David Nguyen was an EWU McNair scholar from 2016-2018 and was mentored by Dr. Krisztian Magori. In EWU McNair's summer research program he worked on developing predictive models of student academic performance. He also did mathematical biology research at the National Institute of Mathematical and Biological Synthesis (NIMBios) as part of a Science Foundation (NSF) research experience for undergraduates program. David graduated in 2018 with a degree in Biology.
David attends the University of Nebraska-Lincoln for his doctoral studies in Biology and has received funding through the NSF Graduate Research Fellowship Program as well as department funding. He was also accepted by PhD programs at the University of Georgia, the University of Chicago, and the University of Tennessee. He intends to support the mission of the McNair program by becoming a professor and mentoring underrepresented students. David earned his MS in Statistics in 2022, while continuing to pursue his PhD in Biology.
McNair Program Reflection:
"I owe my success to the Eastern Washington University's TRIO McNair program. Without the program I never would have considered the possibility of doing scientific research or pursuing an academic career. The support of McNair staff and my McNair faculty mentor gave me the courage to dream big and chase my goals. My experiences with the McNair program have inspired me to support their mission by pursuing a career in academia so that I can mentor underrepresented students and increase diversity and inclusion in academia."
2017 McNair Faculty Research Mentor: Dr. Krisztian Magori - Environmental Science
Research Title: Evaluation of the Utility of the American College Health Association's National College Health Assessment II Survey for Identification of Health Behaviors and Risks Associated with Academic Performance
Abstract: Poor academic performance and low rates of degree completion are problems that face institutions of higher learning. Studies investigating the effects of health behaviors and risks on student academic performance have shown there is an association between student health and academic performance. Therefore, identifying student health behaviors and risks relevant to academic performance would be beneficial to educational institutions and the students they serve. This information is necessary for student health services to effectively design and target evidence-based health programs to improve student outcomes. To evaluate the utility of the National College Health Assessment II (NCHA II), a commonly administered college health survey, that the administering company claims is useful for identification of common health and behavior risks relevant to academic performance. We used NCHA II data collected from a public university at four intervals between 2010 and 2016. The rank order of association between a selection of student health factors and academic performance were determined using logistic regression and boosted classification trees. The results of these secondary analyses were compared with the rank order of student health factors that is presented in the NCHA summary report provided by surveyors to universities. We found that student health factors identified by the NCHA II summary report as commonly affecting student academic outcomes were inconsistent with our secondary analyses. The summary report ranked student stress and anxiety as the top health factors impacting academic performance. Our secondary analyses found that the effects of stress and anxiety on student academic performance are not statistically significant and that depressive correlates were the most significant student health factors. College health services that use NCHA II data should be aware that inferences based on the summary report may be misleading, and that secondary analysis is necessary for accurate inferences.
