Herff College of Engineering Biomedical students receive awards contributing to research funding

(Biomedical Engineering Chair Dr. Gary Bowlin in lab)

April 17, 2026 

Several students at the Herff College of Engineering Department of Biomedical Engineering received awards that will contribute to their research funding. 

Elijah Cook, Grayson Kendall and Suzulan Marie Brickeen, a double major in management and chemistry, received an Honors Summer Research Fellowship. The Helen Hardin Honors College at the University of Memphis provides funding for a summer research fellowship program to promote research and creative scholarly activity among students, allowing students the time, financial support and faculty mentorship they need to pursue meaningful research and creative projects during the summer. Each student will receive a $3,000 stipend to support their undergraduate research, along with an allowance up to $1,000 for consumable supplies. 

Biomedical Engineering graduate students Alexandra Snyder and Will Clayton received Van Vleet Graduate Fellowships. This award, gifted by the Van Fleet Foundation, aims to help the University of Memphis attract superior doctoral students. In order to qualify for the award, which comes with a $20,000 stipend and covers tuition for required courses, graduate students must not fall below a 3.25 GPA. 

Samantha Hall received the Steve Slack Memorial Fellowship. This fellowship is specifically designed for students in the University of Memphis Department of Biomedical Engineering and requires that a student maintain a minimum GPA of 3.25.