Marriage and family therapy doctoral student earns inaugural Marie R. Bonebrake Graduate Award
Friday, Oct. 2, 2015
MANHATTAN — A doctoral student in marriage and family therapy is the inaugural recipient of Kansas State University's Marie R. Bonebrake Graduate Award.
The $2,400 award is being presented to Zenova Williams, Vicksburg, Mississippi. The award recognizes graduate students based on academic merit and financial need. The student must demonstrate excellence in research, scholarship and creative inquiry appropriate for his or her academic field. The Kansas State University Graduate School has established a set of guidelines and criteria for the evaluation and selection of the candidate.
"I feel very honored to be chosen for this award," Wiliams said. "I did not know that I was blazing a trail by being the first recipient, but I am truly honored by it all. I feel some pressure as the first recipient to set some kind of standard but for the most part I just want to represent my college, my department and myself well."
Williams' research focuses on examining and predicting relationship quality in interracial relationships using latent growth curve model. She is studying eye movement desensitization reprocessing therapy, including monitoring brain activity to explore the effectiveness of the reprocessing therapy on reducing the symptoms of depressions. Her adviser is Joyce Baptist, associate professor in marriage and family therapy.
"Ms. Williams is an exemplary first-generation college student who has a passion for serving underrepresented and disenfranchised groups," Baptist said. "She excels in teaching, clinical, research and administration. The Marie R. Bonebrake Award will assist her in reaching her academic and career goals."
Upon completion of her doctoral degree, Williams plans to pursue a career in marriage and family therapy as a clinician and researcher. She currently serves as the director of mental health at Community Health Ministries in Wamego.
The Marie R. Bonebrake Graduate Award was established to honor Case Bonebrake's late wife, who received her bachelor's and master's degrees from the College of Human Ecology at Kansas State University.