8 aspiring health care professionals named App State Beaver Scholars for 2021–22

Thornton, a first-year Honors College student from Chapel Hill, is majoring in communication sciences and disorders with a minor in American Sign Language.

Thornton said the opportunity for interprofessional collaboration offered by the Beaver Scholars program will allow her to better achieve her goal of becoming a speech-language pathologist.

As a graduate of East Chapel Hill High School, Thornton participated in community service through local organizations. She was also active in her school’s music program, serving as co-president of an all-female a cappella group, an all-female chamber choir and a mixed chamber choir.

Farrior, of Rose Hill, is a graduate student in App State’s nutrition program with a concentration in dietetics.

A first-generation college student, Farrior said his Beaver Scholars program support has provided him with “immediate confidence and encouragement to keep pushing onward.”

As part of a service-learning project for his degree, Farrior is volunteering at Boone’s Hunger and Health Coalition — an opportunity that has provided him with firsthand exposure to a population whose health is negatively impacted from financial insecurity.

“I’ve been fortunate to interact with these patients, offering them nutrition services that stand to benefit their health and management of disease states. The direct interaction is invaluable for my growth and progress toward being a practitioner,” he said.

For his graduate research project, Farrior will use geographic information systems to map all known locations of maternal health resources in North Carolina, he said, and complete a statistical analysis to determine gaps of coverage, or “hot spots” of inaccessibility.

Greene, of Purlear, is a first-year student majoring in communication sciences and disorders with a minor in American Sign Language (ASL).

As a Beaver Scholar, Greene is excited to meet and learn from new people, she said. “I will have experience networking with dedicated health care professionals, which will help me tremendously as an audiologist,” she added.

At App State, Greene is involved with the ASL Club and Child Advocacy Club, the latter of which helps support local foster care organizations and the Children’s Council of Watauga County. “I am able to give back to the community while also taking part in activities that I enjoy,” she said.

Kasher, of Charlotte, is a first-year student majoring in public health with a minor in global studies.

Support through App State’s Beaver Scholars program allows her to focus on academic success — and the impact she can have as a future health care worker, she said.

Kasher is a senator for App State’s Student Government Association (SGA), serving on SGA’s Rules Committee and Diversity and Inclusion Committee. She is also an Honors College student and a member of App State’s CURE club, a nonprofit Christian organization. Additionally, she serves as a delegate for the Association of Student Governments.

Farfan, of Charlotte, is a first-year student majoring in nursing. She said the Beaver Scholars program has “opened the doors to so many opportunities, resources and connections” that she may not have been able to access otherwise.

The education she receives through the scholarship’s support will allow her to make a positive impact on the community in which she lives — and throughout the world — as a future health care worker, she said.

During her time at Forestview High School in Gastonia, Farfan was involved in several health organizations, as well as Beta Club, Student Council, National Honor Society and Gaston County Commissioners’ School of Excellence.

Mendieta, of Charlotte, is a first-year Honors College student majoring in nutrition and foods with a concentration in dietetics.

“This scholarship has made earning a college degree a reality for me,” Mendieta said. “I am able to pursue the career of my dreams and to live out my calling as a registered dietitian.”

Mendieta graduated from the Covenant Day School in Matthews, where, as president of its diversity committee, called UNITE, she represented the school’s marginalized and culturally diverse student populations at student council meetings and planned diversity events. Additionally, she developed a nutrition curriculum called THRIVE designed for students in second to fifth grades and was a cheerleader.

She is also a 2021–22 recipient of App State’s Diversity Scholars Program Scholarship.

Luceri, of Mooresville, is a graduate student in App State’s speech-language pathology program and aspires to become a bilingual speech-language pathologist.

She said the support of the Beaver Scholars program allows her to continue to make connections throughout the Boone community and to push for more inclusive means of care and service for all.

“I believe that everyone has a right and deserves access to adequate health care, and I want to ensure that my future clients are receiving culturally and linguistically appropriate services that will best meet their needs,” she said.

During her time as an App State undergraduate, Luceri volunteered at App State’s Women’s Center and was a member of the university’s National Student Speech Language Hearing Association chapter during her senior year. She also participated in a study abroad in Granada, Spain, where she was able to practice her Spanish language skills.

Luceri graduated from the university in spring 2021, earning her Bachelor of Science in communication sciences and disorders.

Luviano, of Statesville, is a graduate student in App State’s Master of Social Work program, with a concentration in individuals and families. He earned his Bachelor of Social Work from the university in 2021.

During his undergraduate career, Luviano took part in the TRIO Student Support Services (SSS) program at App State, which provides comprehensive services that support first-generation and/or low-income students throughout their academic careers.

He now serves as a mentor for SSS students. “Being able to give back to the program that gave me so much is so amazing — it is a feeling like no other,” he said.