Honors Capstone Design Fellows Named

The University of Alabama Honors College and University Honors Program are pleased to announce that 10 fellows have been selected for the Honors Capstone Design Fellowship. Each fellow receives a $5,000 summer stipend to develop a section of UH 401 Senior Capstone: Signature Work. 

“The Honors Capstone Design Fellowship is designed to cultivate an environment of transdisciplinary exploration and innovation among our esteemed faculty,” said Dr. Tiffany Sippial, Dean of the Honors College. “I extend my heartfelt congratulations to the class of 10 fellows who have embraced this vision for our Capstone requirement. Their dedication to crafting capstone experiences that transcend conventional boundaries promises to enrich the academic landscape and inspire students in profound and unprecedented ways.” 

Fellows will meet online during the month of June, workshop syllabi in July, and make final submissions in August. Approved courses will then be taught as UH 401 sections the following two years. 

This year’s class represents a diverse disciplinary cohort, with fellows from six colleges and nine departments employing a distinct set of disciplinary perspectives to offer UHP students exciting and rewarding intellectual, ethical, and community-based experiences. 

2025 Fellows:  

Peter Beatty, MFA

Instructor, English
A headshot of Peter Beatty.

Janet Brown, PhD

Assistant Professor, Nursing
A headshot of Janet Brown.

Albena Dzhurova, PhD

Instructor, New College
A headshot of Albena Dzhurova.

Amanda Edgell, PhD

Assistant Professor, Political Science
A headshot of Amanda Edgell.

Lisa Hsin, PhD

Associate Professor, Educational Psychology
A headshot of Lisa Hsin.

Dawen Li, PhD

Professor, Electrical and Computer Engineering 
A headshot of Dawen Li.

Brett Smith, MS

Instructor, Biological Sciences
A headshot of Brett Smith.

Holly Stokley, MSN

Senior Instructor, Nursing
A headshot of Holly Stokley.

Margaret Stran, PhD

Clinical Associate Professor, Adapted Athletics 
A headshot of Margaret Stran.

John Wheat, MD

Professor, Family, Internal and Rural Medicine
A headshot of John Wheat.

About The University of Alabama Honors College: The University of Alabama Honors College is dedicated to fostering a diverse community of scholars, committed to nurturing high-performing and high-potential students who, through critical and creative thinking, ethical citizenship, and collaborative leadership, become engaged and inclusive leaders within their chosen fields and beyond. 

For more information about the Honors Capstone Design Fellowship and other initiatives, please visit The University of Alabama Honors College website at honors.ua.edu