Nine University of South Carolina graduate students have been selected for the Southern Regional Education Board (SREB) Doctoral Scholars Program, marking the university’s largest cohort in the program’s 33-year history.
“This record cohort reflects both the strength of graduate education at the University of South Carolina and the extraordinary range and relevance of the research our doctoral students are pursuing,” says Lara Lomicka Anderson, interim dean of The Graduate School.
The scholars’ research spans the thoughtful use of artificial intelligence in education, access to justice, mental and behavioral health, neuroscience, public health and community well-being.
Six USC graduate students received Doctoral Scholar Awards for 2026–27, while three received Dissertation Awards. Together, this year's cohort brings the number of USC graduate students who have received SREB awards to 108.
Established in 1993, the regional program has supported more than 2,300 scholars at public institutions across the South who are preparing for faculty careers. Scholars receive financial assistance, research support, professional development and a network of scholars and alumni.
“Programs like SREB help ensure our graduate scholars are ready not only to enter the professoriate but also to contribute meaningfully to the institutions and communities they will serve,” Anderson says.
Rainie Gordon is a doctoral student in USC’s Counselor Education and Supervision program in the College of Education. Her research examines perfectionism in the Black community through a critical race theory lens. Gordon hopes to become a tenure-track faculty member and continue her research while advancing equity within the counseling profession.
Originally from Vietnam, Chi Ho is a doctoral student in USC’s Teaching and Learning in the College of Education. Her research explores mathematics education, teacher preparation and retention, educational equity, and the thoughtful use of artificial intelligence and technology in teaching and learning. A first-generation college student, Ho hopes to become a professor and researcher who advances equitable mathematics education and helps teachers use innovative and sustainable educational practices.
Prince T. Parker is a second-year doctoral student in USC's Clinical-Community Psychology program in the McCausland College of Arts and Sciences. His research explores how faith-based communities contribute to community well-being, including their role in economic development. Parker is an alumnus of Morehouse College.
Mary Sox is a second-year doctoral student in USC's Integrated Biomedical Sciences program in the Floyd School of Medicine. Working in the Jasnow Lab, she studies dopamine signaling in the amygdala, a brain region involved in processing fear, during fear learning. Sox hopes to continue in academia researching anxiety disorders.
Kelsey B. Sutton is a second-year doctoral student in USC's Clinical-Community Psychology program in the McCausland College of Arts and Sciences. Working with psychology professor Kimberly Becker, Sutton studies how effective mental health treatments can better reach rural and marginalized youth and their families, with a particular focus on helping young people engage with treatment.
Aren Tucker is a second-year doctoral student in USC’s Clinical-Community Psychology program in the McCausland College of Arts and Sciences. Working with psychology professor Kate Flory in the ARISE Lab, Tucker studies how physical activity, sleep and smartphone use affect college students with ADHD. He hopes to become a professor and develop digital interventions that improve the quality and accessibility of mental health care.
Arielle N’Diaye is a doctoral candidate in USC’s Health Promotion, Education, and Behavior program in the Arnold School of Public Health. Her dissertation focuses on mixed methods to understand the contraceptive counseling and use experiences of Black women in the U.S. South. N’Diaye hopes to pursue a career in academia, continuing research that improves the sexual and reproductive health and well-being of Southern Black women across the life course.
Maushimi Patel is a doctoral student in USC’s Health Services Policy and Management program in the Arnold School of Public Health. Her research examines how policies and health systems affect access to coordinated, family-centered care for children and youth with special health care needs. Patel aims to identify ways to improve care and reduce disparities for vulnerable pediatric populations. She hopes to pursue a career in academia, combining research and teaching to improve health outcomes and mentor future public health professionals.
Christina Plakas is a doctoral candidate in USC's Criminology and Criminal Justice program in the McCausland College of Arts and Sciences. Her research examines what meaningful access to the courts looks like for people held in jail before trial. By interviewing jailhouse lawyers, Plakas is investigating how jails across the United States provide court access to their pretrial populations and where disparities may exist.
The Graduate School coordinates USC’s participation in the SREB Doctoral Scholars Program. Graduate students interested in learning more about the program and application process can contact Matt Klopfenstein, director of professional development in The Graduate School.