Basic Medical Sciences Graduate Program welcomes new students
Posted on August 20, 2026
Graduate students gather at Moe's Original BBQ for the Meet & Greet event.
The Whiddon College of Medicine welcomed its newest cohort of Ph.D. students to the Basic Medical Sciences (BMS) Graduate Program. The incoming students bring a variety of academic backgrounds, research interests and experiences to the program as they begin their journey toward becoming independent scientists.
The students began their graduate education with orientation, held Aug. 10-14. Throughout the week, they were introduced to the program, faculty, research opportunities and campus resources, while also meeting the people who will support them throughout their graduate education. Orientation gave students an opportunity to connect with one another and with current BMS students as they began building their new academic community.
“The Office of Research Education and Training (ORET), along with BMS faculty, staff and current students, looks forward to supporting this incoming class as they begin this important chapter in their academic and professional careers,” said Alani Rodgers, Ed.D., associate director of ORET. “We are excited to see the discoveries they will make, the relationships they will build, and the contributions they will bring to the Whiddon College of Medicine.”
The week concluded with the program’s annual Meet & Greet on Aug. 14 at Moe’s Original BBQ in downtown Mobile. Hosted by ORET, the event brought together incoming and current students, faculty and staff for an evening of conversation and fellowship.
A highlight of the evening was the recognition of the 2025–2026 Edwin R. Hughes Memorial Award recipients. The award recognizes first-year BMS students for outstanding academic performance in the program’s core curriculum. This year’s recipients were Catherine Bostwick, Katlyn Bouler, Stefan Bourgeois and Makala Cox.
Building a strong sense of community is an important part of the BMS Ph.D. experience, Rodgers said. Through events such as the annual Meet & Greet, as well as mentoring, professional development, research presentations and student organizations, students have opportunities to build relationships and develop skills that will support them throughout their doctoral training.
Muyideen Idris, who is among the new cohort, said she chose to pursue her Ph.D. at the University of South Alabama because of the strong research opportunities and outstanding faculty in the Basic Medical Sciences program.
“My experience in the graduate program so far has been hugely positive, as both the faculty and administrative staff have been very supportive and collegiate,” Idris said. “It is a close-knit program that provides an enabling environment for me to grow as a researcher and scientist.”
