Mariam Drammeh ’25 Earns David G. Elmes Pathfinder Prize in Psychology The Elmes Pathfinder Prize recognizes a student who has shown extraordinary promise in psychological science through outstanding scholarship in basic or applied psychology.

By Emily Innes
November 19, 2024

Mariam Drammeh ’25 has been awarded the 2024 David G. Elmes Pathfinder Prize in Psychology at Washington and Lee University. Drammeh, from Lawrenceville, Georgia, is pursuing a bachelor’s degree in cognitive and behavioral science (CBSC) and German.

The Elmes Pathfinder Prize recognizes a student who has shown extraordinary promise in cognitive and behavioral science or its application in professions through outstanding scholarship in basic or applied psychology.

“It means the world to me to be awarded this prize,” said Drammeh, who also received a Gilman Scholarship in May 2023 to complete an internship at a refugee organization in Germany. “The CBSC Department, and especially the research that I have completed during my time at W&L, have changed both my intellectual life and personal life. I have been so honored to have the opportunity to meet amazing professors who are dedicated to their craft and to fostering a love of psychological science in their students.”

“As everyone who knows her knows, Mariam is simply fabulous,” said Wythe Whiting, professor of cognitive and behavioral science. “She is one of those students who seems to be involved in every activity on campus, and she brings an unmatched joy and enthusiasm to each one of them. She is a dedicated and hard worker and we are all excited to see where she will land after graduation.”

On campus, Drammeh is a head Peer Counselor, senior Peer Tutor, the vice-chair of Traveller, the Young Ambassador to the German Academic Exchange Service and a translator for German works for the Florence As It Was project led by George Bent, the Sidney Gause Childress Professor in the Arts. In addition to her research training in her CBSC courses, Drammeh served as a research assistant for the Technology, Health, and Cognition Lab led by Karla Murdock, the Jo M. and James M. Ballengee Professor of Cognitive Behavioral Science, and Whiting. She is currently a research assistant in the Computational Cognition and Creativity Lab, led by Dan Johnson, professor of cognitive and behavioral science and head of the university’s Data Science Program.

“Mariam is a shining example of a liberal arts student,” Murdock said. “Her interests span STEM, social science and humanities fields and she has invested in classroom, lab and real-world experiences that integrate and grow her talents. Mariam’s superpower is to move easily and skillfully across situations with a vast range of demands. I can’t wait to see how she will continue to use this to be a force for good.”

Following graduation, Drammeh plans to pursue a master’s degree and a doctorate in social policy, focusing on refugee and migrant communities and the policies that directly impact them.

“I came to W&L feeling a strong urge to foster communities that allow people to flourish and feel loved, and my time in the CBSC Department has helped me find career choices that will allow me to do that work,” Drammeh said.

The Elmes Pathfinder Prize was established in 2007. It derives from the Elmes Fund, a permanently endowed fund that honors David G. Elmes, emeritus professor of psychology. The endowment was created by the many alumni, colleagues and friends who benefited from Elmes’ commitment to learning during his 40-year career as a scientist, teacher and mentor at W&L.

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