The McKearn Fellows Program transforms fellows’ undergraduate experience and advances their professional development by providing them with academic programming, funding for enrichment experiences, and personalized advising. The program carries the name of two distinguished NIU alumni, John and Cassandra McKearn, who make this opportunity possible for motivated students in the Honors Program.
General criteria considered for the McKearn Fellowship includes being a current freshman undergraduate student, have a 3.5 or higher GPA, preferred research experience, and Honors Program involvement. The newest class of McKearn Fellows includes Honors students Taoheed Adeoye, Ally Coker, Han Ju, Jayla Scott, and Anna Wiginton.
Taoheed Adeoye is a Biological Sciences major. Taoheed said, “the McKearn Fellowship Program will allow me to build valuable professional connections and serve as the foundation for my future career goals.” Taoheed also hopes that through the McKearn Fellowship Program he will be able to build research experience while forming meaningful connections with both students and faculty at NIU.
Ally Coker is a Mechanical Engineering major. Ally said, “the McKearn Fellowship will expand the foundation I have built with Research Rookies to further my knowledge and abilities.” Ally also noted that the McKearn Fellowship will offer her professional development that is unique and will help her stand out in the industry.
Han Ju is a Mechanical Engineering major. Han said, “I hope to attain more technical skills in this field, meet professionals, collaborate with organizations and overall further my research project alongside my current team.” Han also noted that she really wants to get engaged with the research projects that faculty at NIU are doing as well as explore her interests while she has the support of faculty mentors.
Jayla Scott is a Biomedical Engineering major. Jayla said, “what made me want to be a McKearn Fellow was the opportunity to dive deeper into research early in my undergraduate career.” Jayla also noted that she is especially excited to explore the variety of subtopics in biomedical engineering that could lead to a real clinical impact.
Anna Wiginton is a Biological Sciences major. Anna said, “I hope to use this opportunity to further my research in the future, and hopefully, have the ability to present my research at more conferences.” Anna also noted that she hopes to gain as much experience as possible from this opportunity as she loves learning and growing within her field.
