Former PWHS alumnus Ingram earns prestigious fellowship

A University of Central Arkansas alumnus from PalestineWheatley was recently selected to participate in the Southern Regional Education Board’s highly competitive Doctoral Scholars Program.

Dedrick LeShun Ingram, a twotime UCA graduate, received a Bachelor of Science degree in health education in 2014 before earning a master’s degree in health sciences in 2018. He is currently pursuing a Doctor of Philosophy in health promotion and prevention research at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences' (UAMS) Fay W. Boozman College of Public Health while also working for UAMS as a research assistant.

“I was really excited and honored to be given this fellowship. Maybe even a little bit shocked, just because it’s so competitive,” Ingram said. “When I looked at everything the fellowship stands for, I realized so many of my goals lined up with it. So I just tried to put my best foot forward in my application and fortunately I was selected. It's really pretty awesome, especially from my hometown perspective. One day I hope to be able to have an impact on the racial health disparities in rural areas."

Ingram graduated from Palestine-Wheatley High School in 2011 as the class valedictorian.

At Palestine-Wheatley, Ingram was a three-sport athlete for the Patriots, playing basketball, baseball and running track from 2008 through his graduation season in 2011.

He was a member of the Patriot 2010-11 basketball team under then coach Josh Fulcher, now coaching in Mountain Home. Prior to that he played for the Junior Patriot basketball team during the 2007-08 season.

"I played football for a couple of years, but mainly it was basketball, baseball and track," Ingram added. "Those were my three favorite sports during my junior and senior high years."

Ingram was one of the first African-American males to enter his Ph.D. program and was the only applicant from UAMS to be selected for the Doctoral Scholars Program this year.

His academic studies are focused on racial health disparities. He anticipates completing his degree by the spring of 2024 before pursuing an academic and research career at the university level.

The Southern Regional Education Board was founded on the belief that a diverse faculty with a variety of scholarly perspectives produces a stronger educational experience for all students. In 1993, it created the Doctoral Scholars Program to address the long-standing national shortage of underrepresented minority faculty. The program works to improve faculty diversity by helping to increase the number of minority students who are pursuing doctoral degrees with a goal of beginning a career in higher education.

The Doctoral Scholars Program provides these doctoral students with financial support, leadership opportunities, networking events and intensive professional development to help them finish their degrees and consider a career in academia.

While receiving the fellowship allows Ingram to start looking toward the future, he also fondly remembers his time at UCA, where he also spent several years as a staff member.

“I just love UCA and all the experiences and opportunities I had there,” Ingram said. “Not only am I trying to do myself and my family proud, I am also trying to make UCA proud as well because everyone there has such a commitment to see students succeed. "I hope one day I'm able to make that impact especially in the area of chronic conditions which can be influenced by just a change in health behavior."

Ingram was driven into this direction, saying he always knew he wanted to be in the health area field which would eventually foster his interest in health sciences and the prevention and promotion of that area.

"A lot of it also had to do with having family with pre-existing conditions," He added. "I have lost three of my grandparents to heart attacks and another, my grandfather suffered with Alzheimer's and Diabetes. I knew a lot of those illnesses are preventable for some of the factors that can help that."

Ingram is the son of Dedrick and Henderrine Ingram of Palestine.