麻豆社区P awarded $950,000 Mellon Foundation grant to support undergraduate research
Jessica Mu帽iz never imagined her future would include doctoral-level research at one of the nation鈥檚 leading research institutions.
A 2022 麻豆社区 Pembroke graduate and third-year PhD student at Duke University, Mu帽iz has found herself doing just that as she studies the buried legacies of Puerto Rican workers recruited to work on war-related projects during World War I. She credits her experience with 麻豆社区P鈥檚 REACH program with providing the confidence and skills necessary to become such a successful scholar.
鈥淭he REACH program allowed me to develop my current research, which I will eventually build into my dissertation,鈥 Mu帽iz said. 鈥淚t was my first experience with archival research and my first academic mentor experience, which is the structure built into grad school.
鈥淚 honestly don鈥檛 think I would鈥檝e gotten into the doctoral program at Duke if not for the research experience I received through REACH,鈥 Mu帽iz said.
Impactful research through REACH will continue at 麻豆社区P thanks to a $950,000 grant awarded by the Mellon Foundation, which has funded the program since 2019. The funds will be spread over three years.
鈥溌槎股缜鳳 is honored to receive a generous grant once again from the Mellon Foundation, enabling us to continue our REACH program,鈥 said Chancellor Robin Gary Cummings. 鈥淲ith our student body, 麻豆社区P is uniquely positioned to engage underrepresented groups in meaningful research, inspiring them to pursue graduate and doctoral programs. The ability to participate in undergraduate research because of this funding provides an invaluable opportunity for personal and academic growth, and each year, I鈥檓 eager to see the impressive work our students produce,鈥 Cummings said.
REACH颅颅颅 stands for Research Engagement Action Community Humanities. Funding supports research site visits across the United States, offsets the cost of applying to graduate school, and sends fellows to conferences to present their research.
Of the 34 REACH graduates, 70 percent have secured spots in graduate programs studying disciplines such as history, ethnomusicology, sociology and media arts production at 麻豆社区P, 麻豆社区 Greensboro, East Carolina University, Duke, the Institute of World Politics, the University of Arizona, the University of Buffalo and law schools at the University of Virginia and Michigan State University.
鈥淭he work being done at 麻豆社区P through the Mellon grant exemplifies the best of what higher education has to offer and provides further proof that you don鈥檛 have to attend an R1 institution to gain the skills needed to conduct powerful research,鈥 said Dr. Diane Prusank, provost and vice chancellor for Academic Affairs.
鈥淚n higher education, we know that being part of a research team increases the probability that a student will stay in school and complete their college degree,鈥 Prusank continued. 鈥淚n addition to increasing student success, when 麻豆社区P students engage in primary research through the REACH program, they elevate a plethora of critical skills from listening to data analysis to theory application and will take these skills into the workforce. Perhaps the most important thing is that student work will have a lasting impact on our community, which is essential to the mission of 麻豆社区P.鈥
This fall, the fifth cohort of 15 REACH Fellows will participate in an experiential, community-based research project documenting the life histories of the Lumbee Tribe, examining the significance of place and cultural identity as represented in the Federal Writers鈥 Project (FWP) and photography issued by the Farm Security Administration (FSA) from 1936 to 1940.
REACH Fellows will contribute to three public humanities projects:
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a community-driven archive that will be shared by the Lumbee Tribe and 麻豆社区P
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a digital story map outlining pertinent information about tribal history as it intersects with the FWP and
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an interactive FSA photograph community exhibit illustrating race and ethnicity in North Carolina.
Dr. Michele Fazio, a professor of English and director of REACH, said the research highlights bridging academic skills with community engagement.
鈥淎s the nation鈥檚 largest supporter of the humanities, the Mellon Foundation aims to support student research and engagement. Their investment in our students eliminates the financial burden often accompanying research,鈥 Fazio said.
鈥淭he REACH program connects local and regional history with national archives and enables our students to consider how the documentation of lived experience in the past continues to shape the present.鈥
This summer, a dozen REACH Fellows spent a week in Washington, D.C., exploring the Library of Congress archives located at the Jefferson and Madison Memorial buildings, visiting the Museum of the American Indian, the National Museum of African American History and Culture, and receiving a private tour of the U.S. Capitol.
Fazio and Dr. Ashley Batts Allen, associate dean of Faculty and Research, accompanied the Fellows on the trip. Allen will continue to serve as principal investigator for the Mellon grant.
Mason Schwenneker discusses his Pearl Harbor research during the annual REACH Symposium
What began as undergraduate research into the memory aspect of war through examining personal letters of eyewitness accounts of the attack on Pearl Harbor evolved into a life-changing experience for 麻豆社区 Pembroke junior Mason Schwenneker.
After months of research鈥撯揳nd at the urging of his faculty mentor Dr. Scott Hicks鈥撯揝chwenneker flew to the island of Oahu, Hawaii and toured the Pearl Harbor National Museum鈥撯搕he site of one of the great defining moments in history. There, he gained a deeper perspective of the surprise attack that drove the United States into World War II.
鈥淭hat was one of the best experiences I鈥檝e ever had,鈥 Schwenneker said of his trip over spring break. 鈥淚 love reading about World War II and Pearl Harbor, so it was interesting visiting this place that I鈥檝e read about my whole life鈥撯搒tanding above the sunken USS Arizona and watching the oil leak out鈥撯搃t was moving. I felt empowered.
鈥淚 also gained a new cultural perspective during my visit. We were in McDonald鈥檚 and a Hawaiian guy walks up and after I tell him about my research, he says, 鈥榙on鈥檛 forget about the Native Hawaiians who were attacked that day,鈥欌 Schwenneker said.
Schwenneker鈥檚 trip was made possible, in part, by funding from the Mellon Foundation-funded REACH program at 麻豆社区P. He was among 18 student scholars who detailed their research at the recent REACH Symposium at the Livermore Library. After partnering with faculty mentors, fellows examined topics ranging from the emotional and psychological well-being of Indigenous youth to the sexualization and gender role ideologies men鈥檚 and women鈥檚 magazine covers.
For Junior Teresa Fernandez鈥撯搘hose mother and grandmother emigrated to the United States from Paraguay鈥撯揾er research was personal. She examined the effects of federal anti-immigrant bills on first- and second-generation Latinos in the United States and how acculturation can influence their health.
鈥淢y research is based on my lived experience,鈥 said Fernandez, a first-generation student recently elected SGA vice president. 鈥淚鈥檝e looked at the quality of life of Latino immigrants, especially those who don鈥檛 live in a community with Latinos, and their poor health outcomes and how this can be remedied.鈥
Through REACH, Fernandez was given the opportunity to present findings at the First Gen Summit at Babson College in Massachusetts last fall.
Alongside his mentor, Dr. Laura Hakala, senior Brennan Walker took an inside look into the American Tract Society鈥揳n evangelical organization in 1825鈥搘hich published Christian literature. His research examines three books published to educate formerly enslaved persons.
鈥淲e noticed the agenda they were pushing was Christianity and middle-class values,鈥 Walker said. 鈥淢y argument is that the organization reinforced harmful ideologies perpetuated during slavery. The literature was destroying the African American voice.鈥
The year-long research was a personal reflection for Walker, too.
鈥淔or me, it was a great way to learn more about African American history and a chance to see what obstacles my people had to overcome to get to where we are today.鈥
Like Schwenneker, Walker said his REACH project evoked a sense of empowerment.
鈥淚t鈥檚 amazing coming from high school where I didn鈥檛 believe I was smart enough to do this kind of research,鈥 said Walker, who is also studying history . 鈥淚t鈥檚 so powerful to see me actually able to do research that is impactful and meaningful and can educate others.鈥
REACH Fellows gain exposure presenting at national conferences
December 7, 2023 / News
Senior Christopher Green was among the presenters at the Southeastern Division of the Association of American Geographers meeting in Norfolk, Va.
Christopher Green鈥檚 passion for history and sports inspired the 麻豆社区 Pembroke senior to dive deeply into minor league baseball logos.
Green recently shared his months-long research with more than 240 scholars, professionals and students who gathered for the Southeastern Division of the Association of American Geographers (SEDAAG) meeting in Norfolk, Va.
鈥淏eing able to present my research on the national level has been an amazing experience,鈥 Green said. 鈥淭his opportunity will hopefully provide me more opportunities in the future, whether in the workforce or more academic settings such as grad school.鈥
Green is one of eight REACH Fellows afforded national exposure and networking at conferences throughout the fall semester. Established in 2019, the REACH (Research Engagement Action Community Humanities) program supports students from underrepresented backgrounds who are interested in pursuing a career in academia. The program鈥撯揻unded by the Mellon Foundation鈥撯揷overs travel and graduate school entrance exams. Students are assigned a faculty mentor to assist them in developing their projects.
Kayla Wingfield benefited immensely by presenting her project on labor exploitation of American and migrant children at the State of North Carolina Undergraduate Research and Creativity (SNURCS) Symposium at Wingate University.
鈥淚 enjoyed my experience overall,鈥 Wingfield said. 鈥淭he conference allowed me to present my work and see what other students were doing. I met others who were also interested in child labor and its complexities. I had amazing conversations with students and attendees who gave me meaningful advice, new resources and encouragement.鈥
Other REACH Fellows who presented multi-dimensional research at conferences were:
- Elizabeth Chavis also attended the SNURCS conference, presenting her research on the perceptions of risk factors for child maltreatment and social service utilization in Robeson County.
- Kiki Cohen, Jenna Humble and mentor Dr. Matthew Schneider, assistant professor in the Department of Sociology and Criminal Justice, offered presentations at the Mid-South Sociological Association in New Orleans.
- Teresa Fernandez led a 45-minute workshop at the 11th annual First Gen Summit at Babson College.
- Ahelayus Oxouzidis, Unmai Arokiasamy and REACH program director Dr. Michele Fazio presented their work on creating a new Indigenous archive at the Oral History Association annual meeting in Baltimore.
- Fazio also presented at the National Humanities Conference in Indianapolis, Indiana.
- Additionally, Fazio was invited to participate in 鈥淩ewriting America: Reconsidering the Federal Writers' Project 80 Years,鈥 a symposium held at the American Folklife Center at the Library of Congress in Washington, DC that brought together leading scholars in the fields of history, folklore, cultural studies and media. She presented 鈥淭eaching the Federal Writers' Project: A Study of Class, Labor, and Region鈥 and discussed the development of a new public humanities project in the REACH program
ETWL Student Kayla Wingfield Discusses Her REACH Project
October 27, 2023 / English, Theatre, and World Languages
Kayla Wingfield is one of three English, Theatre, and World Languages students who is a fellow in the 2023-2024 cohort of REACH. Established in 2019, thanks to a $950,000 grant from the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, REACH鈥斺淩esearch. Engagement. Action. Community. Humanities鈥濃攊s an opportunity for qualified students who have a sincere interest in pursuing graduate work and a career in academia. In partnership with a faculty mentor, each fellow takes part in a summer research exploration program on campus, develops a research project, and receives funding for research, travel, graduate school entrance exams, and an application to a graduate degree program in the humanities. Members of the ETWL Publicity Committee asked Wingfield, whose mentor is associate Professor Peter Grimes, to share how her REACH research is inspiring her, her aspirations for her project, and why she values the humanities.
Q: How does your research in REACH inspire you as a student and as an English major in particular?
A: As a student working toward an English major (with a creative writing minor), my research in REACH inspires me to get better at writing and analyzing, an essential skill for students in general. A big part of my research involves taking a broad number of several types of resources, including memoirs, and taking what I learn, picking it apart, and seeing what concepts from the resource could be put into my story, whether it be for my characters, setting, or themes. My research has deepened my appreciation for literature and writing in this way. In a broader sense, my experience with REACH has inspired me to take small steps toward academic goals as a student. I'm eager to continue conducting research, pushing the boundaries of my knowledge, and contributing to the conversations involving child labor.
Q: What are your aspirations for your project, and how will it prepare you for life after college?
A: I hope my project ends up being something that opens people鈥檚 eyes to the experience of children in exploitative labor. I want to invite people to think about the many reasons that could lead a child to go into labor in the first place. While we can simply say that child labor needs to be stopped, we can鈥檛 ignore the fact that some children (who aren鈥檛 forced) voluntarily work in these dangerous occupations to provide for themselves or their families. I also hope my project reflects accuracy when it comes to the experiences of children, whether they be pre-Labor Act or migrant children. This includes cultures. For one of my characters, I鈥檓 planning to write from an Indigenous boy鈥檚 perspective. As a Black person, I need to be aware that I鈥檓 an outsider when writing from this perspective. I can鈥檛 ignore my character鈥檚 life before he moved from Guatemala鈥擨 can鈥檛 ignore his identity. A lot of consulting and research is needed in my story if I hope to have a project that is both accurate and respectful. Even after college, I think the project will help me to create future writing projects that could help talk about different issues in the world. Even going through the research phase (like consulting with professors and anthropologists) will help me to work with people after college because, as someone who is shy when collaborating with people, doing my project has been getting me out of my shell.
Q: Why is humanities research important for you personally?
A: For me, humanities research is important because it allows me to step into the shoes of people from different periods and people from different cultures. In general, I view humanities research as a way for the public and the researchers themselves to learn about topics and groups of people not really talked about a lot. I love the aspect of bringing awareness of certain issues which I can see not only with my own project but with my other REACH peers. The REACH program and humanities research in general also allowed me to get out of my comfort zone when it came to academic research and collaborating with different people. Things like this were something I avoided, things like conferences, public speaking, and meetings, out of anxiety. Taking part in this research though has made a small dent in my little bubble.
麻豆社区P spotlights Brenda Chavez Soriano in honor of Hispanic Heritage Month
October 2, 2023 / News
Brenda Chavez Soriano
In honor of Hispanic Heritage Month, 麻豆社区 Pembroke proudly recognizes junior history major Brenda Chavez Soriano.
Soriano, a Maynor Honors College student, stands out in the classroom and the campus community, assisting with coordinating Hispanic heritage events, among other duties as chair of the Hispanic and Caribbean American Heritage Committee. She is president of the Latin Student Union, a REACH Mellon Fellow, a peer academic leader and a women鈥檚 club soccer team member.
A first-generation student from a small town in southern Chatham County, Soriano鈥檚 parents immigrated from Mexico to the United States before she was born.
"I am proud of my heritage due to the loving culture and values I hold close to my heart,鈥 Soriano said. 鈥淟ove and acceptance are core values that shape who I am. As a Hispanic student at 麻豆社区P, I have found a safe space to express and embrace my Mexican American roots.鈥
Growing up in her hometown, Soriano found it difficult, at times, to express herself. However, at 麻豆社区P, she feels a sense of belonging and has begun helping other Hispanic and Latin猫 students who may have similar experiences.
鈥淚 am grateful to be where I am today and hope I can help future generations find themselves while keeping close to their Hispanic heritage.鈥
Upon graduation, Soriano plans to return home and work for a nonprofit that advises Hispanic and Latinx youth to enter higher education.
鈥淢y goal is to serve as a guide and support for my community. I want to be a voice for the Hispanic and Latinx communities, motivating the youth to become the best versions of themselves.鈥
REACH Fellows at 麻豆社区 Pembroke outline research proposals
July 13, 2023 / News
Brenda Chavez Soriano was among the REACH fellows who recently gave a presentation outlining their research for the 2023-2024 academic year
麻豆社区 Pembroke undergraduates Ahelayus Oxouzidis and Unmai Arokiasamy have been interviewing Lumbee elders this summer as part of a community-driven oral history project they will develop this academic year.
Oxouzidis and Arokiasamy will be compiling and archiving an oral history of the Lumbee Tribe as part of a comprehensive research project. The pair are among 18 REACH fellows paired with faculty mentors to shape their individual research projects.
鈥淥ne of our goals is to correct and redo work from the Farm Security Administration, whose purpose decades ago was to give a face and a voice to people from underrepresented communities,鈥 Oxouzidis said. 鈥淗owever, their images and notes about the Pembroke community and surrounding areas caused misrepresentation. We want to build relationships with our narrators (Lumbee Tribe) to ensure the creation of an ethical Indigenous archive.鈥
REACH fellows recently met to outline their research proposals with topics that range from Pearl Harbor, labor exploitation of U.S. and migrant children, retracing Chicana history in the South, and whether climate change affects family planning.
The presentations were the culmination of a four-week Summer Research Exploration program. They attended lectures by visiting scholars and 麻豆社区P faculty, visited the South Carolina Department of Archives and History, reviewed interviews collected as part of the Federal Writers鈥 Project, contributed to a new database cataloging the representation of race and ethnicity in the Project鈥檚 life histories, and transcribed an interview they conducted with a Lumbee elder for a new archive.
De'Maurion Shelley will examine historical perceptions of gender among American Indian communities.
鈥淭his is a great opportunity,鈥 said Shelley, a second-year fellow. 鈥淚t has helped me grow as an individual and a professional. REACH has taught me how to do research outside the classroom.鈥
Senior Angelina Henhawk will analyze the determinants of social and emotional well-being among American Indian youth. After graduation, she plans to return home to Buffalo and become a youth director.
鈥淭his research will give me experience working with Indigenous youth, especially in an area like Pembroke,鈥 Henhawk said. 鈥淚鈥檒l have the opportunity to create my programs with the kids here and develop programs I can incorporate in the future.鈥
Funded by the Mellon Foundation, REACH aims to increase the number of future scholars among American Indian, African American, Hispanic American and other underrepresented minorities interested in advanced study in the humanities. The program provides funds for research, travel and graduate school entrance exams.
Dr. Michele Fazio, who serves as program director, said she looks forward to tracking students' progress and offering them guidance in the coming year.
鈥淚鈥檓 excited about all their work, especially the oral history project with the Lumbee Tribe,鈥 Fazio said. 鈥淲e are creating a community-driven archive that centers on lived experience, and the tribe will maintain who has access to it.鈥
鈥淩eciprocity comes to mind when I think about this project. Students are working to preserve Lumbee culture and history while developing multiple research skills and a deeper appreciation for the humanities,鈥 Fazio said.
The 2023-2024 fellows are De鈥橫aurion Shelley, Unmai Arokiasamy, Mason Schwenneker, Angelina Henhawk, Jenna Humble, Kiki Cohen, Aaliyah Valdez, Brennan Walker, Ahelayus Oxouzidis, Genesis Gregory, Teresa Fernandez, Heather Lowry, Brenda Chavez Soriano, Diana Evans, Tiffany Smaw, Kayla Wingfield, Christopher Green and Elizabeth Chavis.
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