Rod’Kendrick Harrison, of Batesville, has been named one of the 13 inaugural recipients of the Stamps Impact Prize, a new competitive award program at the University of Mississippi to support undergraduate-initiated, faculty-mentored research and creative achievement projects.

Harrison, a junior public health and health sciences major, is studying the effectiveness of mental health training programs on well-being among college students who belong to racial and ethnic minority groups. He plans to present his research at a national conference. His faculty mentor is Hannah Allen, assistant professor of public health and health sciences.

The Stamps Impact Prize program is the first of its kind in the nation to receive a renewable $100,000 gift from E. Roe Stamps and his family, which is being matched by an investment from the university. Ole Miss students were invited to apply for the awards, which provide financial resources for their research projects.

The program’s leader, Ken Sufka, said he is “thrilled to see many high-quality projects (submitted for consideration) from extraordinary students across a diversity of disciplines” from across campus.

“The university’s ability to support, in a significant way, these student-initiated, faculty-mentored research and creative achievement projects makes for an exceptional undergraduate experience, which we hope will launch students into high-impact careers and/or entry into highly competitive graduate programs,” said Sufka, distinguished professor of psychology and pharmacology and research professor in the Research Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences.

“It is exciting to see through the lenses of our students’ bright young minds the important issues needing to be addressed in science, culture and society. To have these creative minds explore their great ideas as UM undergraduates certainly makes you wonder what larger impactful issues they will tackle in the years to come.”

The University of Mississippi, affectionately known as Ole Miss, is the state’s flagship university. Included in the elite group of R1: Doctoral Universities – Highest Research Activity by the Carnegie Classification, it has a long history of producing leaders in public service, academics and business. Its 16 academic divisions include a major medical school, nationally recognized schools of accountancy, law and pharmacy, and an Honors College acclaimed for a blend of academic rigor, experiential learning and opportunities for community action. Recognized among the nation’s most beautiful, Ole Miss’ main campus is in Oxford, which is routinely acknowledged as one of the country’s best college towns.