AFTE Scholarship in honor of Walter Howe

Faith Lauran Musko

Faith is currently attending the University of Central Oklahoma (UCO) for her Masters in Forensic Science, concentration in Criminalistics, where she maintains a 4.0 GPA. She is the Graduate President of the Student Academy of Forensic Science, and is a professional member to both the American Chemical Society and the National Criminal Justice Association. In February 2007, Faith traveled to San Antonio, TX to attend the 59th annual American Academy of Forensic Scientists (AAFS) meeting. She is currently employed as a biomedical research technician at the Oklahoma University Health Sciences Center conducting cancer and diabetes research.

Miss Musko moved to Oklahoma City from Pittsburgh, PA where she attended Waynesburg College and received a B.S. in Forensic Science with minors in Biology and Chemistry in May 2005. During her undergraduate experience, Faith was a Mock Crime Scene Workshop Instructor and a Mock Trial Expert Witness. She was employed with R.J. Lee Group, Inc. as a Forensic Department intern, where she conducted gunshot residue analysis using scanning electron microscopy.

Upon graduating from UCO in the Spring of 2008, Miss Musko plans to find a job in Trace Evidence or Toxicology and plans to attended law school in the Fall of 2008 for her criminal law degree.
 

AFTE Scholarship in honor of Walter Howe

Candita C. Chapman

Candita, an international student from St. Kitts, West Indies, attends the University of Baltimore in Maryland. In May, 2008, she will graduate with a Bachelor of Science degree in Forensic Studies with a concentration in Forensic Science.

Currently, this straight A student is the Vice President of the UB Circle of the Omicron Delta Kappa National Leadership Honor Society, a member of the Phi Theta Kappa International Honor Society, a certified Emerging and Established leader in the Leadership Certification Program, a Helen P. Denit Honors student, a Wilson’s Scholar, a Conversation Partner for Chinese MPA students, and a part-time employee at the university’s Academic Resource Center. She is also represented in the National Dean’s List.

In June, 2007, Candita interned with the Firearms Unit of the Baltimore Police Department Crime Lab, under the direction of an outstanding staff. She is now, more than ever, eagerly looking forward to a life of dedication to the field of forensics.
 

Steve Molnar Scholarship

Bonnie Floran

Bonnie is currently working on her Master’s degree in Forensic Science at Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond Virginia. While in school she also works part time as a Forensic Administrative Specialist for the Department of Forensic Science, as well as working as a Barista for Starbucks.

She received her Bachelor’s of Business degree in Marketing from the University of New Mexico in 1999 and then decided to pursue a second degree in Biology. She graduated Magna Cum Laude with a Bachelor’s in Biology and minor in Chemistry in 2003. In school she was a member of the Golden Key and Mortar Board National Honor Societies as well as a member of the Chi Omega sorority.

After graduating college, she worked full time as a certified Cytogenetics Technologist at Genzyme Genetics before moving to Virginia to pursue a dream in the forensic sciences.

Upon graduating in May of 2008, Bonnie plans to begin a career working as a trace evidence or firearms examiner.
 

AFTE Scholarship in honor of Walter Howe

Lauren Claytor

Lauren is currently working two jobs, including being employed as a Forensic Administration Specialist by the Department of Forensic Science in Richmond, Virginia. She is enrolled in the Forensic Science Master’s Program at Virginia Commonwealth University where she maintains a 4.0 GPA while being a Graduate Representative for the Forensic Science Student Club and a Graduate Mentor.

Lauren received her B.S. in Biology from Wake Forest University in May of 2005, where she was a member of Beta Beta Beta Biological Honor Society, the National Dean’s List, Golden Key International Honor Society, and Pi Beta Phi Sorority.

In the Fall, Lauren plans to complete an internship at the Department of Forensic Science in the Firearms and Toolmarks section under Ann Davis. Upon completion of her education, she plans to pursue a career as a firearms examiner.
 

Steve Molnar Scholarship

Jordan Tidrick

Jordan graduated with honors from Furman University in Greenville, SC with a Bachelors of Science in Chemistry concentrating in Biochemistry. While at Furman she was a research intern with Dr. L. Trzupek studying suicide substrate enzyme inhibition; she also interned at MicroAnalytical, Inc, a private forensic lab. After graduating from Furman, Jordan served as a missionary with the United Methodist Church working primarily as a youth program specialist at the Susannah Wesley Community Center in Honolulu, HI. Jordan then taught introductory physics & chemistry at North Cobb High School in Kennesaw, GA. Jordan is completing her final year of a Masters of Science in Forensic Science at Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond, VA and will graduate in May of 2007. She is looking forward to interning in the Firearms Section at the Virginia Department of Forensic Science.
 

2005

AFTE Scholarship Award in memory of Ken Raynor

Michael Thomas Beddow

I graduated from Northern Arizona University in December of 2003 with Cum Laude honors. I received an Extended Bachelor of Science Degree in Chemistry and a Minor in Criminal Justice. During my undergraduate education I completed an internship with the Firearms Division of the Phoenix Police Department's Crime Laboratory Services Bureau as well as assisted Dr. Michael Ketterer (Professor of Chemistry) and Luke Haag in a forensic science related research project. I am currently a graduate student attending the University of California Davis pursuing my Masters of Science degree in Forensic Science, with an expected firearms or toolmarks related thesis project. I expect to graduate in June of 2006. Upon completion of my education I will be pursuing a career as a firearms examiner.

Steve Molnar Scholarship

Naila Bhatri

Naila is currently pursuing a Master’s degree in Forensic Science at The George Washington University. She will graduate in May 2006 with a concentration in Forensic Molecular Biology. She has completed her Bachelor’s of Science degree with a double major in Zoology and Botany and an Honor’s Certificate in Zoology from the University of Mumbai. During her graduate studies she has been working with Dr. Walter Rowe on fire-arm artifacts that were collected from the site of the Fetterman Massacre. This work with Dr. Rowe enabled her to present a poster on the removal of calcareous deposits from aged fire-arm artifacts at the 2005 meeting of the Mid-Atlantic Association of Forensic Scientists, in Pittsburgh.

Through the months of May to July of 2004 Naila worked as a trainee in the Directorate of State Forensic Science Laboratories in Maharashtra, India. During this training she learnt the intricacies of the working of the Biology/Serology section of a Forensic Laboratory.

During the moths of June till August Naila will intern with DNA Security, Inc in Burlington, North Carolina as a Genetic Analyst Trainee.

In her free time she enjoys the outdoors as well reading fiction.

2004

AFTE Scholarship Award

Thomas A. van Drunen

I graduated June 2005 with distinction from the University of Toronto at Mississauga with an Honors Bachelor of Science degree in Forensic Chemistry. I completed an internship with Murray Smith and Bill Sopiro at the Royal Canadian Mounted Police Forensic Laboratory Services in Ottawa and I have been hired at the Centre of Forensic Sciences in Toronto.

I would like to express my deepest gratitude to your organization for awarding me this honor!

2003

AFTE Scholarship Award

Patricia Rines

For the past five years, Patti has been employed as a Senior Criminalist by the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department. She is presently assigned to the Firearm and Toolmark Identification Section. Prior to this assignment, she worked in the Narcotics and Clandestine Laboratory Field Investigations sections. She has taught at the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department Deputy Recruit Academy and for the California Department of Justice, Bureau of Narcotic Enforcement.

She has a B.S. degree in Molecular Biology with a minor in Chemistry from San Jose State University (1993). She has over four years of research work experience in the biopharmaceutical industry and at the University of Southern California. Currently, she is completing her research thesis for a Master’s of Science Degree in Criminalistics from California State University, Los Angeles.

2002

AFTE Scholarship Award

Ms. Zoe Burgess

Zoe is currently employed as a Forensic Laboratory Specialist by the Virginia Division of Forensic Science, Richmond, Va. in the Firearm and Toolmark Section.  

She is a Phi Beta Kappa graduate of Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, Va., where she received a B.A. degree in Chemistry in December, 1999.  Currently, she is a candidate at Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond, Va. for a Master’s Degree in Criminal Justice with a concentration in Forensic Science, to be conferred December, 2001.  

Zoe successfully completed an internship in the Spring, 2001 and is currently conducting an independent study with the firearm/toolmark section.  Zoe plans to pursue a career in Forensic Science, primarily in the Firearm and Toolmark area.