Cesar Delgado, of Port Arthur, and Omar Hamza, of Port Neches, were named the recipients of the 2019 David J. Beck Fellowship in a ceremony, Nov. 19, in Gray Library.
The fellowship provides a full academic scholarship that covers all expenses for one year — including campus housing — and up to $10,000 in funding for summer projects, internships and international study. Beck Fellowships are awarded each calendar year and replaces all other LU scholarships.
Delgado, an English major and communications minor, will use the fellowship money to travel to Tijuana, Mexico, and spend four weeks interviewing former servicemen residing at the Deported Veterans Support house — an organization that helps veterans become self-sufficient — for an oral history report.
Delgado was inspired to do an oral history project after reading the life story of Hector Barrios, a Vietnam veteran who was deported to Mexico in the 1990s.
The project will have two phases — a completed project within the next academic year, and a long-term completion of a book that covers the lives of deported veterans since 1990.
Hamza, double majoring in chemistry and biochemistry with a minor in biology with a concentration in pre-medical studies, will use the fellowship money to travel to Al-Zaatari Camp in Jordan, where more than 80,000 Syrian refugees reside.
To prepare for the trip, Hamza will spend one to two weeks shadowing Dr. Hend Azahry, a mental health researcher at Michigan State University and member of the Syrian American Medical Society. Hamza will spend another one to two weeks shadowing Dr. Richard Mollica, a psychiatrist and director of the trauma center at Harvard University.
Once Hamza arrives in Jordan, he will do a series of interviews with refugees and physicians to draw conclusions about symptoms and how they correlate with human devastation syndrome and physician burnout.
For refugees, Hamza will focus on aspects of HDS, specifically rebuilding social support and reestablishing patterns of normalcy. For physicians, Hamza will focus on the physical and emotional toll of continually treating people in crisis situations.
Presidential Fellowships were awarded to Kyle Delk of Port Neches, and Hannah Rumsey of Lumberton.
The 2018 Beck Fellows, Sakurah Fisher and David Quispe, gave presentations on their research during the event.
To apply for the David J. Beck Fellowship, one must be a full-time LU student in any major — in good academic standing — with a cumulative grade point average of 3.5 or higher.
Fellows are selected by the strength of their application, including a résumé, two letters of recommendation, a proposed project budget, a letter of support from the proposed project manager and a personal essay explaining how the fellowship would help one achieve personal and professional goals.
Students who are interested in applying for the fellowship must have their application packet completed and submitted to the Office of the Associate Provost, located in 310 Reaud Building, by Oct. 1 each year.
For more information, visit lamar.edu/beckfellowships or call 880-8400.
Story by Abigail Pennington, UP contributor