Six Lee University students were selected by the Appalachian College Association (ACA) as Colonel B. Ledford Scholars. The Colonel B. Ledford Scholarship offers financial assistance to eligible students who are conducting summer research at ACA member institutions. 
 
“I’m grateful for scholarship opportunities like this that help our students hone their research skills and build a foundation for continued study and success,” said Dr. Andra Tharp, director of the McNair Scholars Program and the Office of Undergraduate Research and Scholarship (OURS). “The dedication of these students and faculty to complete such intensive projects over the summer is remarkable.”  
 
This year’s Ledford Scholars are Jacob Bailey, Will Davis, Chloe Freake, Zachary Mendez, Jonah Pope, and Mason Raker.  
  
Bailey is a junior mathematics major. His project was titled “Further Divisions of a 2 x n Rectangle.” The research consisted of finding ways a rectangle could be divided into three parts. His faculty mentor is Dr. Richard Moy, associate professor of mathematics.    
 
Davis, a senior political science and history double-major, spent the summer translating sections of “Commentarium ad mentem Platonis,” the first major text of Giles of Viterbo, a 16th-century renaissance Italian friar and intellectual mystic. Davis also produced an addition to the existing bibliography on Giles by compiling more than 60 secondary works. His project is “Giles of Viterbo: A Man Whose Encyclopedic Life, Work, and Intellect Ought not be Lost.” His faculty mentor is Dr. Jared Wielfaert, professor of humanities.    
 
“Researching Giles of Viterbo was a formative opportunity as it was not only a research project, it was a daily lesson in the very doctrine he espouses,” said Davis. “Each day I was confronted with the reality that to know anything True, I must first surrender my intellect to God, loving him and focusing my intellectual pursuits within that love.” 
 
Freake is a senior sociology major. Her project “Why No One Wants to Work Anymore: Occupational Burnout Amongst Customer Service Workers” sought to understand how burnout affects employees, using the Maslach Burnout Inventory. Her faculty mentor is Dr. Arlie Tagayuna, associate professor of sociology. Freake was the overall presentation winner for this project at the 2025 McNair-Ledford Undergraduate Research Symposium last month. 
 
“This project was a labor of passion for me, as it’s a topic close to home,” said Freake. “A few participants even thanked me for doing this research and bringing light to these issues, which made me feel so fulfilled that I could do something to help.” 
  
Mendez is a junior exercise science major with an athletic training emphasis. His project was “Hydration Testing on Firefighters During Drills,” comparing Gatorade sweat patches to the InBody 770 scan during firefighter training to determine their accuracy and ability to effectively help firefighters. His faculty mentor is Dr. Pamela Hobbs, associate professor of health science. Mendez is also a Lee University McNair Scholar.    
 
Pope is a junior biological science major with a pre-professional emphasis. His project, “Determining the Effect of Pufferfish Toxin ‘Tetrodotoxin’ on Cancer Cell Mobility,” discovered the immobilizing effects pufferfish toxin has on cancer cells. His results suggest a significant decrease in cancer mobility, which directly corresponds to improved treatment efficacy and decreased risk of cancer-related death. Pope’s faculty mentor is Dr. Jonathan Cornett, professor of biology.  
 
“I absolutely loved my time as a Ledford scholar,” said Pope. “I have gained priceless research experience within my field, and I owe Dr. Jonathan Cornett and the Appalachian College Association endless gratitude. Academia is nothing without application, and this opportunity has allowed me to contribute, even if only a fraction, to the database of knowledge we all enjoy.” 
 
Raker is a sophomore biological science major with an ecology/environmental emphasis. His project, “Jump Around: A Survey of Treefrogs in the Southeastern Forest Canopy” looked at treefrog use of the forest canopy over the summer. Raker’s faculty mentor is Dr. Thaddeus McRae, professor of biology.   
 
“I am proud of our students who apply for and receive the Ledford Scholarship through the ACA each year,” said Dr. Debbie Murray, Lee University provost. “Their proposals are ambitious, well-crafted, and deserving of recognition. The implementation of these projects significantly impacts various communities and contributes to the personal growth of the students involved. I am grateful for the faculty who mentor these students, and I commend the ACA for this outstanding program.” 
 
The Office of Undergraduate Research and Scholarship (OURS) provides campus engagement opportunities to balance the rigorous demands of students’ research load while regularly gathering in community and sharing meals together. This experience highlights the academic capacity of Lee students, while featuring the intentional investment of dedicated faculty.   
 
For more information about OURS, visit leeuniversity.edu/ours/.    
 
For more information about the ACA or the Ledford Scholarship, visit acaweb.org/ledford-scholars.