Highlights: 

• Jeremy Waisome, Ph.D., and Latia Hickerson, Ph.D., both UF McNair Scholars Program alumni, were selected for the 40 Gators Under 40 class of 2024. 
• Dr. Waisome is a triple Gator and now leads the UF PRISEM Lab. Her research strives to understand how mentorship affects student trajectories and self-efficacy in STEM+C. 
• Dr. Hickerson is a pioneer in women’s healthcare and serves as an Assistant Professor at the University of Texas Medical Branch. 
• 11 McNair Scholars have earned the recognition of 40 Gators Under 40 since the list’s inception in 2006. 

Congratulations 

The McNair Scholars Program congratulates two of its alumni, Jeremy Waisome, Ph.D., and Latia Hickerson, Ph.D., on their selection for the UF Alumni Association’s 40 Gators Under 40 class of 2024. This recognition celebrates alumni association members who make a positive impact on their communities and professions.   

Jeremy Waisome, Ph.D. 

Dr. Waisome is a triple Gator with a Ph.D. in civil engineering. As a student, she discovered a passion for equity, access, and inclusion in engineering and computing. Now, Dr. Waisome is the Thomas O. Hunter Rising Star Assistant Professor in the Department of Engineering Education (EED) at the University of Florida (UF) and leads the PRISEM Lab. Her focus on diversity and educational research produces an academic environment where students from all backgrounds can thrive. 

Dr. Waisome has earned a spot in the UF Hall of Fame, received the National Society of Black Engineers’ 2018 Mike Shinn Distinguished Member of the Year Award, and other accolades.  

Latia Hickerson, Ph.D. 

The foundation for Dr. Hickerson’s career is inspired by empowering those caught between socioeconomic burdens and health disparities. She is the owner of Agrarian Wellness: Integrative Gynecology & Women’s Health, an Assistant Professor at the University of Texas Medical Branch, and a pioneer in women’s healthcare. Dr. Hickerson dedicates her life to maximizing patient outcomes through education. 

During her time at UF, she was a senator for the College of Health and Human Performance and was inducted into Florida Blue Key and UF Savant. 

The McNair Scholars Program’s Impact 

Funded by the U.S. Department of Education, McNair is a national program that provides a pathway to graduate education for undergraduate students who are primarily from low-income and first-generation backgrounds. The program engages participants in research and other scholarly activities and equips them with the knowledge and skills they need to pursue a Ph.D. 

11 UF McNair Scholars have earned a spot in 40 Gators Under 40 since the list was created in 2006. With limited funding for 25 students per year, that’s an accomplishment the McNair team is proud to brag about.  

40 Gators Under 40 McNair Scholars: 

• 2017 – Tyrell Kahan 
• 2019 – Bertrhude Albert 
• 2019 – Victoria Claypoole 
• 2019 – Natalie King 
• 2020 – Brent Solomon 
• 2021 – Ross Jones 
• 2021 – Stephen Liverpool 
• 2023 – Ewan Cobran 
• 2023 – Jacky Lagrace 
• 2024 – Latia Hickerson 
• 2024 – Jeremy Waisome 

For such a small program, McNair certainly has a BIG impact. 

Read the UF Alumni Association’s profiles on Dr. Waisome and Dr. Hickerson to learn all the other ways these two McNair Scholars lift our community. Plus, discover the McNair Scholars Program benefits that supported them on their journey to success. 

Written by Braden Blue, Communications Specialist for UF Student Success, and Samesha Barnes Ivey, Ph.D., Director of the McNair Scholars Program and the Thrive Center.