LU alum Tiffany Tran awarded $8,500 fellowship
"When I was first notified that I had won, I was extremely surprised," Tran said. "It was a busy time for me as I was transitioning towards dental school and I was thrilled to hear that I was chosen for the Walter & Adelheid Hohenstein Fellowship which is given to the top-ranked candidate in each of the society's five divisions."
The 2022 class of fellows represents students from more than 60 colleges and universities across the nation. The recipients—drawn from all academic disciplines—are pursuing post-baccalaureate programs of study ranging from science and engineering to arts and humanities.
Fellows are chosen based on the applicant’s evidence of graduate potential, undergraduate academic achievement, service and leadership experience, letters of recommendation, personal statement of educational perspective and career goals, and acceptance in an approved graduate or professional program.
"This fellowship is important to me as it represents the culmination of the hard work I have done while I attended Lamar University," Tran said. "It is truly an honor to be chosen as a recipient of this graduate fellowship."
As a freshman, Tran, who majored in biology with a pre-dental track, entered the Reaud Honors College and was the recipient of LU’s prestigious Presidential Scholarship. She was a founding member of the Reaud Honors College Model United Nations Team and received the award for Outstanding Position Paper at the Texas Model United Nations Conference at the University of Houston in 2020. She also was the recipient of the National Model U.N. Conference Honorable mention. In just three semesters, Tran earned the credit hours required for Reaud Honors College Graduate status. In 2020, was awarded the Texas State University System Regents’ Scholar Award, an honor bestowed by TSUS Chancellor Brian McCall, Ph.D., based on student scholars’ outstanding academic achievement and scholarship, leadership abilities and contributions to the institution and community.
Tran served as a Lamar University Ambassador, Student Government Association representative for the College of Arts and Sciences and then SGA president for 2021-2022. She also was active in student organizations Cardinals for Life and Pre-Dental Society. Tran also hosted a mock MCAT exam for pre-med students, built a “suggestion box” for students who were unable to attend SGA meetings or who had urgent concerns, implemented transitional framework for incoming elected SGA officials and played a key role in promoting the donation of unused student meal swipes to students in need. Tran graduated in May of 2022 with a bachelors degree in biology with honors and is currently enrolled in the Doctorate of Dental Surgery program at UTHealth School of Dentistry in Houston.
Phi Kappa Phi Fellowships are part of the Society’s robust portfolio of award and grant programs, which gives $1.3 million each year to outstanding members and students on chapter campuses through study abroad grants, graduate fellowships, funding for post-baccalaureate development, member and chapter awards, and grants for local, national and international literacy initiatives.