Veronica conducted research focused on the health needs of four communities in rural Puebla, Mexico and created an inventory of health resources in each community. As a winner of the President’s Award for Global Learning., her research will be used to inform a comprehensive needs assessment for each community, which will be implemented this summer.

Senior nursing major Claire Slote’s experience in an antibiotics lab—alongside the Undergraduate Research Fellowship that supported her work—have allowed her to experience first-hand the positive impact of undergraduate research experience on nursing education. “If nurses understand why [new] protocols exist, they’re more likely to implement them,” Slote said. “This is why it’s important to understand the research and the evidence behind [these new protocols and practices].”

Valeria Montemayor created an animated comic named Skull-Kidz!, which gave her the chance to combine animation and comic books in a unique way that allowed her to expand her skills as a digital artist. She also had the opportunity to engage with an online audience, write her own scripts, and build her portfolio.