New SOAR Students

Fall 2022: Meet Anthropology Major LaToya King

LaToya King is a senior Anthropology major and SOAR student who, as United Nations Community Fellow, is working on sustainable development through a community recycling project where people receive money for their recyclables. Her goal is to partner with community centers interested in recycling and eventually expand her project throughout Southeastern Michigan. She has connected with several Michigan recycling companies and anthropologists in Indonesia who have studied and implemented these initiatives. She hopes to improve the quality of life in her hometown and beyond with this project.

LaToya was awarded the Beth A. Beson Field Study Award that funded an archaeology study abroad in Colombia where she learned the importance of scientific studies in improving social issues for a community. LaToya is also the publicity chair for buildOn (a non-profit organization on campus), a member of the Black Student Union, and is pledging to the AKA sorority.

Latoya notes how important SOAR is in “giving me insight about resources on campus, tips for staying motivated, and help in defining my goals.” But most of all, she says, “SOAR gives me a space on campus for me.” She dreams of doing anthropology research and helping misrepresented communities through that research and studies.

When asked about what she would be famous for, LaToya said it would be “some breakthrough social science study that shed light on America's urban populations in a positive way …. or for recording a rap freestyle that went viral!” She loves grabbing Coney Dogs from Detroit only, “because it’s just not the same anywhere else”, being outdoors in nature, and anything related to creative artistry like drawing, singing, playing instruments, dancing, and sewing.

Welcome to all of the new 2022 SOAR students!

• Hala Almansoop, Pre-business
• Wafa Alsadi, Elementary Education
• Angelique Braswell, Psychology
• Lyn Camacho, Biology
• Bernard Collins, Criminology and Criminal Justice Studies
• LyDia Cunningham, Undecided
• Kamellah Daniels, Elementary Education
• Amy Daniels, Behavioral and Biological Sciences
• Saba Elmaweri, Elementary Education with Secondary teaching Certification
• Elizabeth Foley, Pre-business
• Rita Hales-Hurtt, Psychology
• Tia Hall, Psychology
• Mariesha Harrington, Sociology
• JaNae Harrison, Psychology with Secondary Teaching Certification
• Ellen Hill, Integrative Studies
• Mary Jackson, Integrative Studies
• Zelda Jones, Psychology
• LaToya King, Anthropology
• Amanda Lawson, Health and Human Services
• Dominic Lomuscio, Communication
• April Marvin, Communication
• Leena Obeid, Language Arts with Elementary Teaching Certification
• Raul Orozco, Sociology
• Thelmeka Perry, Criminology and Criminal Justice Studies
• Elizabeth Reeves-Mann, Pre-business
• Bre Rice, Elementary Education
• Michael Ross, Behavioral and Biological Science
• Shari Sertima, Health and Human Services
• Meelan Sufi, Early Childhood Education
• Zachary Van Buren, Pre-engineering
• Taylor Webb, Behavioral and Biological Sciences
• Shannon Wronski, Mathematics Studies with Elementary Teaching Certification
• Gloria Zhou, Psychology