Troy University Athletics
Williams Gains Valuable Experience as McNair Scholar
12/6/2018 9:42:00 AM | Basketball (W)
TROY, Alabama – It didn't take Dajia Williams long to find her passion outside of basketball. The 6-foot-3 former Troy women's basketball center was a member of the Trojans' back-to-back Sun Belt Conference tournament championship teams, but like all student-athletes, her time on the court came to an end.
Williams, a biology major, has always wanted to help others, and during her time as a Troy student she found her way of doing that.
"Children are our future," Williams said. "I want to make sure they have the opportunities they need to succeed, that's why I wanted to get involved in vaccinations."
A first-generation college student, Williams set out to educate those in communities of need on the benefits of childhood vaccinations. Through her research, she became a Ronald McNair Scholar. The McNair Scholars Program is designed to prepare undergraduate students for doctoral studies through involvement in research and other scholarly activities.
Funded by the McNair Program, Williams was able to attend conventions in Atlanta and Miami gaining valuable experience in presenting research and public speaking as well as priceless networking opportunities.
Dr. Debra Milton, associate professor in Troy's biology department, served as Williams' mentor during the process and has high praise for the Gadsden, Ala., native.
"She's very confident," Milton said. "She really took control of her project. I've seen very few students with that drive that have tackled a real problem, especially one within their underrepresented community."
Milton says the conventions are a great place for student to start talking about important topics and provide opportunities that students might not have on their home campus.
Williams project is titled "Pro-Vaccination vs. Anti-Vaccination: A Look into the Controversial Topic through Religion, Business and Ethnicity". She is set to graduate from Troy on Dec. 14.
Williams, a biology major, has always wanted to help others, and during her time as a Troy student she found her way of doing that.
"Children are our future," Williams said. "I want to make sure they have the opportunities they need to succeed, that's why I wanted to get involved in vaccinations."
A first-generation college student, Williams set out to educate those in communities of need on the benefits of childhood vaccinations. Through her research, she became a Ronald McNair Scholar. The McNair Scholars Program is designed to prepare undergraduate students for doctoral studies through involvement in research and other scholarly activities.
Funded by the McNair Program, Williams was able to attend conventions in Atlanta and Miami gaining valuable experience in presenting research and public speaking as well as priceless networking opportunities.
Dr. Debra Milton, associate professor in Troy's biology department, served as Williams' mentor during the process and has high praise for the Gadsden, Ala., native.
"She's very confident," Milton said. "She really took control of her project. I've seen very few students with that drive that have tackled a real problem, especially one within their underrepresented community."
Milton says the conventions are a great place for student to start talking about important topics and provide opportunities that students might not have on their home campus.
Williams project is titled "Pro-Vaccination vs. Anti-Vaccination: A Look into the Controversial Topic through Religion, Business and Ethnicity". She is set to graduate from Troy on Dec. 14.
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