MEET THE P.L.A.C.E. FELLOWS
Dr. Burk holds a PhD from The College of William and Mary and is a Professor of Communication Studies, John Reeves Endowed Chair of Leadership, and Director of Leadership Studies and the P.L.A.C.E. (Philanthropy, Leadership & Community Engagement) Program. Her scholarly interests include pedagogy, leadership education, gender and leadership development, classroom communication and social justice. Dr. Burk has received many campus and community awards since she began teaching here in 2003, including the Undergraduate Studies Students’ Choice Award for Teaching Excellence at Columbia College, three times.
Megan Scheel
Megan is the fourth cohort of the P.L.A.C.E. Fellows Program. She is a Speech-Language Pathology major and Leadership Studies minor. Megan serves as a Momentum Scholar, Sophomore Class Activities and PR Representative, and an active member in Shandon College Ministry. She has worked with Young Athletes at The Therapy Place and continues her work with children at The YMCA of Downtown Columbia at an elementary school in the Eau Claire community as an afterschool teacher.
Megan Peebles
Megan is in the third cohort of the P.L.A.C.E. Fellows program and a Public Health Science and Delivery major. She is passionate about healthcare equality, as well as advocacy for healthcare education for individuals and organizations. Through P.L.A.C.E., Megan has had the opportunity to intern with Dianne’s Call, promoting healthy food access in the Eau Claire area, as well as volunteer at local counseling offices for mental health access. Megan is currently learning her new leadership passions while preparing to go into a career in the medical field.
Megan.Peebles@mycolumbiasc.edu
Joy Mhizha
Joy is in the fourth cohort of the P.L.A.C.E. Fellows Program. She is a Biochemistry major and a Leadership and Creative Writing minor. Her goal is to graduate, go to medical school and become an author. She is from Zimbabwe and before coming to Columbia College, she worked as an intern at R4 Events Company and as a Young Leader of the Girl Guides Association of Zimbabwe. Joy wishes to continue empowering women and to nurture them even at a very tender age.
Preston Siegler
Preston Siegler is a second-year Junior and in the fourth cohort of the P.L.A.C.E. Fellows Program. She is a Biology major with minors in Chemistry and Leadership. After graduation, she will go on to complete a Medical Scientist Training Program, where she will get her doctoral degrees in both Psychiatry and Neuroscience. Preston is currently doing immunology research with Dr. Jessica Allen, and hopes to get her work published early next year. In her free time, she serves as an active volunteer with Palmetto Health Baptist.
Mychealla Turner
Mychealla is in the fourth cohort of the P.L.A.C.E. Fellows Program and has passions for social justice, public policy, and civil rights activism. She is a McNair Fellow for the Center for Entrepreneurism and an NSF S-Stem Scholar. She is a double major in Business and Computer Science with minors in Leadership Studies. Mychealla looks forward to gaining her MBA/JD and becoming a Judge.
Tabitha Simonson
Tabitha is in the fifth cohort of the P.L.A.C.E. Fellows Program. She is a Global Business Major with aspirations to help people everywhere. Tabitha stays busy at Columbia College through the Honors Program, Swimming Team, Momentum Scholars Program and through a masonic youth organization called the International Order of the Rainbow for Girls. She loves that she is a part of the community as a P.L.A.C.E. Fellow and looks forward to being a helping hand all around South Carolina.
Litzel Martinez-Garcia
Litzel is in the fifth cohort of
the P.L.A.C.E. Fellows Program. She is a Speech-Language Pathology major with Leadership and Spanish minors. She is on the CC Lacrosse team and works in the admissions office while being involved with Momentum Scholars, Sertoma, the Estamos Unidas Latina Student
Association. Litzel is enthusiastic about the experiences she will gain through P.L.A.C.E and will use these opportunities to help children with speaking disabilities, as well as to increase bilingualism in young children.
Chelsey Martin
Chelsey is a sophomore Public Health major in the fifth cohort of the P.L.A.C.E Fellows program. She is double minoring in Leadership and Computer Information Science. Chelsey serves as the P.L.A.C.E. team leader for Habitat for Humanity and the collegiate connect coordinator at Bethlehem Baptist Church. She plans to become a web developer in the Department of Health.
Jasmine Carter
Jasmine Carter is in the fourth cohort of the P.L.A.C.E. fellows Program. She is a Communication Studies major and Leadership minor. Jasmine is very passionate about helping to improve and better the lives of others. She desires to become a director of communications and previously interned at The Hive Community Circle, which focuses on Sexual Assault and intimate partner violence. She hopes to become a better leader throughout the years of being a P.L.A.C.E. Fellow.
jasmine.carter@my.columbiasc.edu
Millennia Burnett
Millennia is a sophomore Psychology major in the fifth cohort of the P.L.A.C.E. Fellows Program. She loves being able to learn how to interact with other people and how to help their voices be heard. She is also a member of the Columbia College Hi Cs and Heavenly Creations Gospel Choir.
Amaya Liles
Amaya is a Biology major on a Pre-Med track and is in the fifth cohort of the P.L.A.C.E Fellows Program. She has a passion for medicine, mental health, and advocacy against sexual assault and harassment. Amaya is also a member of Alpha Sigma Alpha, Columbia College Honors program, and Momentum Scholars and manages for the basketball team. She is looking forward to becoming a better leader and more involved in the community.
Amaya.liles@my.columbiasc.edu
Jaida Thomas
Jaida Thomas is a first year Studio Arts major in the sixth cohort of the P.L.A.C.E. Fellows Program. She has a passion for art and being a part of others' lives. She enjoys helping others and developing relationships with others. Jaida is a member of the Social Work Club, ABT, Spectrum, and the Columbia College Orchestra as a trombone player.
Carol Horton
Carol is an Early Childhood Education major and Leadership minor in the sixth cohort of the P.L.A.C.E. Fellows Program. She serves as a Momentum Scholar and works as a student assistant in the Office of Financial Aid. She is excited for this new journey as a P.L.A.C.E. Fellow and looks forward to working children in the community.
carol.horton@my.columbiasc.edu
Emily Mims
Emily is a Dance Studies and Early Childhood Education double major in the sixth cohort of the P.L.A.C.E. Fellows Program. Emily is interested in using arts as a way to increase academic success in Title I school districts in South Carolina. She is a member of the Honors Executive Board, Momentum Scholars, South Carolina Teaching Fellows, and the Columbia College Dance Company. After college, Emily plans to spend a few years connecting with young people from the community by being a teacher in a SC public school and eventually plans to own her own business as a choreographer and arts enthusiast.
Emily.mims@columbiasc.edu
Rachell Harglerode
Rachell is a first-year at Columbia College and is in the 6th cohort of the P.L.A.C.E. Fellows Program. She is majoring in Elementary Education and has a heart for inspiring children. Along with P.L.A.C.E., she is involved in the Honors Program and is a journalist for the school newspaper, The PostScript. Rachell enjoys spending time with children, family, animals and friends in her free time. She is passionate about giving children a voice and empowering them to be the best they can be. Rachell hopes to fill her first year at Columbia College with self-growth and awareness, community service and lots of fun.
Rachell.harglerode@my.columbiasc.edu
Calandra Burgess
Calandra is in the third cohort of the P.L.A.C.E. Fellows Program. Some of her passions include financial literacy and diversity education. She hopes to start her own nonprofit organization based on financial education and guidance services. Calandra has interned at Columbia Hosing Authority and is currently interning at South Carolina Community Bank, which is the only minority-owned depository institution in South Carolina. She hopes to become an acknowledged leader throughout the years of being a P.L.A.C.E. Fellow in her community and beyond.
Tori Peacock
Tori is a junior Biochemistry and Biology major in the fourth cohort of the P.L.A.C.E. Fellows Program. She also minors in English and Environmental Science. Tori has a passion for public health and access to education. She works with local children at an after-school program and helps them with their homework. She plans to go on to graduate school to study immunology or epidemiology. Tori is a part of Chi Beta Phi, the Honors Executive Board, the National Science Foundation, the Pearce Communication Center as an English and Science writing consultant.
Breanna Norton
Bre is in the fourth cohort of the P.L.A.C.E. Fellows Program. She is majoring in Studio Art with minors in Leadership and Psychology. Bre is an advocate for animals rights, mental health, and persons with disabilities. She is currently working as a respite caregiver for children with disabilities and elderly with dementia. After graduating from Columbia College, Bre hopes to pursue her Master’s degree in Art Therapy, specializing in special needs and mental illness.
Alexis Lawton
Alexis is in the fourth cohort of the P.L.A.C.E. Fellows program. She is a Speech Language Pathology major and Psychology minor and serves as Vice President of the NAACP chapter on campus. Her goal is to graduate from Columbia College with a bachelor’s degree in Speech Language Pathology and attend graduate school to become a certified Speech Language Pathologist. Her dream job would be working with veterans at the VA or at an acute care hospital.
Jessica Baxter
Jessica is in the third cohort of the P.L.A.C.E. Fellows program. She is a double major in Accounting and Behavioral Science with the hopes of getting her master's in Sociology or Accounting after graduating. She has a passion for social justice dealing with racial injustice and poverty issues. She can be found volunteering with the North Main Richland Library, hanging around the Eau Claire community talking to local residents, or participating in different community efforts around the area.
Jessica.Baxter@my.columbiasc.edu
Rachel Chandler
Rachel is a senior Speech Language Pathology major in the third cohort of the P.L.A.C.E. Fellows Program. As a P.L.A.C.E. Fellow, Rachel has grown in her passion for working with younger children and children who are deaf or hard of hearing. She has interned at Beginnings SC and Epworth Children’s Home. At Columbia College, she is the president of Columbia College Sertoma Club and member of the Columbia College Baptist Collegiate Ministry, the Momentum Scholarship Program, the Columbia College C'sters, and the Columbia College chapter of Omicron Delta Kappa.
Rachel.chandler@my.columbiasc.edu
Hunter Huggins
Hunter is a Studio Art major and Leadership and Communication double minor in the fourth cohort of the P.L.A.C.E. Fellows Program. She is a McNair Scholar, as well as the Vice President for Alpha Beta Tau and the Co-Chair for the Honors Student Association Executive Board. She is also a member of Omicron Delta Kappa, a national leadership honors society. Her passion is education, specifically education through the arts. What she enjoys most about the P.L.A.C.E. Fellows Program is having the ability to make a difference in youth education in the Eau Claire Community.
Thalia Watkins
Thalia is in the fifth cohort of the P.L.A.C.E Fellows program. She is a member of the Columbia College Volleyball team and works in the Cafeteria part time. Thalia is a psychology and studio art double major with a minor in leadership. She is passionate about helping children through what she loves to do and plans to become an art therapist for local schools in the area.
Savannah Wiegand
Savanna is in the fifth cohort of the P.L.A.C.E. Fellows Program. She is double majoring in Business Administration with a concentration in Hospitality, Tourism, and Event Management and Communication with a minor in Leadership Studies. She is on the Columbia College Golf Team and serves as a C’ster and Student Ambassador. Using P.L.A.C.E as a platform, she hopes to spread awareness on Human Trafficking in the area. Savanna aspires to open up her own ski-resort and hotel.
savanna.wiegand@my.columbiasc.edu
Mackenzie Shannon
Mackenzie is in the fifth cohort of the P.L.A.C.E. Fellows Program. She is majoring in Communication Studies with a minor in Leadership. She is part of the Honors Program and a member of the swim team. She hopes to be a sports journalist after graduation. This summer, she completed an internship with the Florence Area Swim Team (FAST) working in public relations and social media.
Mary McInvaille Adamson
Mary Mc is in the fifth cohort of the P.L.A.C.E. Fellows Program. She is an Early Childhood Education major with the hopes of becoming an Early Interventionist. She serves as Team Leader for our community engagement with Transitions and serves as an advocate for the LGBTQ+ community, as well as sexual assault and partner violence survivors.
Gabrielle Reed
Gabby is in the fifth cohort of the P.L.A.C.E Fellows Program. She is majoring in Communications, focusing on social media and graphic design. Gabrielle wants to learn how to be a productive leader through P.L.A.C.E. and to give back to the community, and she believes P.L.A.C.E will help her achieve these goals.
Mikaya Thomas
Mikaya is a sophomore Math major and Biology minor in the fifth cohort of the P.L.A.C.E. Fellows Program. She is a member of the Columbia College NSF scholars, Golf Team, Pre-Health Club and Alpha Sigma Alpha. After graduation, she wants to pursue a career in the medical field in hopes of giving back to her community.
Mikaya.thomas@my.columbiasc.edu
Barbara Wanderley
Barbara is a Chemistry major and in the 4th cohort of the P.L.A.C.E. Fellows Program. She has a passion for environmental issues and has done individual research at Columbia College testing heavy metals in fish from the Georgetown harbor to measure the safety of the water. She is the Vice-President of the Columbia College Student Government Association, and member of Chi Beta Phi, the Honors Program, the NSF Scholarship Program, and the Iota Theta chapter of Alpha Sigma Alpha.
Barbara.wanderley@my.columbiasc.edu
MeKel Mock
MeKel is a first year double majoring in Psychology and Child and Family Studies and is in the sixth cohort of the P.L.A.C.E. Fellows Program. She has a passion for helping children who suffer from mental illness and volunteers at walks that raise awareness for mental illness and suicide prevention, such as the Out of the Darkness Community Walks. MeKel also participates and volunteers in protests that fight to raise minimal wage and for equality for all.
Mekel.mock@my.columbiasc.edu
Le'lah Herring
Le'lah is in the sixth cohort of the P.L.A.C.E. Fellows Program. Though undecided in her major, Le’lah is interested in speech language pathology, nursing, and sign language interpreting. On campus, she is involved with NAACP and Spectrum.
Linda Alston
Linda is a first-year Global Business major in the 6th cohort of the P.L.A.C.E. Fellows Program at Columbia College. Her passions include philosophy, music, playing with her dog and trying new things. She has volunteered with nonprofit organization Freedom Readers in her hometown of Conway, S.C., where she started and headed a branch that actively tutored children from low-income neighborhoods. She is a member of the Honors Program and an NAACP Ambassador for the Columbia College NAACP Chapter.
linda.alston@my.columbiasc.edu
Kathryn Ryan
Kathryn is in the sixth cohort of the P.L.A.C.E. Fellows Program. She is a Criminal Justice major with minors in Psychology and Leadership. She serves as the treasurer of the Resident Halls Association and is a member of the Columbia College Activities Board. After graduation, she hopes to begin the long journey towards pursuing a career in the FBI as a profiler. Kathryn is extremely humbled and excited to work in the community through the P.L.A.C.E. Program.
Kathryn.ryan@my.columbiasc.edu
Grace Mozie
Grace is a junior Studio Art major in the fourth cohort of the P.L.A.C.E. Fellows Program. She an art and honors scholar and is passionate about helping children in her community. She tutors students in mathematics at a local after school program and serves as a Spanish translator and interpreter for Head Start in the Metro Atlanta area. Grace is the President of Alpha Beta Tau Art Club, a recipient of The Order of the Purple Seal, and a member of Estamos Unidos.
Maya Stevenson
Maya is a Public Relations major in the sixth cohort in the P.L.A.C.E. Fellows Program. Her passions include "Help 4 Kids," a nonprofit that packs lunches for children to take home on the weekend. During Maya's high school career, she helped campaign for Hillary Clinton in her hometown of Florence, South Carolina. She has gained leadership skills from not only being a delegate at Palmetto Girls State, but going on to become a junior counselor, as well.
maya.stevenson@my.columbiasc.edu