A professor in the College of Agriculture, Family Sciences and Technology is taking part in a new Fort Valley State University fellowship program beginning August 2018.
Dr. Mahipal Singh, associate professor of animal biotechnology, is one of three faculty members selected as an inaugural participant in the FVSU Provost Faculty Fellows Program. As a FVSU Provost Faculty Fellow, Singh will receive a $2,500 stipend to use for material and travel associated with his project.
The purpose of the fellowship is to allow a FVSU faculty member to implement or develop methods or programs that will strengthen and enhance the university’s academic structure. Singh’s work will focus on improving the school’s Honor’s Program by providing its participants more opportunities in research and sharing ideas and methods with peers and professors. To be eligible, applicants must be a full time tenured faculty member at FVSU.
“I think this is a very good initiative that the provost has developed,” Singh said. The longtime FVSU professor said it feels great to be selected as a participant. Initially, Singh was hesitant about applying for the fellowship, but after some thought, he felt he had enough scholastic experience to help FVSU students achieve their full academic potential.
In addition, Singh said he feels connected to the Honors Program because he too, was an honor student as an undergraduate and understands the dedication and hard work needed to maintain exceptional grades. Singh said honor students can be more proficient in their studies with an appropriate outlet to express themselves to exchange ideas, conduct research on their ideas with faculty mentors and present their results.
“Some students complete the required classwork needed to get a degree, but they do so without any hard core motivation. This can be alleviated by allowing students to express themselves in various desired platforms which may result in a thesis, a movie, a sculpture, music or some other form of media,” Singh said.
The professor said such techniques can provide students a gateway to mentorships, research projects and other methods in various subjects that will prove beneficial.
“Dr. Singh is a seasoned researcher and faculty member who has a passion for helping students grow in the classroom and in the laboratory. His commitment to academic excellence is evident, which makes him an ideal Faculty Fellow to help our current Honors Program Director, Dr. Meigan Fields, grow the Honors Program at FVSU,” said Dr. T. Ramon Stuart, provost and vice president for academic affairs.
For more information about the FVSU Provost Faculty Fellows program, contact the FVSU Office of the Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs at (478) 825-6330.