{"id":54823,"date":"2023-10-31T08:41:39","date_gmt":"2023-10-31T12:41:39","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogarchive.utc.edu\/news\/?p=54823"},"modified":"2023-11-17T10:22:35","modified_gmt":"2023-11-17T15:22:35","slug":"research-opportunity-leads-to-recognition-for-utc-senior","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogarchive.utc.edu\/news\/2023\/10\/research-opportunity-leads-to-recognition-for-utc-senior\/","title":{"rendered":"Research opportunity leads to recognition for UTC senior"},"content":{"rendered":"
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A research study by UTC senior Breanna Evans titled \u201cEnvironmental Factors that Contribute to College Students Concerning Sleep and Physical Activity,\u201d earned honorable mention recognition at the annual Black Doctoral Network (BDN) conference in Atlanta. Photo courtesy of Dr. Gail Dawson.<\/p><\/div>\n

For University of Tennessee at Chattanooga senior Breanna Evans, a scholarship for undergraduate research has led to another award.<\/p>\n

Last year, Evans\u2014pursuing bachelor\u2019s degrees in exercise science and psychology\u2014received a Dr. Jane Harbaugh Research Experience Award<\/strong><\/a>, a scholarship supporting undergraduate students from previously underrepresented populations in study abroad and research experiences.<\/p>\n

Along with spending one month studying abroad at the Universit\u00e9 Paris Cit\u00e9 in France, Evans parlayed the award to fund a research project examining the possible relationships between environmental variables and college students\u2019 sleep patterns, physical activity levels and health-related habits.<\/p>\n

This October, that study, \u201cEnvironmental Factors that Contribute to College Students Concerning Sleep and Physical Activity,\u201d earned Evans honorable mention recognition at the annual Black Doctoral Network (BDN) conference in Atlanta.<\/p>\n

\u201cI had a good time presenting that information for the first time at the BDN conference. I got to network there and meet other students who were further in their professional careers\u2014and I met other students who are also interested in research here on our own college campus,\u201d said Evans, a 2020 graduate of Smyrna (Tennessee) High School.<\/p>\n

\u201cI wasn\u2019t thinking I would win an honorable mention, so when they announced my name I was super surprised. There were nearly 50 (student poster) presenters; that\u2019s one of the reasons why I thought my chances might have been lower to get recognized. Throughout the conference and the presentation portion, I increased my confidence speaking to the judges and other students stopping by to listen to what I had to say.\u201d<\/p>\n

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Want to learn more about undergraduate research opportunities at UTC? Click here<\/b><\/a><\/p>\n

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Over the past year, Evans gathered data with the survey she created with input and approval of the UTC Institutional Review Board.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m thankful for all the participants who took the survey. I got nearly 200 people,\u201d she said. \u201cWith that, I kind of just dived into the different introductions and research products between physical activity and sleep patterns in college students. I saw how our population and college students are active and how we can include more resistance training in our regular day of life or weekly routine.\u201d<\/p>\n

Evans\u2019 mentor is UTC Vice Provost for Academic Outreach Shewanee Howard-Baptiste. The two first met at a community engagement experience during Evans\u2019 freshman year when Howard-Baptiste was the interim director for the Master of Public Health (MPH) in Chronic Disease Prevention and Control Program and a faculty-in-residence participant.<\/p>\n

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Breanna Evans (photo credit: Gail Dawson)<\/p><\/div>\n

\u201cWith her guidance and being able to reach out to her anytime during my undergrad degree, she has been a great resource for me,\u201d Evans said. \u201cIt\u2019s really set me apart in my own mind knowing that I have someone that I could depend on who can answer questions about life in academics. I\u2019m very thankful for all of her assistance.\u201d<\/p>\n

Howard-Baptiste recalled first meeting Evans.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe immediately connected since Breanna was an exercise science major, the discipline for my home department,\u201d Howard-Baptiste said. \u201cWe set a time to meet soon after and forged a mentor-mentee relationship. She was always prepared for every meeting, coming up with great questions, insights and updates on her progress\u2014both personally and professionally. She has followed up and carried out every initiative I\u2019ve emailed her about.\u201d<\/p>\n

Among those initiatives was participating in this summer\u2019s HBCU Wellness Project<\/strong><\/a> at Meharry Medical College in Nashville.<\/p>\n

The ultimate prize for Evans will be getting accepted into a nationally ranked institution to pursue a doctoral degree in occupational therapy.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m doing the interview process now,\u201d she said, \u201cand I\u2019m receiving feedback from different universities. I have my eyes set on certain schools.\u201d<\/p>\n

Howard-Baptiste said good things are in store for her mentee.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhether it was research, scholarships or studying abroad, Breanna has taken advantage of every opportunity our campus offers,\u201d she said. \u201cI\u2019m incredibly proud of her and happy to be part of her UTC journey.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt will be my joy to call her Dr. Evans in a few years.\u201d<\/p>\n

The Office for Undergraduate Research and Creative Endeavor (URaCE) and the Division of Access and Engagement collaborated to support travel to the BDN conference for 13 UTC undergraduate students, graduate students and faculty\u2014including Evans and Howard-Baptiste.<\/p>\n

Other student poster presenters included:<\/p>\n