EASTERN SOCIOLOGICAL SOCIETY Kamil Payano-Sosa ’13 graduated a semester ahead of schedule; a feat relatively uncommon for Penn State Lehigh Valley students, most of whom work while pursuing their degree. There was a time it didn’t even seem possible for the psychology major as she found herself facing the challenges of working, going to school, and financial obligations. But within those challenges, Payano-Sosa also found inspiration for a psychology course assignment that has presented her with opportunities she never dreamed of and set her on a path to continue her education.
JIREH SABA
Payano-Sosa surveyed more than 100 students to examine the relationship between the economic recession and college students’ stress levels. Her findings indicated that an overwhelming majority of students experience at least moderate levels of stress, while more than half experienced high levels of stress. Gender also played a role with female students indicating greater levels of stress. In spring 2012, she presented her research at the campus’ annual Undergraduate Research Symposium and took first place, earning her the right to participate in Penn State’s regional symposium held that year at the Brandywine campus. Again, she came away with top honors. These successes prompted faculty mentor Dr. Jennifer Parker, associate professor of sociology, to encourage Payano-Sosa to apply to present her findings at a national conference. The proposal was accepted and, in March 2013, she shared her research at the Eastern Sociological Society Annual Meeting held in Boston, Ma.
YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK Science and art can sometimes seem worlds apart. But two students with a passion for both found a way to broaden their experience with their summer 2013 internship at one of our nation’s national treasures. Jireh Saba ’14 and Ewa Trusz ’14, biology and art majors who started their Penn State journey at the Lehigh Valley campus, interned with Dr. Kyle Cutting at the Fish and Wildlife Services department of Greater Yellowstone in Montana.
Most recently, Payano-Sosa’s achievements helped her earn a spot as a research intern at the University of Maryland, Baltimore, this past summer.
“A typical day consisted of waking up at 5 a.m. and driving about an hour out into the Centennial Sandhills that look like seas of sagebrush. After we gathered our equipment, we headed out to specific bird capture locations to perform sweep netting and vegetation surveys to collect data about the Brewer Sparrow’s nesting habits and locations,” said Trusz. “It was sometimes quite a challenge trying to avoid hitting cacti and fire-ant hills.”
“That project opened so many doors for me and now I’m considering a number of avenues to continue my education,” said Payano-Sosa, who moved to the Lehigh Valley from the Dominican Republic in 2001. “I also found out I’m kind of a geek for statistics.” In the meantime, Payano-Sosa is working locally at KidsPeace and, since she’s graduating early, looking forward to having a little extra time to decide on just the right path.
In addition to learning scientific research techniques, the duo put their artistic talents to use by designing the t-shirts for the local Fourth of July celebration and working on illustrations that could accompany Cutting’s research project. “It was an amazing experience. It was hard at times to be so far away from home, but to be out there, to travel and see different things and meet different people was definitely worth it,” said Saba. “We were able to learn a lot of great new skills which I have been able to implement in my schooling.”
JENNIFER PARKER
If your business or organization is interested in posting an internship opportunity or partnering with Penn State Lehigh Valley, please contact Mike Hertel (internships) by emailing msh22@psu.edu, or Sue Chappell (corporate partnerships) by emailing sek28@psu.edu.
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