By: Samantha Craddock
Congratulations are in order for Carlie LaFauci, a senior journalism major with a political science minor. LaFauci received the 2024 College of Social and Behavioral Sciences (SBS) LeBovidge Undergraduate Research Award. Established by Carol and Alan LeBovidge, the award provides merit-based scholarship to an undergraduate student working as a research assistant with an SBS faculty member.
This is the second time in two years that a journalism student has received the LeBovidge award; journalism and legal studies double major Christmaelle Vernet was the winner of the award in 2023.
LaFauci worked with Dr. Kelsey Whipple in their research of newsletters within the colleges of UMass and evaluated how often professors were highlighted for their achievements based on race, gender and academic rank. The goal of their research is to provide a tool for professors and faculty members to feel like they’re appreciated for their work, especially those who identify and fall into minority groups. While their research isn’t completed, LaFauci hopes it will wrap up by Oct. 31.
“I would specifically like to thank Dr. Whipple,” said LaFauci. “She’s been the best mentor I’ve ever had. She’s helped me so much as I do all my research and she’s helped me grow so much as a student and future professor… So without her, I don’t know what I’d be doing right now.”
The award will fund LaFauci’s studies, as well as help them pay back their family who has supported them throughout their whole academic career. “They’ve been nothing but supportive my whole life, it's the smallest thing but I hope it leads the path to lessening the load more and more,” said LaFauci.
LaFauci is also a member of the Kappa Tau Alpha honors society and writes for the Arts, News, and Op-Ed sections of the Daily Collegian. They are also working on six other research projects during their research with Dr. Whipple, including research about racial bias in state legislatures across the United States under Tatishe Nteta and Adam Eichen, both political science professors.