Current Ambassadors

Ambassador Ra’Quel Davis proudly showing off her research poster on Graduation Day.

The MUSC High School Teen Science Ambassador Program (TSAP) is a three-phased science education program at MUSC.

  1. Ambassador: High School Juniors will complete 12 weeks of foundational classes.
  2. Intern: High School Juniors will complete up to 100 paid hours working in an NIH research lab.
  3. Near-Peer Mentor: High School Seniors will be paid to return to help mentor the new group of Ambassadors under the guidance of a Senior Mentor.

Our program is supported by the Science Education Partnership Award (SEPA) from NIH's National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS).

2022 Ambassadors

In 2022, we welcomed 18 new Ambassadors from 10 schools in Charleston county. We are honored by this exceptional group of students and mentors.

Spring

MUSC TSAP Cohort One ambassadors. Pictured left to right: Nazjah Washington, James Moss, Dr. Natalie Johnson, Nyla Bickham, Anna Sofia Crews, Aniya Akinjobi, Michell Cordova- Huerta. 
Pictured left to right: Nazjah Washington, James Moss, Dr. Natalie Johnson, Nyla Bickham, Anna Sofia Crews, Aniya Akinjobi, Michell Cordova-Huerta

Nyla Bickham

Research Question: How has substance use shown a correlation between adolescence and mental health outcomes that may develop?
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Senior Mentor: Anna Kirkland, Ph.D.

Aniya Akinjobi

Question: How does technology use affect the brain and substance abuse?
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Senior Mentor: Helen Liu

Michell Cordova-Huerta

Research Question: How has substance use shown a correlation between adolescence and mental health outcomes that may develop?
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Senior Mentor: Anna Kirkland, Ph.D.

Anna Sofia Crews

How do the different brain factors cause an increase risk of substance abuse?
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Senior Mentor: Brittney Browning

James Moss

Rearch Exploration Project: Comorbidity
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Senior Mentor: ReJoyce Green, Ph.D.

Nazjah Washington

I believe it's very important to figure out why the underage drinking is occuring and increasing throughout the years. In order to find out what treatment they need you have to know why they started drinking and why they are continuing to do it.
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Senior Mentor: Kathryn S. Gex, Ph.D.

Fall

Group photo of MUSC TSAP Cohort Two ambassadors. 
Pictured left to right: (top row): Alicia Parson, Dr. ReJoyce Green, Dr. Anna Kirk
Second row: Sam Kempker-Margherio, Dr. Alexis Garcia, Shekinah Phillips, Dr. Lindsay Squeglia, Brittney Browning
Third Row: Helen Liu, Nyla Bickham, Aniya Akinjobi, Ren Rountree, Michell Cordova-Huerta, Anna Sofia Crews, James Moss
Fourth Row: Ely Navarro, Asante Lee, Alayna Ancrum, Peyton Poling, Keandra Wright, Sanaa Brown
Bottom Row: Briana Lawton, Tima Ceesay, Shakhruza Kamolova, Janaé Heyward, Ra'Quel Davis, Kenyetta Robinson

Alayna Ancrum

Research project: Disorders & Personal Reflection.
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Senior Mentor: Sam Kemper-Margherio, M.A.
Near-Peer Mentor: Aniya Akinjobi

Sanaa Brown

Research project: How does substance abuse affect the teenage brain?
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Senior Mentor: Lindsay Squeglia, Ph.D.
Near-Peer Mentor: Nyla Bickham

Tima Ceesay

Research project: Is the grass greener on the other side?
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Senior Mentor: Anna Kirkland, Ph.D.
Near-Peer Mentor: Nyla Bickham

Ra'Quel Davis

Research project: Traumatic grief and substance abuse in adolescence.
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Senior Mentor: Brittany Bryant, DSW, LISW-CP(S)
Near-Peer Mentor: Michell Cordova-Huerta

Janaé Heyward

Research project: Correlations with Mental Health and Personal Reflections.
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Senior Mentor: Helen Liu
Near-Peer Mentor: Aniya Akinjobi

Shakhruza Kamolova

Research project: What are some risk factors for developing substance use disorder as an adolescent?
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Senior Mentor: Brittney Browning
Near-Peer Mentor: Anna Sofia Crews

Briana Lawton

Research project: What role does Dopamine play in Parkinson's Disease and what kind of therapies are being researched to find the cure?
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Senior Mentor: Shekinah Philips
Near-Peer Mentor: Anna Sofia Crews

Asante Lee

Research project: A Look into Schizophrenia.
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Senior Mentor: Kathryn S. Gex, Ph.D.
Near-Peer Mentor: James Moss

Ely Navarro

Research project: Prominent areas and structures in the brain associates with addiction.
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Senior Mentor: Brittney Browning
Near-Peer Mentor: Anna Sofia Crews

Peyton Poling

Research project: How do eating disorders affect other mental health disorders and substance abuse?
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Senior Mentor: ReJoyce Green, Ph.D.
Near-Peer Mentor: James Moss

Kenyetta Robinson

Research project: Why do adolescents with social anxiety drink alcohol?
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Senior Mentor: Alexis Garcia, Ph.D.
Near-Peer Mentor: Michell Cordova-Huerta

Keandra Wright

Research project: Does green make you blue?
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Senior Mentor: Anna Kirkland, Ph.D.
Near-Peer Mentor: Nyla Bickham