GradImpact

Abisola Mohammed is a master's student in Film within the Chaddock + Morrow College of Fine Arts. Currently in her third year, Mohammed originates from Nigeria, working heavily in film there. She worked in both television and film for over 6 years, immersing herself in the currently growing "Nollywood" industry. She chose to go Ohio University for her MFA due to the program's focus on independent filmmaking, in contrast to studio based filmmaking. With the changing economics of independent filmmaking, Mohammed wanted to study more on it. Mohammed loves that she has been able to meet international students from all over the world and get their perspectives on filmmaking as well, not just the American perspective.

Mohammed's father watched a lot of foreign films as she grew up and it played a part in the inspiration behind her passion for filmmaking. She loves being able to focus on the impact that the film she is creating could make on the public. Whether people are watching things on social media or watching full films, Mohammed is tuned into the fact that everyone is watching. "They're watching things, watching films, and that says a lot about filmmaking that needs to be made because, it increases different experience for people, and I just want to be part of that."

Mohammed is more used to the role of a producer, someone who helps filmmakers create their art. She also loves directing and wanted to do a lot more directing when she arrived to Ohio University. Overall, Mohammed loves the fact that working on art such as film is a group effort, everyone working together to create the final cut of the film.

She is very passionate about service and helping her community. Mohammed runs the social media for the School of Film and has used her role to not only promote the work of Ohio University students, but also create events and an overall space for students to build community and belonging. "I just feel like I'm not fulfilled when I'm only doing things for myself. I'm more fulfilled when doing things with people alongside people for a particular purpose."

Honored for his contributions to Research and Service excellence, Sijan Regmi is a doctoral student in the College of Arts and Sciences, studying Physics and Astronomy. Regmi first came to Ohio University for his Master's in Physics and Astronomy, interested in the fact that he could go right into the doctoral program after finishing his master's. Originally from Nepal, Regmi is now in his seventh year of graduate study overall. His research works in High Energy Physics, 
implementing and optimizing π⁰ calibration for the Electromagnetic Calorimeter, directly impacting the accuracy and reliability of high-energy physics experiments." Outside of the lab, Regmi is known as a student leader, and more affectionately, a "big brother" of sorts to other graduate students, according to his GradImpact nominator and his advisor, Dr. Justin Frantz.

Regmi recognizes the importance of working as team within student leadership roles, noting that "you never actually work alone, you always have a team behind you." He also contributes his leadership skills and work ethic to working "hard and working smart," and advises students to not procrastinate. Rather, take your needed breaks, keep yourself updated with information, and know that, when they are feeling overwhelmed, leaning on those who support them is key.

Regmi also works closely with International Student and Scholar Services and cites them as a major supporter in his experience at Ohio University, as well as his fellow executives from when he served in the Ohio University Nepalese Student Association. "Because of everybody, I've been able to do this."

Lina Elshrief is a second year doctoral student in the Scripps College of Communication. She has made a great impact as a Scripps Howard Teaching Fellow within the Scripps College, and has more than 13 years of experience as a multimedia journalist. Originally from Egypt, she received her bachelor's in Journalism from Cairo University. Then, Elshrief came to the United States through a Fulbright scholarship to receive her Master's in Multimedia Journalism from Arkansas Tech University. She returned to Egypt after that, but only a few months later, Elshrief came to New York to work with the United Nations. 

Elshrief worked in translating English articles into Arabic, citing a love for translating. "It (translating) helps build some peace between people," she said. Now, as a doctoral student within Scripps, Elshrief teaches an editing class, and also leads a learning community class for freshmen. "I like teaching so much because you can see that what you are doing is actually positively impacting and affecting some people and helping them grow," Elshrief said.

Elshrief has much to balance on her plate between academia, personal life and beyond. She finds that building a strategy that works for you helps best with managing stress and feeling overwhelmed. Her strategy? Doing a little bit of everything, everyday. "I always like to do different things. For me, things that can affect mental health are that you feel that you are getting your validation from only one place. I always think that you need to find many things to get the feeling of validation from, in case you lose something, you just find other way."

When Elshrief arrived to Ohio University, she had much professional experience, but no teaching experience. The faculty within Scripps helped her find her footing and a sense of community. "Whenever you find any professor's door is open, you can just go and sit down, and they will welcome you. We had a picnic where many of the professors and students come together. So, I feel that gave me the feeling of, these people know that you need support."

The recognition of not only GradImpact, but that which Elshrief receives in her department, means a lot to her. "This (GradImpact) makes me happy that people see what you're doing. As graduate students, PhD students and TA's specifically, even if we know that the professors and the school recognize what we are doing, sometimes you need someone to say I see you. I see what you are doing. So, I was very happy."

Abigail Bartlett is a fifth-year doctoral student in the Experimental Psychology program within the College of Arts and Sciences. Originally from Columbus, Ohio, Bartlett went to Ohio State University at Newark for her undergraduate degree in Psychology. Her passion for teaching began with tutoring multiple subjects, such as mathematics and American Sign Language. 

Upon arriving to Ohio University for her graduate degree, she got involved with Graduate Student Senate as apart of the grant review committee, eventually moving on to a stipend review committee and helping put together GradCon. Externally, Bartlett has served as a relations coordinator for the Midwest Cognitive Science conference, where she was able to witness psychology students learn in real time how to present their work.

That's not all, however. Mentorship, in addition to teaching, is also a key part of Bartlett's life, as she mentors a small number of undergraduate and graduate students each Fall semester. Bartlett mentors both in and out of the research lab, and finds it key to developing that lasting relationship. 

"It's one of my biggest passions is to work with students and I love working with undergrads because this is about the time that they figure out who they are and what they want to do in their lives. It's cool to see them basically grow up and figure out what they want to do."

She received the 2025 Graduate Student Senate Department Representative Award and has been the President of the Psychology's Graduate Representative Council since 2023. She is a tireless advocate for her peers, both inside and outside of her department. Ohio University is both lucky and proud to have her as a graduate student!

Bijay Gurung is a third-year doctoral student in the Molecular and Cellular Biology program, within the laboratory of Dr. Shaohua Wang. Bijay has made substantial contributions to five publications in microbiology research, and has been actively developing innovative strategies to fight against Clostridioides difficile infection (CDI).

Russell has managed her graduate student persona for 20 years now, as she originally came to Ohio University for a master’s in English in 2006. During that time, she was assigned to be a teaching assistant, and by the time of her graduation in 2008, Russell had fallen in love with teaching. Luckily, the English department was looking for adjuncts, so from 2008 to 2012, Russell was a full-time adjunct instructor.

“My background wasn't composition or rhetoric at the time,” Russell said. “A lot of it was self-taught, but self-taught with guidance from great directors of composition that have been here.”

Russell’s time as a graduate student was far from over. Over time, Russell realized that she wanted to learn more about working directly with college students. So, in the fall of 2012, she enrolled to pursue a master’s in College Student Personnel in the Gladys W. and David H. Patton College of Education. During that time, Russell balanced her studies, still being an adjunct for the English department, and working in a graduate assistantship at the now defunct Pride Center, known in 2012 as the LGBT Center. All of this may seem a lot to juggle, and though it was, the roles played multiple roles for Russell, including informing what would become her teaching philosophy.

“To teach and be involved in the culture on a college campus with 18- to 24-year-olds felt like, this is the population I want to work with,” Russell said. “When you can tell that the student has felt heard, they are getting a chance to use their authentic voice and opinions, and those things are valued. I encourage them to share those things in my classroom.”

She graduated with the M.Ed. in 2014, continued to adjunct, and at this point, settled into the Athens community and decided this town was going to be home.

“There was a way for me to make teaching like my nine to five, and so, what do I do after five? I started volunteering with a friend of mine at Ohio Brew Week over the summer and got really involved in that. I started volunteering with her at Nelsonville Music Festival and the Paw Paw Festival.”

Through volunteering to help with different festivals and events, Russell was able to enjoy the community enrichment they brought; while also learning about the village it takes to create and run these events for the public. When the COVID-19 pandemic closed down much of Athens in 2020, Russell realized the impact the closure of public resources such as parks and public swimming had on her young son and newborn daughter.

“Recreation just became a cornerstone of like my mom life, and so I got involved with Athens Parks and Rec. I am on their Advisory Board,” Russell said. “The stuff that I think is easy to take for granted like that. Of course, we have a public park and a public pool. Because we're a city of course, but those things take work.”

“I think also having kids made what I’m involved in more important to me. I want to be able to share with them. Not just that Athens is beautiful, Southeast Ohio is beautiful. There are all these opportunities. It's fun to look at all these fun things to do here, but also this is the hard work of creating those fun things.”

Dr. Talinn Phillips invited Russell back to graduate school for her doctoral degree, and two years later, here she is. Phillips, Dr. Paul Shovlin, Dr. Lynn Harter and Dr. Mike Hess were all campus faculty that Russell mentioned being “transformative and essential” to her current journey. Russell is also currently working as a coordinator for revising a graduate internship program in the English department that, in time, could be transformational for the department. Transformational is the word that comes to mind when reflecting on Russell’s time at Ohio University and her impact as a graduate student, no matter which persona, as a student or instructor, she is taking on at any given moment.

“I genuinely want to know what my students think, and they believe me,” Russell said. “I do get pretty consistent feedback from my students that that is one of the strengths of my classroom, that they do believe that I actually care what they think when I walk into the room and say, what did we think about this week's reading? I actually do want to know what they think.”