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Student Success
Congratulations! The Office of Undergraduate Research (OUR) is proud of the 35 undergraduates that continued to engage in research and associated activities made despite the lockdown from the COVID-19 pandemic. The students were mentored by our able, innovative and impactful faculty/staff in multiple colleges across the campus. Ten of the students, including seven that graduated, prepared their posters to participate in the Virtual MiniSymposium on May 22, 2020. A total of forty nine (49) students, mentors, and council members attended the virtual poster presentation. The students clearly articulated the details of their research, and confidently answered all the questions asked about their project and plans. The students shared stories regarding support they received from OUR, their professional/graduate program plans, and the impacts of mentors/mentorship relationships.
We look forward to support our undergraduate students as they continue to develop themselves as professionals prepared to transition into the workforce or graduate programs, and impact their community and the global society.
ADAEZE EZE
My name is Adaeze Eze, and I am a senior with a major in Biology. The Office of Undergraduate Research (OUR) has supported me since 2018 to conduct research projects of my interest with knowledgeable mentors. I have been able to gain more insight into scientific problem solving, advanced laboratory and research writing skills, and participate in networking opportunities while receiving funding as an undergraduate research assistant. I am genuinely grateful for the staff of the OUR because they have played a significant role in many of the students' success and excellence as undergraduate researchers.
My plans for graduate study and or work:
I am currently a junior, but my goal for next year is to continue with the biomedical research. I plan to work in the lab of Dr. Naznin Sultana on the studies of tissue engineering scaffolds for tissue regeneration.
Under the supervision and mentorship of Dr. Sultana, I have been able to step into a whole new interest in biomedical research. I have grown intellectually, professionally, and personally. Dr. Sultana is a very inspiring, intelligent Research Scientist whom I have a lot to learn from before graduating from Prairie View and pursuing a career in medicine and scientific research.
I look forward to learning more from her as I continue to work with her next year.
I would advise other students to take advantage of the opportunities that are within the OUR and their programs. Students should be proactive, committed, and curious to learn.
STUDENT SUCCESS
AKOLADE OKUNOLA
The Office of Undergraduate Research support paved the way for me to do experiments and researches on the subject that is very important in my career path. The opportunity brought me to the threshold of realizing my longtime dream for inventing a portable membrane ultrafiltration gadget to help people living in the rural areas of countries where they have limited access to purified water.
My plans for graduate study and or work:
My plan now is to work for a promising organization. Then I would consider having a master’s degree in my specialties.
My mentor is a very competent and understanding person. He supported my research work from the beginning.
Students should have the opportunity to work with competent mentors/supervisors who are willing to help students change the world.
STUDENT SUCCESS
AUBRIANA JORDAN
My name is Aubrianna Jordan, with a major in Biology. I was engaged in reproductive cancer research focusing on cervical cancer under Dr. Victoria Mgbemena mentorship. Doing this kind of research has taught me to have patients as well as showing me how scientists, staff, and students collaborate, work as a team, and share data and information to improve the medical field. I was able to network, which opened my mind to the different opportunities in the field of science.
My plans for graduate study and or work:
I am currently in Glendale, Arizona, going into my first year of pharmacy school at Midwestern University. My goal is to graduate from this university and come back to Texas to work full time in a hospital pharmacy.
My mentor has been an enormous help in getting me to where I am now. She helped me to keep my head held high to push through all of the mental struggles that I came across in my undergraduate program. I wish to keep that relationship and build on as I pursue my professional career.
My advice to any upcoming research students is to dive headfirst into your research and take advantage of every opportunity that is presented to you. Different networking availabilities come up that you wouldn’t think can pertain to you, but the world is so small, and you never know who knows who and where that can get you.
Thank you so much for this opportunity.
STUDENT SUCCESS
LARECIA THOMAS
With the support of the Office of Undergraduate Research, I was able to engage in research with my mentor, who took my interest in cancer research. I learned the appropriate steps to do research.
My plans for graduate study and or work:
I plan to receive my master’s degree in public health and then attend Medical School to reach my ultimate career goal of becoming a pediatrician.
Dr. Mgbemena has impacted my outlook on my future studies and taught me how to not only keep an open mind to different possibilities but to be confident in my work. My relationship with her was significant, and I’m very grateful for taking me under her wing and serving as a positive and successful role model to emulate.
I suggest that students should stay driven, even when the research just requires countless hours of reading various documents to generate the best results.
STUDENT SUCCESS
PRAISE BENSON
My name is Praise Benson, and I graduated from the College of Agriculture and Human Sciences with a double major in Animal Science and Entrepreneurship. The OUR support helped in a lot of ways and drew me nearer to the research world. I was able to attend top schools’ summer research programs and met amazing people that are and will continue to be part of my success story. I was able to work in the lab, learning about western blot, knowing more about egg quality, researching Amaranth and Moringa, as well as obtaining skills on how to use different machines in the lab.
My plans for graduate study and or work:
I am excited to announce that I will be attending Prairie View A&M University this Fall 2020 for my master’s degree in the Community Development program of the College of Architecture. My goal is to have integrated research, education, and entrepreneurship-based farm that will provide hands-on experiences to combat food insecurity and empower individuals economically in disadvantaged communities.
Mentor and mentorship relationships were terrific, as Dr. Grace Abolaji and Dr. Sela were my mentors during my time at Prairie View A&M University. They took me in as their daughter and taught me real-life experiences as well as making me understand research. It was a great time with them.
Students should make the best use of the opportunities provided and pay attention to all that mentors are teaching them. It might seem like what you are doing now doesn’t align with your future goals, but one way or the other, it will be needed or called on one day.
I remain grateful for the great experiences and opportunities I had with the OUR.
STUDENT SUCCESS
SYDNEY GORE
My name is Sidney Gore, and I graduated with a major in Biology. During my four years at PVAMU, I am very proud to have done undergraduate research for two years through the Office of Undergraduate Research. I accomplished what I set out to do, and that makes it into professional school. With the help of the Undergraduate Medical Academy and the Honors Program, I was able to learn Mandarin and study abroad in China twice, the second time being a student researcher in health policy and management. I plan to receive my publication in PVAMU’s journal called PURSUE under the Biology Department’s very own Dr. Moore.
My plans for graduate study and or work:
I have accepted an offer from Meharry Medical College, where I will continue my education and become an MD. My career goal is to become a physician specializing in psychiatric health eventually. I know that my research here will help me in my future endeavors as a doctor.
My mentor Dr. Quincy Moore, I met in my freshman year in the biology department. He quickly became my favorite professor, and I looked forward to his classes. In my junior year, he became the new Honors Program Director and my research mentor. He was very open to my ideas of doing something non-traditional and in the realm of Social and Behavioral Science, which I appreciated. He helped me in every step and always gave constructive criticism. His mentorship gave me a real insight into what research is and how to work with others.
Through the many awards, scholarships, and recognition I received throughout my four years, none of them compare to being accepted into the Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation in research. I encourage all PV students interested in research to apply for this as well as job opportunities in PV’s Office of Undergraduate Research. Without this opportunity, I would not be able to announce my acceptance into three graduate school programs, one of which is at UT at Austin.
STUDENT SUCCESS
UNYIME EFFIONG
I recently graduated with a bachelor’s in Chemical Engineering. I was opportune to be selected by the Office of Undergraduate Research to partake in this initiative to boost undergraduate research. I was exposed to the basics of the research process, as this was my first project. I was able to develop my research skillset, which proved very handy when I secured a summer research opportunity at The University of Texas at Austin (UTA). Based on my research experience under the OUR support, I am characterizing an RNAbinding protein in a non-model bacterium at the research opportunity in UTA.
My plans for graduate study and or work:
Currently, I have a summer research opportunity in the Unversity of Texas at Austin. I plan to continue my career there this Fall 2020 with the ultimate goal of obtaining my Ph.D. degree in Chemical Engineering.
Working with Dr. Kazeem was superb. He has a manner of approach to instruction that was very easy to follow, and he was dedicated to ensuring that all students in the group can comprehend and fulfill their project tasks in the most effective manner. He is also very passionate about this project, and this motivated him to work tirelessly to ensure that we had additional resources from the OUR to stimulate our progress. The mentorship relationship taught me how to hang in there when carrying out tasks even outside of my research project. I have learned the invaluable lesson of time management working with him. It was an absolute pleasure working with Dr. Kazeem, and I hope to be able to continue collaborating with him in future projects.
My advice to other students is that they should seize any opportunity to conduct research even in fields outside of their majors or identified areas of interest. They will not only be exposed to new skill sets that can be learned, but they may also discover a new area of interest while contributing to the enhancement of knowledge in that field, which has high impacts on day-to-day living.
