2022-23 Undergraduate Research & Enrichment Programs Annual Report by PennoniHonorsCollege

2022-23 Annual Report Undergraduate Research & Enrichment Programs PENNONI HONORS COLLEGE

Table of Contents Director’s Message �� 1 UREP Team �� 2 Mission, Vision, Values and Diversity Statement �� 4 Undergraduate Research �� 5 STAR Scholars �� 5 SuperNova Undergraduate Research Fellows �� 8 Engaging Underrepresented Students ��10 Grants and Conferences �� 11 Fellowships �� 13 Student Highlights �� 14 Enrichment Programs ��18 Aspire Scholars ��20 UREP Ambassadors ��22 UREP Frequent Flyers ��23 Stay Engaged ��25

Pennoni Honors College 2023 Senior Send-Off

Director’s Message Since Fall 2020, we in Undergraduate Research & Enrichment Programs have been metaphorically tilling ground and planting seeds, and in the 2022-23 academic year, we began see some of that initial work blossom. As we have built out intentional pipelines for students to engage in our programming, and as we have found opportunities to streamline our work and build upon collaborations with colleagues across the university, we have laid the groundwork for deeper engagement in all these areas.

Jaya Mohan, MA This past year, we have tended to our seedlings by UREP Director celebrating our frequent flyers (p.23), many of whom have engaged in a number of of our programs to reach incredible heights – like Darrell Omo-Lamai, BS/MS materials science and engineering ’23, who was named Drexel’s first Knight-Hennessy Scholar, and Sky Harper, chemistry ’24, named Drexel’s second-ever Truman Scholar. We returned to traveling with students to undergraduate research conferences, such as the National Conference on Undergraduate Research and the World Congress on Undergraduate Research (p.12). We celebrated our first ever Pathway to SuperNova student as she graduated as a SuperNova Undergraduate Research Fellow (p.10). We also continue to plant seeds through new initiatives like the Research Fellowship Supplement Program (p.16), the Week of Undergraduate Excellence Quick Pitch competition (p.19), and our faculty and staff quarterly newsletter (p.25). Our UREP Student Ambassadors worked over 300 hours this year, spending a portion of that time re-establishing a peer mentoring program that impacted just over half of our STAR Scholars cohort (p.22). As a staff, we also tended to our own growth by attending and presenting at professional conferences, all the while collecting ideas for new seeds to plant in the coming years (p.3). As we look to the next year and beyond, we are immensely proud of what we have built and all that it has the potential to grow into.

UREP Team

Leah Gates, MA Associate Director

Cara Fantini, MA Assistant Director

Kelly Weissberger, MA Associate Director

Roxane Lovell, MA Program Manager

Emily KashkaGinsburg, MA Associate Director

Rachel James Program Manager

Ian Zimmermann Graduate Assistant

Communications Assistants This year, we were fortunate to have four student employees to assist with our communications and outreach. They drafted and scheduled social media content, designed graphics and swag, published blog posts, and much more. Special thanks to Tina, who designed all of the STAR Scholars Summer Showcase graphics and created the design for this annual report!

Renee Amos

custom-designed major, visual science communication ’25

Drexlar Attram BS public health ’23, honors

Seynabou Faye

software engineering ’25

Tina Yang

graphic design ’25

Staff Highlights UREP staff attended and presented at multiple conferences this year, engaging with our professional communities and sharing expertise in student programming, advising, and more. In February, Cara presented “Candid Conversations: Creating Brave Spaces for Intergroup Dialogue” at the Drexel Critical Conversations in Urban Education (CCUE) Social Justice Leadership Summit. In June, Emily participated in Germany Today, a week-long tour of Germany’s higher education and research landscape organized by DAAD, the German Academic Exchange Service. This experience has helped her better advise students applying for DAAD Research Internships in Science and Engineering (RISE), one of our core fellowships. At the Council of Undergraduate Research ConnectUR conference in June (Pittsburgh, PA), Jaya and Roxane presented “Constellations of Support: Engaging Alumni Through Application Review Processes” and Emily presented “STAR Scholars Quick Pitch Competition: Cultivating Effective Communication Skills in a Summer Research Program.” In July, Kelly led a roundtable discussion, “Preparing and Supporting BIPOC Grantees Experiencing Racism Abroad,” at the National Association of Fellowships Advisors (NAFA) Biennial Conference in New Orleans, LA. At this same conference, Leah coordinated and participated in the panel “Undergraduate Research & Fellowships Advising: Lessons from Joint Offices.” In further exciting news, Jaya began a PhD program in Leadership and Change at Antioch University in July.

2023 STAR Scholars Summer Showcase

2023 Bentley Block Party

Mission, Vision, Values Mission Undergraduate Research & Enrichment Programs is a unit in the Pennoni Honors College that engages students across the University in the process of intellectual and self-discovery through research, fellowships advising, and enrichment programming. We support students in their personal, academic, and professional growth at Drexel and beyond. Through advising and programming, we expand access to a full spectrum of experiential learning, empower students to make informed choices, and motivate them to turn passions into opportunities.

Vision Our vision is a diverse and inclusive community of intellectually curious and resilient students and alumni who have the confidence to seek out the opportunities that align with their personal, academic, and professional goals and their vision of personal excellence.

Values Competence and continuous learning Organizational adaptation and resilience Diversity, equity, and inclusion Transparent and collaborative teamwork Prioritization of students and their individual development

Diversity Statement We are committed to remedying historic injustices and increasing access to opportunities in research, fellowships, and enrichment for students who face systemic barriers to participation. In fostering a diverse and inclusive community of students within our programs, we aim to ensure that historically excluded students see and believe in paths forward to careers they want, that all students are supported as their whole selves in navigating the opportunities we offer, and to help cultivate empathy and mutual understanding.

Undergraduate Research UREP helps students get involved in undergraduate research and supports student participation in research and related activities. We facilitate and increase opportunities for faculty-mentored undergraduate research, scholarship, and creative work through the STAR (Students Tackling Advanced Research) Scholars Program and the SuperNova Undergraduate Research Fellows Program. We also provide funding for research projects and conference presentations and work with campus partners to engage underrepresented students in undergraduate research.

STAR Scholars Program The STAR (Students Tackling Advanced Research) Scholars Program, now in its 21st year, continues to provide faculty-mentored undergraduate research, scholarship, and creative experiences for first-year students. This year, 121 students participated in STAR, conducting research during the Summer Term while attending skills workshops, learning about other Drexel offices and programs, and competing in the Quick Pitch. The program culminated with the Summer Showcase, where STAR Scholars presented their research posters to friends, family, and the Drexel community.

Summer Programming We enjoyed robust attendance at our STAR summer events, including workshops on communicating research, abstract writing, poster design, and more. Our campus partners in the Lindy Center, Steinbright, and LSAMP and our Pennoni colleagues in the Center for Interdisciplinary Inquiry, Marketing & Media, and the Honors Program hosted drop-in hours to share information about their offerings with students.

Quick Pitch Competition 39 STAR Scholars participated in this summer’s STAR Quick Pitch competition, where they had the opportunity to distill their research projects into three-minute, one-slide explanations presented to a general audience. 1st Place:

Emily Woodland, biomedical engineering ’27 “Drexel Dragon Heart: Next Generation Blood Pump Design for Pediatric Patients with Heart Failure” Faculty mentor: Dr. Amy Throckmorton (BIOMED)

2nd Place: Madhu Karuppiah, biomedical engineering ’26 “Starving Breast Cancer in the Brain” Faculty mentor: Dr. Mauricio Reginato (CoM)

3rd Place: Julia Wiafe-Jackson, global studies ’26

“EcoHIV Effects on Reward Seeking Behavior and Striatal Microglia Function” Faculty mentor: Dr. Mark Namba (CoM)

Emily Woodland presenting in the Quick Pitch competition

STAR Scholars Program Summer 2023 by the Numbers 121 STAR Scholars 12 Velay Fellows 94 faculty mentors 9 LSAMP-eligible students 4 students in the Program for Civic Foundations (PCF), funded by the Teagle Foundation

STAR Scholars and Mentors by College

STAR Application Review 78 external reviewers, including alumni and Drexel faculty members, assisted with STAR application review in our current student application process in Winter 2023. With their help, each application was read by two UREP staff and three to four external reviewers. STAR Scholars Serena Osuagwu and Ruby Ihediwa at the Summer Showcase

STAR Scholars Program Summer Showcase We were thrilled to host the 2023 STAR Scholars Summer Showcase in a new location: Bentley Hall! STAR Scholars presented their research to a packed audience of friends, family, mentors, and more. We also hosted a virtual poster and video showcase for those who could not attend in person. We were so pleased to invite new and familiar faces into Bentley and look forward to future Showcases in our home on campus!

Outstanding Mentors of the Year Dr. Ellen Bass

Information Science (CCI)

2023 Summer Showcase in Bentley Hall

“Professor Bass has been my most inspiring mentor who has consistently focused on broadening our horizons, nurturing our intellectual curiosity in research by giving us a chance to keep on working on our projects even after [STAR], and igniting a genuine fervor for research.”

Dr. Mauricio Reginato STAR Scholars Adekunmi Lala, Andrew Wang, and Andy Zhang present their Mars rover

Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (CoM) “Over my time in STAR, I have realized that it is easy to do experiments and get results without even understanding what we are doing and why we are doing it. Luckily, while working under Dr. Reginato, I never felt like I was doing tasks without understanding the underlying reasons and science behind it.”

STAR Scholar Kayla Jacobo explains her poster

SuperNova Undergraduate Research Fellows The SuperNova Undergraduate Research Fellows Program enables students to document, reflect on, and be recognized for their sustained engagement in research and related activities throughout their undergraduate careers. Students work towards the designation of Research Fellow or the higher designation of SuperNova, which appears on the student’s transcript upon graduation. In 2022-23, twelve seniors graduated in the SuperNova Program, seven of whom achieved the SuperNova designation. Four of our graduates are pursuing advanced degrees, including PhDs and an MHS, and three will be working in research-focused jobs.

Victoria Allen BS environmental engineering ’23

Guadalupe Fernandez-Nunez BS computer science ’23, honors

Isabella Pincay

BS chemistry ’22, honors

Reshma Brown

BS/MS chemical engineering ’23, honors

Amy Kwok

Julia Dengler

Nahian Ehtesham

Isabella Mancini

Darrell Omo-Lamai

BS/MS biomedical engineering ’23, honors

BS health sciences ’23, honors

BS biological sciences ’23, honors

Natalya Pletskova

Samantha Romero

BS physics ’23

BS biological sciences ’23

BS public health ’23, honors

BS/MS materials science & engineering ’23, honors

Dhruv Shah

BS/MS mechanical engineering ’23, honors

SuperNova Undergraduate Research Fellows Over their time in SuperNova, our seniors completed:

36 terms of part-time research 3 fellowship applications: 31 terms of full-time research

12 conference presentations 4 publications

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Darrell Omo-Lamai, Knight-Hennessy Scholar Dhruv Shah, DoD SMART recipient Julia Dengler, Goldwater Scholarship nominee

The skills that I have developed in my undergraduate research [were] the foundation to my co-ops and now career. It’s a huge stepping stone to what I have right now. - Reshma Brown, BS/MS chemical engineering ’23, honors

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Engaging in research is an unpredictable journey of personal and professional growth that involves learning from dedicated mentors, embracing uncertainty, and exploring new knowledge. - Amy Kwok, BS health sciences ’23, honors

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Through my undergraduate research career at Drexel, I have learned the importance of curiosity. Every problem can be unpacked to look for potential innovations in existing problemsolving approaches. Experience with research throughout my undergraduate career has encouraged me to look deeper. - Dhruv Shah, BS/MS mechanical engineering ’23, honors

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Engaging Underrepresented Students in Undergraduate Research LSAMP-Eligible Students UREP continued collaborating with the Drexel University Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation (LSAMP) to support underrepresented students in STEM participating in research opportunities. Notably, LSAMP funded stipends for five LSAMP-eligible students in the STAR Scholars Program in Summer 2023 and provided additional financial support for the Pathway to SuperNova program.

Launchpad to STAR Launchpad to STAR invites underrepresented students to receive priority consideration for STAR by participating in workshops designed to help them understand what research is and how to get involved. This year, 24 students completed the program requirements. 23 of them applied to STAR, and 16 were accepted to and participated in STAR.

Pathway to SuperNova Pathway to SuperNova engages underrepresented STEM students in a Fall Term research training program, which includes sessions introducing students to research and presentations by Drexel faculty about their journeys as researchers. This year, we expanded the program to include a panel conversation with underrepresented STEM students at Drexel engaged in research. Students who completed the training program progressed to a paid, part-time, faculty-mentored research experience in the Winter Term co-funded by UREP and LSAMP. 10 students and 10 mentors participated in Pathway to SuperNova this year. One student elected to join the SuperNova program, signifying their continued commitment to undergraduate research. We also celebrated an exciting program milestone: Samantha Romero, BS biological sciences ’23, became the first Pathway student to graduate from SuperNova! Thank you to our faculty, staff, and student partners: Research training program: Marisol Rodriguez Mergenthal (LSAMP), Dr. Jennifer Nasser (CNHP), Dr. Michael Bruneau, Jr. (CNHP) Faculty presenters: Dr. Chris Sales (CoE), Dr. Brian Erickson (CoAS), Dr. Maureen Tang (CoE), Dr. Michelle Dolinski (CoAS), Dr. Justine Sefcik (CNHP), Dr. Patrick Gurian (CoE) Student presenters: Jessica Abu, environmental engineering ’26, Sky Harper, chemistry ’24, Josh Barufaldi, chemistry ’25 (Pathway 2021-22), Julian Marmo, electrical engineering ’24 Faculty mentors: Dr. Pam Geller (CoAS), Dr. Kapil Dandekar (CoE), Dr. Michael Lowe (CoAS), Dr. Preetha Chatterjee (CCI), Dr. Joselyn Sessa (CoAS), Dr. Ted Daeschler (CoAS), Dr. Michelle Rogers (CCI), Dr. Shannon Capps (CoE), Dr. Franco Montalto (CoE), Dr. Michelle Dolinski (CoAS)

Undergraduate Research Grants and Conferences UREP supports student researchers doing and sharing research through grants that fund research projects and conference presentations. Students working with Drexel faculty members can apply for undergraduate research mini-grants to be used for research expenses including equipment, materials, and student pay. Students who are accepted to present their work at local, national, and international conferences can apply for travel grants to partially reimburse related expenses.

Grants by the Numbers UREP offered undergraduate research mini-grants of up to $2,000 in Winter and Spring 2023.

19 Winter 2023 mini-grants + 13 Spring 2023 mini-grants = 32 total mini-grants awarded

$34,800 awarded in Winter 2023 + $25,800 awarded in Spring 2023 = $60,600 total awarded in 2022-23

We gave $8,200 in travel grants to 26 students who presented at 19 different conferences.

Undergraduate research mini-grants funded projects including: “Examining the Effects of Environmental Racism on the Municipality of Loiza, Puerto Rico” Jaara Ndaw, BA global studies ’23 and Dr. Steve Dolph, Global Studies and Modern Languages (CoAS) “Weather Balloons as Remote Sensors During the Solar Eclipse” Sophie Kujawski, geoscience ’25 and Dr. Richard Cairncross, Chemical and Biological Engineering (CoE) “Exploring Barriers to Healthcare for Sexual Minorities by Place of Residence” Kaylee Wilson, sociology ’25 and Dr. Stephanie Hernandez, Epidemiology and Biostatistics (Dornsife) “Parametric Study Of MXene Current Collectors For Lithium-Metal-Based Batteries” Yan Burets, physics ’25 and Dr. Yury Gogotsi, Materials Science and Engineering (CoE)

Undergraduate Research Grants and Conferences Travel grants funded students presenting at conferences including: • • • • • • •

National Collegiate Research Conference Yale Undergraduate Research Symposium American Association for the Advancement of Science Annual Meeting International Society for Autism Research Annual Meeting American Chemical Society Meeting Larval Fish Conference Neurocritical Care Society Annual Meeting

Drexel at WCUR 2023

Grace Castle, BS public health ’23

In addition to the funding we awarded through travel grants, UREP also took students to present at two conferences in April 2023: the World Congress on Undergraduate Research (WCUR) at the University of Warwick in the UK, and the National Conference on Undergraduate Research (NCUR) at the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire. Students shared their research through posters and oral presentations. Alyssa Kemp, environmental engineering ’25, won 2nd place in the WiSys Quick Pitch Social Sciences and Humanities category at NCUR! “I learned so many new skills when it comes to presenting research and skills on how to start and conduct research projects. It was amazing to see what other student researchers are accomplishing across the world.” - Lorelei Booth, biomedical engineering ’26, WCUR presenter

Drexel at NCUR 2023

Fellowships Fellowships are opportunities to expand students’ learning and development beyond Drexel through funded experiences in research, travel, graduate study, and more. UREP promotes awareness of fellowships and supports students and alumni applying to these opportunities through workshops, writing resources, and intensive individual advising and support. Beyond the obvious benefits of receiving a fellowship, the process of developing an application is itself an impactful experience that increases students’ abilities to reflect on and articulate the value of their experiences, clarify their personal and professional goals, gain confidence in their writing and interviewing abilities, and more. As UREP continues to integrate our work as a merged office, we’ve developed new ways to support applicants and grow a pipeline from undergraduate research and enrichment to fellowships.

Fellowships by the Numbers 395 hours of fellowships advising 176 fellowship applications submitted by 157 students and alumni 49 honorees (award recipients and honorable mentions) 33 former STAR Scholars applied for one or more fellowships 12 current & former Aspire Scholars applied for one or more fellowships Applicants represented all 16 of Drexel’s colleges and schools

Records and Highlights Record 12 Critical Language Scholarship applicants in Fall 2022 Record 40 Gilman Scholarship applicants in Winter 2023

4 Goldwater Scholars for the second time in Drexel history, one of only 14 schools with four or more recipients in 2023 In the 2023 Gilman Top Producers list, Drexel was the #2 producer of Gilman Scholars in Pennsylvania, with 17 Gilman Scholars who studied abroad in 2021-22 13

Student Highlights Darrell Omo-Lamai, BS/MS materials science and engineering ’23, honors, is Drexel’s first Knight-Hennessy Scholar. This highly prestigious award supports graduate study at Stanford University for the next generation of global leaders. Kati Hinman, PhD candidate in community health and prevention, was Drexel’s first Fulbright-Hays Doctoral Dissertation Research Abroad (DDRA) recipient. This award will support her dissertation fieldwork in Colombia. Sky Harper, chemistry ’24, is Drexel’s second Truman Scholar, selected for his leadership potential, academic excellence, and commitment to a career in public service. Sky is the first Drexel student to receive the Goldwater, Udall, and Truman Scholarships. Jade Umstead, criminology and justice studies ’24, received a Boren Scholarship to study Mandarin in Taiwan. Andrea Eleazar, BS public health ’23, honors, received a Critical Language Scholarship to study Indonesian.

Jade Umstead, 2023 Boren to Taiwan

Five Drexel students and recent alumni were selected as recipients for the Fulbright U.S. Student Program for 2023-24: Neha Chongtham, BS biological sciences ’23, honors English Teaching Assistant (ETA) to Malta Emily Herbert, PhD candidate materials science and engineering, BS ’19 Study/Research Grant to Iceland Christopher Jang, BS teacher education ’23 ETA to South Korea Daouda Njie, BS environmental science ’22 Study/Research Grant to Fiji Jesse Stover, BS public health ’23 Study/Research Grant to South Korea

Jesse Stover, 2023-24 Fulbright to South Korea

Student Highlights Successful Reapplicants Fellowships are highly competitive, and not all applicants receive awards. These students successfully reapplied for and received fellowships: Jishan Ahmed, BA political science ’23, 2023 Gilman Scholar to Sweden and Norway Matthew Soesanto (left) and Calvin Keeys (third from right), 2023 Gilmans to Ecuador

Michelle Ampofo, BSBA management information systems and business analytics ’23, 2023 Gilman Scholar to France Calvin Keeys, environmental science ’25, 2023 Gilman Scholar to Ecuador Matthew Soesanto, biological sciences ’26, 2023 Gilman Scholar to Ecuador Michael Cimorelli, PhD chemical engineering ’20, 2023-24 Stanford Biodesign Innovation Fellow

Ashlyn Bird, music business ’24, 2022 Gilman to England

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Emily Batori, international business ’25, 2023 Freeman-ASIA to Singapore

Matt Cowan, PhD candidate in biology, 2023 Christine Mirzayan Science & Technology Policy Graduate Fellow

At Drexel, one program that helped me to think about how I want to go into the future, especially in my early years, was the Aspire Scholars program through UREP. [...] After that program and in every fellowship application I wrote, I got a little bit more clarity on what I want to do in the future [and] in this application I got down to the details of saying, “This is exactly what I want to do, and this is the path I’m going to take to get there.” - Sky Harper, chemistry ’24, 2023 Truman Scholar (quoted in Drexel News, 4/12/23)

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Fellowships Research Fellowship Supplement Program In Fall 2022, UREP worked with the Steinbright Career Development Center to launch a pilot program to enhance Drexel students’ access to summer research opportunities. The Research Fellowship Supplement Program (RFSP) provides guaranteed funding for an oncampus research co-op to students applying for external summer research fellowships. We piloted RFSP for students applying for DAAD Research Internships in Science and Engineering (RISE). Seven students applied for RISE, three of whom received RFSP funding. Nhat Nguyen, materials science and engineering ’25, was selected for RISE and spent Spring 2023 doing research with Dr. Hao Cheng at Drexel before his summer internship in Germany.

Nhat Nguyen, DAAD RISE 2023

Emily Herbert, 2023-24 Fulbright to Iceland

Faculty and Staff Service Faculty and staff supported our students by giving feedback on early drafts in writing groups, serving on committees to interview and select candidates for endorsement or nomination, and providing expert feedback on advanced application drafts in campus reviews.

Thank you to our partners for their 160 total acts of service in 2022-23! Westphal College of Media Arts & Design: 11 College of Arts and Sciences: 69 College of Computing & Informatics: 4 College of Engineering: 16 College of Nursing and Health Professions: 4 College of Medicine: 12 Dornsife School of Public Health: 1 Kline School of Law: 1 Drexel LSAMP: 1

Office of Global Engagement: 1 Pennoni Honors College: 15 President’s Office: 2 Provost’s Office: 2 School of Biomedical Engineering, Science and Health Systems: 5 School of Education: 7 Steinbright Career Development Center: 6 Student Life: 2

Fellowships

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A highlight of my time abroad has been seeing how much I can manage on my own and how much is possible in our lives, no matter what your background. - Toni Swift, sociology and public health ’24 2022 Gilman Scholar to Germany

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It’s really amazing how far I’ve come since STAR! Although my research focus has changed (from star simulations in STAR to interdisciplinary statistical physics for my senior thesis to exoplanets) and my institution has as well (from Drexel to Columbia for post-baccalaureate research to Cornell for my upcoming PhD!!!), my time at Drexel definitely gave me the tools I needed to succeed. - Diana Solano-Oropeza, BS physics ’21 2023 NSF Graduate Research Fellow, 2017 STAR Scholar

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From our applicant survey: “The process helped me to be more connected to campus resources and made me more confident in my applications.” “I have gained a clearer vision of how my professional and personal aspirations are connected, and how to describe them appropriately to a range of audiences.” “Through the fellowship application process, I was really able to refine my career goals and learn what specifically about my background made me a competitive applicant to programs.” “I have learned how to market myself and also gained confidence in what I am capable of doing.”

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Enrichment Programs UREP works with students and partners across the University to provide workshops, resources, and programming designed to help undergraduates develop personal and professional skills and engage in self-reflective learning. We host events throughout the year that teach skills, foster dialogue, and showcase student accomplishments. In addition, we run the Aspire Scholars Program for sophomores interested in setting goals and planning for their futures.

Workshops and Events In 2022-23, we hosted 10 workshops that taught skills relevant to students’ academic careers, from getting involved in research and finding faculty mentors to communicating research and writing personal statements. These sessions support our work engaging students in undergraduate research and preparing them to be strong fellowships applicants.

Nerd Night @ Drexel U Nerd Night is a quarterly event that features student presenters sharing their research or other topics of interest. Presentation highlights from this year included: “Spain: Intensive Course Abroad” Anjelica Soesanto, architecture ’24, 2022 Gilman Scholar “Plasma vs Bacteria: The Fight for Salmon Fillet” Matthew Soesanto, biological sciences ’26, 2022 STAR Scholar “The BLE Belly Band: A Medical IoT Research Project” Thomas O’Keeffe, computer engineering ’25, 2022 STAR Scholar

Pennoni Women’s Week UREP once again collaborated with our colleagues in Pennoni on this celebration of women in our community. Week-long events included a post-it notes conversation about the contributions of women in our lives and a menstrual and personal hygiene products donation drive for The SPOT Period, a local nonprofit. We also took students and staff on a women’s history walking tour led by Beyond the Bell Tours, a local tour group focused on inclusive historical tours of Philadelphia.

Enrichment Programs Candid Conversations Candid Conversations bring the Drexel community together to discuss topics related to diversity, equity, and inclusion. This year’s conversations centered around navigating obstacles and finding opportunities as a Drexel student. First Gen Speed Networking: In partnership with Dragon’s First, this event featured a panel of first-generation students and a networking event to celebrate National First Gen Day. Accessibility in Research: Students with visible and invisible disabilities shared their experiences getting involved in research on campus and navigating challenges with or without university accomodations. From Orientation to Graduation: Creating Opportunities as an International Student: Graduating seniors shared their advice for creating opportunities and navigating the world of American higher education as an international student.

Week of Undergraduate Excellence UREP and the Pennoni Honors College celebrated the 2023 Week of Undergraduate Excellence (WUE) from May 15-19. Our week-long virtual poster session featured 51 undergraduate student researchers. The highlight of the week was our first annual WUE Quick Pitch competition. Thirteen students presented three-minute, one-slide pitches on their research or creative projects, community engagement, and academic global experiences. Tasneem Siddique, biological sciences ’25, won first place for her pitch, “The Effect of Synthetic Aβ on Ciliary Membrane and Axonemal Proteins.” She began this project as a 2022 STAR Scholar and presented at both WCUR and NCUR this year.

Tasneem Siddique

Thank you to our campus partners, who organized events including a graduate school application workshop, a story slam, the Student Conference on Global Challenges, and a LeBow research poster presentation: Melissa Bennett, Steinbright Career Development Center; Kathy Volk Miller, English and Philosophy; Office of Global Engagement; and Dana D’Angelo, LeBow College of Business

Aspire Scholars Program The Aspire Scholars Program is designed to provide promising, curious, and motivated Drexel sophomores an opportunity to further develop and clarify their goals. Scholars attend monthly group meetings to develop goals, craft strategies for identifying and building successful mentoring relationships, and reflect on professional and career development plans. In Fall 2022, we had 49 students apply for the program, from which we selected our cohort of 15 Aspire Scholars. The 2022-23 cohort spent a year reflecting, learning, and planning together. We’re so proud of their growth and are excited to see them continue to blossom!

Sajda Adam psychology ’26

Sabrina Akter data science ’25

Alessandra Cabrera

materials science and engineering ’26

Alexis Gomez

Amir Kaidarov

Calvin Keeys

Meredith Davies

custom-designed major, translational biomedical research ’26

Charlie Meader

Madelyn Farland nursing ’26

Blake Meyer

biological sciences ’25

software engineering ’26

environmental science ’25

environmental studies and sustainability ’26

biomedical engineering ’26

Rhythm Osan

Albert Paredes Rodriguez

Matthew Soesanto

Dorothea West

Conway Zheng

architectural engineering ’26

chemistry ’26

biological sciences ’26

chemistry ’26

materials science and engineering ’26

Aspire Scholars Program At the end of their time in Aspire, students create a final project reflecting on their growth and experiences over the past year. This year’s cohort showed exceptional creativity; projects included an original musical composition, hand-drawn animation, visual art, designs for a video game and a social media platform, and even a crocheted sweater!

2022-23 Aspire cohort (not pictured: Alessandra Cabrera and Conway Zheng)

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Current and former Aspire Scholars, PHC staff, family, and friends attend a Phillies game

From our program survey: “I really like being pushed to reach out to people because it made me so much more comfortable networking!! I would have NEVER thought about doing it myself and it’s nice to have a support system to coach me through things like networking especially as a first gen college student.” “The encouragement Jaya and Cara always gave throughout this time really helped me to consider other options and feel more motivated about pursuing the ones I was already planning to.”

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UREP Ambassadors UREP Ambassadors is a paid program consisting of students who have been deeply involved with our programs. Ambassadors connect with undergraduate students, serve as peer mentors for STAR Scholars, and assist with events, information sessions, and drop-in hours. This year, our UREP Ambassadors worked a total of 315 hours and mentored 62 STAR Scholars (just over half of our cohort).

Fall/Winter Ambassadors:

Alyssa Kemp

Eva Kraus

environmental engineering ’25

biomedical engineering ’25

STAR Scholar & Velay Fellow, Aspire Scholar, SuperNova, fellowship applicant, travel grant recipient

STAR Scholar, Aspire Scholar, fellowship applicant

Anh Quach BS biological sciences ’23, honors

STAR Scholar, fellowship recipient

Matthew Soesanto

Kaylee Wilson

biological sciences ’26

sociology & global public health ’25

STAR Scholar, Aspire Scholar, fellowship recipient, Nerd Night presenter

STAR Scholar, mini-grant recipient, SuperNova

Tina Yang

graphic design ’25 STAR Scholar, UREP communications assistant

Spring/Summer Ambassadors:

Serenity Baruzzini

engineering ’25

Meredith Davies

custom-designed major, translational biomedical research ’26

STAR Scholar & Velay Fellow, Aspire Scholar, SuperNova, STAR Scholar, Aspire travel grant Scholar, SuperNova, recipient, Nerd fellowship applicant, Night presenter travel grant recipient, Nerd Night presenter

Abby Dech

Bisbee Hall

Khizar Kashif

STAR Scholar

STAR Scholar, minigrant recipient

STAR Scholar

biological sciences ’26

nursing ’25

economics & data science ’26

Priscilla Kirabo

civil engineering ’26 STAR Scholar

Not pictured:

María Paula Mijares Torres BA communication ’23, honors STAR Scholar, Aspire Scholar

UREP Frequent Flyers We strive to holistically support students in their personal, academic, and professional growth by integrating research, fellowships, and enrichment. Our “frequent flyers” exemplify our mission, showing what students can achieve when they engage with multiple programs and opportunities through our office.

Serenity Baruzzini, engineering ’25, was a 2021 STAR Scholar and Velay Fellow and a 2021-22 Aspire Scholar. She has also been a UREP Ambassador and is currently in SuperNova. She is passionate about engineering education and has presented her work at conferences and at Nerd Night.

Andrea Eleazar, BS public health ’23, honors, was a 2020 STAR Scholar, a 2020-21 Aspire Scholar, an undergraduate research mini-grant recipient, and a UREP Ambassador. She received multiple fellowships for study abroad and language learning, including the Gilman Scholarship, a Freeman-ASIA award, and the Critical Language Scholarship. Sky Harper, chemistry ’24, was a 2021 STAR Scholar, a 2021-22 Aspire Scholar, and a UREP Ambassador. He is involved in research as a SuperNova participant, an undergraduate research mini-grant recipient, and frequent conference presenter. His commitment to a career in research to address healthcare disparities in Native communities has been recognized with multiple fellowships, including the Goldwater, Udall, and Truman Scholarships. Alyssa Kemp, environmental engineering ’25, was a 2021 STAR Scholar and Velay Fellow, a 2021-22 Aspire Scholar, and is in SuperNova. She has presented her community-focused STAR research at multiple conferences, including a 2nd place finish in the WiSYS Quick Pitch at NCUR 2023. She was nominated for the Udall Scholarship and served as a UREP Ambassador.

Eva Kraus, biomedical engineering ’25, was a 2021 STAR Scholar and a 2021-22 Aspire Scholar. She served as a UREP Ambassador and was a DoD SMART fellowship semi-finalist.

UREP Frequent Flyers Anthony Lisi, chemistry ’24, was a 2020 STAR Scholar and a 2020-21 Aspire Scholar. He continued to do research as an undergraduate research mini-grant recipient and was nominated for the Goldwater Scholarship. He received a Portz Fellowship for his project establishing an exchange program between Drexel’s College of Medicine and the University of Bologna. Darrell Omo-Lamai, BS/MS materials science and engineering ’23, honors, was a 2019 STAR Scholar and a 2019-20 Aspire Scholar. He completed SuperNova and served as a UREP Ambassador. He became Drexel’s first Knight-Hennessy Scholar and is currently pursuing a PhD in materials science and engineering at Stanford University.

Tasneem Siddique, biological sciences ’25, was a 2022 STAR Scholar and Velay Fellow. She continued her STAR research with an undergraduate research mini-grant, presented this work at WCUR and NCUR, and won first place in the inaugural 2023 Week of Undergraduate Excellence Quick Pitch competition.

Jade Umstead, criminology and justice studies ’24, was a 2020 STAR Scholar and a 2020-21 Aspire Scholar. She received multiple fellowships to study abroad in East Asia, including the Gilman Scholarship, a Freeman-ASIA award, and the Boren Scholarship.

Keep in Touch Website: drexel.edu/pennoni/urep Upcoming Events: drexel.edu/pennoni/urep/events Socials: @drexelUREP Email: urep@drexel.edu Offices: 3301 Arch Street Bentley Hall, Second Floor Philadelphia, PA 19104

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