Ten Rackham students will be inducted into the Edward Alexander Bouchet Graduate Honor Society this year. Named for the first African American doctoral recipient in the United States, the Bouchet Society recognizes outstanding scholarly achievement and promotes diversity and excellence in doctoral education and the professoriate.
The Bouchet Society is a network of preeminent scholars who exemplify academic and personal excellence, foster environments of support, and serve as examples of scholarship, leadership, character, service, and advocacy for students who have been traditionally underrepresented in the academy.
In the spirit of Bouchet’s commitment to these ideals, the 2024 Bouchet inductees representing the Rackham Graduate School’s society chapter have all demonstrated significant achievement in these five areas.
Janae Best
Janae N. Best (she/her) recently defended her dissertation on Superwoman Schema and mental health among young Black women attending historically Black colleges and universities. In May, she will earn a Ph.D. in health behavior and health equity from the University of Michigan. A 2018 Spelman College graduate, she earned Phi Beta Kappa honors and graduated magna cum laude. Her research examines gendered racial stress and its impact on Black women’s mental health, emphasizing resilience and resistance. A dedicated health equity advocate, she strives to uplift Black women’s voices and experiences through her scholarship.
Eda Bozkurt
Eda Bozkurt is a Ph.D. candidate in architecture at the University of Michigan. Her research explores the socio-spatial consequences of state-led urban renewal in Turkey, centering the experiences of displaced gecekondu communities. Committed to participatory methods and spatial justice, she examines how residents navigate and resist imposed redevelopment. Beyond research, Eda serves in leadership and advocacy roles, including chair of the Ginsberg Center Student Advisory Board, engaged learning consultant at the Ginsberg Center and graduate student instructor consultant at the Center for Research on Learning and Teaching. Recognized with the MLK Spirit Awards and the Michigan Difference Student Leadership Award, she integrates scholarship, teaching, and public engagement to promote equity in urban policy and institutional change.
Ashley M. Mello
Ashley M. Mello is a dual M.S./Ph.D. candidate pursuing her M.S. in bioinformatics and Ph.D. in immunology at the University of Michigan. Her research focuses on understanding how hypoxia regulates pancreatic tumorigenesis by modulating tumor-stroma interactions. Her passion for science and serving others has led her to volunteer for student organizations at the University of Michigan aimed at increasing and retaining underrepresented students in STEM. Ultimately, Ashley hopes to motivate and inspire the next generation of students who will one day make their own contributions to science. She also aspires to serve as a trusted scientific voice within her community.
Jennifer Ngoc Nguyen
Jennifer Nguyen is a Ph.D. candidate in medicinal chemistry at the University of Michigan. Her dedication to teaching was recognized with the department’s Outstanding Teaching Award in 2024. She has authored five papers in her academic journey. As an international student herself, Jennifer is committed to creating equal educational opportunities for others. She founded an educational institution in Vietnam that teaches English to K-12 students. Jennifer’s research aims to explore the therapeutic potential of the human gut microbiota for colorectal cancer treatment. Ultimately, Jennifer aspires to leverage her expertise to translate scientific discoveries into practical applications that improve human health.
Analidis Ochoa
Analidis Ochoa is a Ph.D. candidate in the joint program in social work and sociology. Her research focuses on the extent to which engaging in the for-profit market for human blood plasma is linked to social and economic inequality. Analidis holds a master of public policy and master of social work from the University of Michigan, and a bachelor’s in political science from Northwestern University. Analidis plans to pursue a tenure-track professor position, write a book on her dissertation findings, and to leverage her expertise as an interdisciplinary poverty and inequality scholar to improve the lives of disadvantaged populations.
Nolgie Oquendo-Colón
Nolgie Oquendo-Colón is a Ph.D. candidate in the Engineering Education Research program at the University of Michigan. He holds a B.S. and M.S. in industrial engineering from the University of Puerto Rico at Mayagüez. His research explores the academic success of neurodivergent engineering college students, particularly those with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), by examining their college experiences and the role of instructional practices. Nolgie aims to develop inclusive strategies that support neurodiverse learners through an interdisciplinary approach. He is a GEM, PACE, and Rackham Merit Fellow and has been recognized with the Richard F. and Eleanor A. Towner Prize for Distinguished Academic Achievement.
De’Jana T. Parker
De’Jana Parker completed her B.A. and M.S. degrees in biology at Wake Forest University. In July 2023, she was awarded her doctor of philosophy in integrated biosciences from North Carolina Central University. There, she studied the role of alcohol and vaping in the development of pulmonary inflammation. In Fall 2024, Parker received the University of Michigan Institutional Research and Academic Career Development Award postdoctoral fellowship. She currently studies the interaction of the bacterium Rothia with immune cells. Parker is passionate about teaching microbiology. Ultimately, she aspires to become a professor at a historically Black college/university.
Sarah N. Steiner
Sarah N. Steiner is a Ph.D. candidate in cell and developmental biology. She earned her bachelor of science in chemical engineering from Cornell University. Her dissertation research focuses on mechanical forces in the development and specialization of the palmoplantar epidermis. Her research is supported by a National Institutes of Health F31 Fellowship. Sarah believes in sharing her enthusiasm for biology through outreach and mentorship. She is co-director of BioMed Focus, a summer research program for high school students in Southeast Michigan. Sarah’s goal is to become a principal investigator, generating developmental insight while continuing to lead programs’ increasing success in the biomedical sciences.
Andrea N. Valenzuela
Andrea Valenzuela is a fifth-year Ph.D. candidate studying AI biomedical applications at the University of Michigan. Andrea has been awarded a multitude of fellowship awards and has received national recognition by the National Science Foundation and National Institutes of Health. Andrea is also resident director for Henderson House and an advisory committee member to many university-wide programs, such as Rackham’s Advocate Program, which supports graduate students’ mental health and well-being. Andrea also completed high-impact global internships at Pfizer and GSK. Passionate about innovation and impact, Andrea envisions driving advancements in AI health and well-being after graduation.
Victoria Vezaldenos
Victoria is a Ph.D. candidate in the combined program in education and psychology. Her research agenda explores ethnic-racial identity development processes for multiracial adolescents and young adults. Additionally, she has contributed to scholarly projects exploring critical consciousness development in youth activists, scaffolding anti-racist learning, and developing psychometric measures. While engaging in these research endeavors, Victoria has also dedicated much of her time to creating spaces for marginalized students on campus. She co-founded and continues to serve as president of Puentes, the University of Michigan’s first and only interdisciplinary coalition of Latine graduate students and allies.