TUSCALOOSA, Ala. -- A select group of 19 high school students from across the state recently completed the 2004 Rural Science Scholars Program at The University of Alabama.

The summer program, sponsored by a Howard Hughes Medical Institute Undergraduate Science Education Program Grant, introduced rural students to the college experience and encouraged them to train for professions in teaching, pharmacy, health and technology with the goal of returning to rural areas as professionals.

The students lived on the UA campus for five weeks prior to their senior year. They were chosen for the program based on their academic achievement and interest in rural health care; they took take two courses for college credit and attended seminars at UA. The program is in its fourth year.

This summer’s students and their home counties included:

Tuscaloosa County: Andrew Bishop, Tuscaloosa County High Delia Steverson, Northridge High School
Monroe County: Dustin Broughton, Monroe County High School
Calhoun County: Lawrence Chen, Etowah High School
Bibb County: Courtney Chism, Bibb County HS
Madison County: Kristie Douglas, New Hope HS
Cullman County: Shiela Embree, Cold Springs HS
Marengo County: Brittany McGee, Elizabeth Hamilton, Demopolis HS
Choctaw County: Tersheria Mitchell, Jessica Harrison, Choctaw County High School
Coffee County: Kimberly Kaminski, Enterprise HS Geneva County: Sarah-Anne Swann, Geneva HS
Dekalb County: Whitney Keef, Plainview HS
Barbour County: Mitchell Tarver, Barbour County HS
Walker County: Clint Kimbrell, Oakman HS
Escambia County: Brandi Frye, Escambia County HS
Greene County: Victoria Lewis, Greene County HS
Macon, Miss.: Michael Webb, Noxubee HS

(Shown with the students in the photographs are L-R Cynthia Moore, assistant director Rural Scholars Program, Dr. Kim Caldwell, director Rural Science Scholars Programs, and Dr. Martha Powell, chair of UA Biological Sciences.)