochemical Characterization of LINC00896, a Non-Protein Coding RNA, which, when expressed, Contributes to the Development of Autism,” with support from faculty mentor Dr. Rachel Hellman Whitaker, associate professor of chemistry at BSU.
• Amelia A. Scherling, research project “NBD-Cm as a fluorescent probe for hydrogen sulfide detection,” with support from faculty mentor Dr. Katie Peterson, professor of chemistry at BSU.

Bena:

• Dylan Cleveland, research project “Synthesis of LINC00896 Utilizing Biotechnology,” with support from faculty mentor Dr. Rachel Hellman Whitaker, associate professor of chemistry at BSU.