Maya
“I came to Northwestern with a limited understanding about what all I could study at the undergraduate level and pursue professionally. I initially planned to go to dental school and knew that getting undergraduate research experience was highly encouraged. While I enjoyed the process of writing a grant, working with research mentors, and being a part of the knowledge production process, I didn’t love the content of the research that I did in a STEM field. As I was exploring different career paths, I got a URAP and worked as a research assistant to Dr. Jennifer Nash, a professor of African-American Studies and Gender & Sexuality Studies. Working as a research assistant on a total of three different projects, presenting as an oral panelist at the Undergraduate Research & Arts Expo, and working as an independent researcher on one project in the social sciences helped me build the confidence and experience to pursue a PhD in sociology. The professors and graduate students at Northwestern are amazing resources for students that want to get involved with undergraduate research. Also, getting a URG the summer before my senior year allowed me to collect original data for my senior thesis and get a head start on the senior thesis process. I’ve enjoyed working on my thesis knowing that I constructed the project from the ground up, with the guidance from a number of different graduate students and professors at Northwestern.”