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Diversity @ the Graduate School

Graduate School Diversity Student Profiles

Abdellah Bouderqa, a Fulbright Scholar from Meknes, Morocco, is a member of the Graduate Diversity Advisory Committee.  A student in Education, Abdellah is interested in second language acquisition – an interest he pursues as an Arabic T.A.  His first impression of UK? “I don't think I could ever love an institution the way I love UK!”  Abdellah claims the word "diversity” led him to the Graduate Diversity Advisory Committee.  “I really want to gain so much from my experience here at UK, and the diversity committee is already helping me do that in many ways.” A fun fact about Abdellah: “I have never worn a tie! I never will!”

Robert Odom is a doctoral student in the Counseling Psychology program at the University of Kentucky.  Robert is originally from northwest Georgia and completed his B.A. in Psychology with a minor in Social Work from Georgia State University in Atlanta, GA.  While studying at Georgia State, Robert worked, first as a Research Assistant, then as the Lab Manager for a lab studying the facilitating effect of acute alcohol intoxication on anti-gay and sex-based aggression.  At UK, Robert is a graduate assistant for diversity education and community building in the Office of Student Involvement.  He also collaborates with the Psychosocial Research Initiative on Sexual Minorities (PRISM), the LGBT Taskforce, and the Graduate Diversity Board.  Robert's research interests focus on LGBT adolescent populations, specifically predictors of positive outcomes, points of intervention for negative outcomes, and anti-gay bullying.  He also has strong interest in quantitative methods.  

Mahmoud Boutaam is a 2nd year French master's student from Mohammedia, Morocco. His research interests include French and Francophone literature and culture. Mahmoud jogs to classical and new age Music, and though he has many favorite movies, he's never found one to be the best he's ever seen.

His first impressions of UK?
The people were nicer than I expected. I am still a fan of southern people and their hospitality; a social trait that I hope doesn’t fade away with time. I also liked, and still like, the good mix and diversity of the UK community. Also that other mix Lexington in general has in terms of southern and cosmopolitan characteristics.

What led him to the Graduate School Student Diversity Advisory Committee?
I heard about it and I thought it was a good initiative. I had ideas from an international student perspective that I wanted to address and share with the graduate school.

Alex Betancourt, a native of El Paso, Texas, is a first year master's student in the department of Forestry. Her present research focuses on establishing a parasite species survey in a population of reintroduced elk in southeastern Kentucky by collecting samples from hunter-killed elk to determine the prevalence, incidence and intensity of parasite infection. Alex is a black belt in Tae-Kwon-Do, has practiced Krav Maga, and is an avid mixed-martial arts fan!

What led her to the Graduate School Student Diversity Advisory Committee?
My major advisor in the Forestry department actually piqued my interest in participating in outreach/minority recruitment activities. Forestry, wildlife and the environmental sciences in general have always experienced a lack of participation from gender and racial minorities. My interests lie in talking to different groups, particularly domestic minority youth (Latinos and African-Americans), and exposing them to the wonders of nature to try to repair the disconnect that exists between the children of today and the natural world. In short, I am aiming to do my part to change the face of conservation.

Once I decided to concentrate on this objective, I found myself integrated into a newly formed chapter of an organization called SACNAS, Society for the Advancement of Chicanos/ Hispanics and Native Americans in Science, of which I am now the President.

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