Amid ongoing challenges facing Saint Augustine’s University (SAU), the determination, talent, and achievements of its students continue to shine as beacons of hope and excellence. Four exceptional Falcons—Israel Pennerman, Karly Heavens Gerome, Ashauna McClendon, and Tyler Miller—are demonstrating the university’s powerful legacy of academic resilience, leadership, and impact.

“These outstanding young scholars reflect the very soul of Saint Augustine’s University—one rooted in resilience, excellence, and the pursuit of purpose,” said SAU Interim President Dr. Marcus H. Burgess. “They are living proof that our challenges do not define SAU, but by the greatness we nurture in our students.”

Israel Pennerman, a senior Public Health Science major, and Karly Heavens Gerome, a rising junior Engineering Mathematics major, have been selected as Summer 2025 Research Scholars at North Carolina State University’s College of Natural Resources. These students previously participated in the National Science Foundation’s Biomanufacturing Sciences Pilot Program and, in the Fall of 2024, visited Grand Valley State University to explore graduate STEM programs. Karly also completed a biomaterials research experience at NC State in the Summer of 2024. He recently participated in a two-week Quantitative Biology program at Virginia Tech, focusing on experimental modeling and computation in biosystems.

Ashauna McClendon, a Biology major, was selected as a member of the inaugural cohort of the Duke Building Academic Advancement Research Training Pathway to Otolaryngology and Communication Sciences (BAA-POCS). Funded by the National Institutes of Health, the 15-month program includes two intensive summer research experiences at Duke University and hybrid training during the academic year. Ashauna joins only two other students nationwide in this prestigious program, designed to diversify the future biomedical workforce.

Adding to this remarkable list is Tyler Miller, an Engineering Mathematics major and NSF VA–NC LSAMP Alliance STEM Scholar, who received acceptance into the Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI) – NC10 Science Education Alliance Summer 2025 Program at North Carolina Central University. Tyler is engaging in hands-on research in molecular biology and genomics. He previously attended the Clayton Evans Memorial Lecture and Outreach Program at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. He visited Grand Valley State University in the Fall of 2024 to explore graduate study options in STEM.

“These students continue to open doors for themselves and SAU by stepping into prestigious research opportunities and advancing the university’s legacy in STEM,” said Dr. Tyrell Carr, Associate Dean, School of Sciences, Mathematics, and Allied Health, and Director of Sponsored Programs and Title III Programs. “Their accomplishments are testaments to what’s possible through mentorship, perseverance, and hard work.”

While external narratives have often focused on crisis, SAU’s students remind us of the powerful story still unfolding—a story of hope, scholarship, and transformation. These are the voices that will shape tomorrow.