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On August 1, students across various disciplines gathered with faculty, staff, and friends in Coeur de Catherine’s Rauenhorst Ballroom to share their research projects at the annual closing celebration of the 2024 Summer Scholars program. 

This year, 15 teams of 28 students and 16 faculty members presented the culmination of their intensive research during the summer. Topics ranged from the role of faith communities in promoting well-being during COVID-19 to designing a children’s book to increase interest in and appreciation for plants. 

Art and art history students Sophie Gibson ’24 and Sofia Osterlund ’25 collaborated with assistant art professor Monica Rudquist, MFA, to prepare for an exhibition set to open in February at the . According to Gibson, the exhibition puts the artwork of Rudquist and her late father, artist Jerry Rudquist, “in conversation, thinking about similarities and differences in their work and careers.” 

Research projects with Summer Scholars often allow students to gain relevant hands-on skills for their career or degree fields. For example, Gibson plans to pursue a career in art history and is interested in exhibition curation. This project allowed her to develop relevant insight into putting exhibits together. “There is so much that happens behind the scenes of an exhibition, gallery, [or] show that you don’t really understand until you do it,” said Gibson. “There are so many things; you need to think about everything.”

“A mutually-enriching experience”

Jasmine Koch ’24, a public health major, and Ash Cocchiarella ’27, a pre-nursing major, collaborated with assistant professor in social work Sloan Okrey Anderson, PhD. Their project interrogated identity development among LGBTQ youth raised in religious families alongside the different coping mechanisms that would emerge in interviewed participants.

Like many research teams, Koch and Cocchiarella’s project took an interdisciplinary research approach: “The collaborative aspect of research is really unique in our way; we represent social work, nursing, as well as public health, so being able to have a holistic view of research has been really impactful,” said Koch. 

Interdisciplinary and holistic research is integral to Summer Scholars and is a highlight for many students, alongside the ability to work closely with faculty members. Cocchiarella said, “You get to know a professor more than just as a teacher, but as a mentor and someone who you can look up to and really understand where they’re coming from. That is really cool because you don’t often get to do that with most professors … That was really impactful, in addition to meeting so many different people.”

Faculty mentors also value the opportunity to work closely with students. Kellie Agrimson, PhD, is a biology professor who collaborated with two students this summer on “Gene Annotations in Newly Sequenced Drosophila Species.” When asked about her experience as a faculty mentor, Agrimson said, “One of the most fulfilling aspects of mentoring in the Summer Scholars program is witnessing the students’ growth over the 10-week period as they evolve from tentative beginners into confident researchers. This transformation not only strengthens their skills but boosts their self-confidence, which is crucial for their future careers.” Agrimson also described the experience as “mutually enriching” for student-researchers and mentors, stating that mentoring “has significantly enhanced my teaching and communicating skills.”

��ɫӰ�� Summer Scholars

St. Kate’s Summer Scholars is a unique opportunity for undergraduate students to experience collaborative research with their peers and faculty. Throughout the program, they develop their identity as scholars, contribute to current scholarship, and collaborate with people across different fields. Both students and faculty mentors gain valuable insight from collaboration that strengthens their abilities as students, teachers, and researchers. Many teams will continue their work into the fall and apply to present their research at various conferences, including the National Conference on Undergraduate Research (NCUR) in the spring. 

Summer Scholars is a signature program of Collaborative Research, which is located within the Office of Scholarly Engagement (OSE) at ��ɫӰ��. Any interested students and faculty who would like to learn more about the program should contact Katie Campbell, PhD, director of Collaborative Research, at collresearch@stkate.edu to learn more.