Published: September 16, 2009 08:39 am      

EKU junior receives one of only 20 EPA national fellowships

As a young child, she spent countless hours searching for crawdads under rocks in nearby streams.

As a teenager, she discovered the thrill of kayaking in wild rivers.

From those formative experiences, Jessica Pulliam developed a deep awareness of the need to protect nature, an interest she has further explored as a student at Eastern Kentucky University. Now, the junior sociology major and Honors Program participant from Crestwood has parlayed her academic prowess and undergraduate research experiences into a prestigious Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Fellowship Award, one of only 20 given nationally and the only one in Kentucky.

The two-year fellowship, valued at $39,124, covers Pulliam’s tuition and fees for her final two years at Eastern, provides a living stipend and includes funds for conferences and equipment related to her research. It also provides an internship in Washington, D.C., next summer, when she will work with EPA mentors to develop a research project.

“Receiving this fellowship is incredibly prestigious for an EKU student,” said Dr. Stephanie McSpirit, Pulliam’s academic adviser and professor in the Department of Anthropology, Sociology and Social Work. “Jessica joins the ranks of students from Brandeis, Oberlin College and the University of Wisconsin.”

During her first two years at EKU, the South Oldham High School graduate participated in undergraduate research projects, “one important factor that has allowed me to receive this fellowship. In addition, the Honors Program at Eastern has really challenged me as a student and has encouraged me to apply for grants and fellowships.”

Pulliam, who minors in biology, selected sociology as a major after taking Sharon Hardesty’s Introduction to Sociology course.

“Her encouragement has given me the confidence I need to accomplish the goals I have set for myself,” she said.

It was Hardesty who introduced Pulliam to McSpirit, who gave the eager student an opportunity to participate in research for the Kentucky Stream and Wetlands Protection Plan as well as for the Kentucky Riverkeeper.

“Her passion for the environment is contagious (and) she is the person who suggested I apply for the EPA Fellowship and has offered me guidance along the way,” Pulliam said.

McSpirit said Pulliam was “one of my right hands” on the stream and wetlands project, playing a “crucial role” in compiling electronic databases and transcribing interviews.

“I think Jessica’s research experience on these last two grants and subcontracts helped her application rise above hundreds of others for this prestigious award,” McSpirit said.

After graduation, Pulliam hopes to volunteer for an organization such as Green Corps or Peace Corps and then work toward her doctoral degree in order to teach environmental sociology someday at the university level.

“Because of this fellowship, Jessica’s future is paved with gold,” McSpirit said. “She will easily be able to apply, and receive a research position, at any top-ranking Ph.D. program in environmental sociology in the near future. Her education at EKU has prepared her well for the opportunities that lie ahead for her.”