Union Commonwealth University is proud to announce that students Tia Cobb and Amelia Napier are the recipients of the 2024 Appalachian College Association (ACA) Ledford Research Scholarship.

Cobb, who is majoring in biology, is a sophomore from Corbin, Kentucky, while Napier, also a biology major, is a sophomore hailing from Barbourville, Kentucky.

Each year, the ACA grants scholarships to assist students in achieving their ongoing educational objectives. Ledford Scholars are students who explore and present their research from a variety of different fields of study including health sciences, social sciences, and humanities.

Scholarship recipients will be provided financial support enabling them to work on significant research projects during the summer of 2024. Additionally, each student will receive assistance from a faculty mentor at their home institution.

Union’s Assistant Professor of Biology Libby Megna will be serving as a mentor to both Cobb and Napier. Cobb’s research will focus on passerellidae and parulidae bill morphology and its effects on speciation. Napier will be conducting a point-count population study on breeding birds of eastern Kentucky.

Cobb and Napier, along with the 48 other scholars, will present their research this fall at the ACA's annual summit. The ACA's website will also feature video presentations of their research findings.

To learn more about the Ledford Scholars program, see Ledford Scholars - Ledford Scholars - LibGuides at Appalachian College Association (acaweb.org)