Two juniors at Coastal Carolina University have been selected for the Swain Scholars program. In the next four semesters, these students will plan and execute community outreach and research projects designed to improve the health of Horry County residents.

Amber Rahman, an exercise and sport science major from Newark, Del., and Rachael Trudon, a sociology major with a focus in criminology from Coventry, Conn., were chosen through a competitive process to participate in the scholarship program funded in 2007 by Kenneth E. Swain, a CCU benefactor from Myrtle Beach.

Rahman volunteers for the Dalton and Linda Floyd Family Mentoring Program and is as a role model for children (K-8) in local area schools. She enjoys singing, playing the guitar, and has performed and recorded in Los Angeles and Nashville. Following college, she plans to be a pediatric occupational therapist.

"It feels so amazing to be chosen for the Swain Scholar program," said Rahman. "I was just given the best opportunity I could have ever asked for."

Trudon is a member of the Theta Beta Chapter of Phi Sigma Sigma and is the committee chair of the Panhellenic Delegate. She has been inducted into the Phi Eta Sigma, a national honor society for first-year college students, and is a member of the National Honor Society of Leadership and Success. The Swain Scholars program is composed of selected undergraduate students from the public health, biochemistry, biology, exercise and sport science, and chemistry programs. The students receive scholarships of up to $5,000 per year based on academic and financial criteria. Sharon Thompson, professor of health promotion, serves as the faculty adviser of the Swain Scholars.

In recent years, the Swain Scholars have created projects focused around meeting health needs in the community. To combat misperceptions of homelessness in the region, the scholars developed a survey, engaged agencies that deal with the homeless, and went out into the field to meet and listen to stories of homeless people. After several people were killed while riding bikes in the area, the scholars created a Bicycle Awareness program that featured a DVD for international students explaining bike safety and they organized a Bike Awareness Day on campus. Rahman and Trudon are researching food insecurity and its impact on Horry County. They hope to work with the Low Country food bank and CCU's dining services to provide affordable, nutritious foods to those whoare struggling to access meals on their own.

Students Sydney Brown from Philadelphia, Pa., and Ashley Lynch from Baltimore, Md., return as senior-level Swain Scholars and mentors to Rahman and Trudon. This semester they have created "Horry Hope," an initiative that reduces substance abuse, educates the public and changes the perception of users in our community through collaborative work with lawmakers.