2022-23 Honors Students

Liliana Capiola

Liliana is a senior majoring in Medicine, Health, and Society with minors in Environmental and Sustainability Studies and Biology. On campus, she serves on the E. Bronson Ingram College Council and the MHS Student Advisory Board, and she is involved with VSVS, SPEAR, and VEMS. Liliana is a certified EMR, and after completing her undergraduate degree, she plans to go to medical school to pursue a career in emergency medicine. While in the honors program, Liliana will work with Dr. Tara McKay to explore the relationship between climate change and mental health.

Amanda Kouaho

Amanda is a senior majoring in Medicine, Health, and Society and Cellular and Molecular Biology with a minor in Chemistry. On campus, she is the founder and president of United Against Inequities in Disease, vice president of Cards for a Cause, and serves as a STEM tutor for student-athletes. She is also a part of the Irish Lab at VUMC and conducts research on Glioblastoma cellular identities. While in the honors program, Amanda will be working with Dr. Lucie Kalousová to explore the relationship between maternal health literacy and positive maternal health outcomes.

Cassidy Latchford

Cassidy is a senior majoring in Child Development and Medicine, Health, and Society with a concentration in Intersectionality, Inequality, and Health Justice. On campus, she is a VUceptor; the senior advisor of Vandy Votes; a teaching assistant for Social and Personality Development; undergraduate research assistant in the Laboratory for Organ Regeneration, Recovery, and Replacement; and secretary of Alpha Phi Omega. After completing her undergraduate degree, Cassidy plans to pursue medical school. Her research will analyze the influence of peer norms on substance use among LGBTQ+ adolescents. While in the honors program, Cassidy will work with Dr. Kirsty Clark.

Nikol Nikolova

Nikol is a senior majoring in MHS and minoring in Biological Sciences and German Studies. On campus, she is a member of a sorority, serves as the Vice President of Member Development for the Panhellenic Council, works as a research intern at the Biggs Lab and plays club ultimate frisbee. Her dream of becoming a genetic counselor inspired the topic of her honors research. She is working with Dr. Sophie Bjork-James to study patient satisfaction with cancer genetic counseling.

Hemanji (Hershey) Rajpal

Hershey is a senior double majoring in Neuroscience and Medicine, Health, & Society with a minor in South Asian Studies. On campus, she is involved in the South Asian Cultural Exchange (SACE), Vanderbilt Performing Arts Community (VPAC), BhangraDores, and InterAxon. She is also a TA for NSC 3245 and works as a clinical research coordinator on the Neuro-Stroke Team in VUMC’s Department of Neurosurgery. While in the MHS honors program, Hershey will be working with Dr. Celina Callahan-Kapoor to investigate and characterize the diverse and dynamic care processes and caregiver burden involved in post-stroke recovery and rehabilitation.

Maia Regan

Maia is a senior majoring in Medicine, Health, & Society and minoring in Chemistry. On campus, she serves on the executive board of the Vanderbilt Chapter of the American Women in Medicine Association, Vanderbilt Student Volunteers for Science, and Katie’s Art Project which she founded her sophomore year. She also works as a research assistant in the Conversation Lab in the Department of Psychology and Human Development and the Day Lab at VUMC Division of Clinical Pharmacology. After completing her undergraduate degree, Maia plans to attend medical school to pursue a career in pediatric surgery. While in the honors program, Maia will be working with Dr. Jessika Boles to explore parent/caregiver perception of care in their child’s transition from the pediatric intensive care unit to acute care or step-down unit.

Doah Shin

Doah is a senior majoring in Psychology and Medicine, Health, and Society. Outside of classes, she is involved with Active Minds and Vanderbilt Student Volunteers for Science. She is also a research assistant at the Biggs Lab as well as the Culture, Emotion, and Health lab at NYU. In the honors program, Doah will be working with Dr. Elizabeth Biggs to look at the composition of social supports and networks and their effects on parents of children with disabilities during the COVID-19 pandemic.