Wheaton News

Program offers chance for research, professional development, connections on campus

Even before they officially start the academic year at Wheaton College, a small cohort of students interested in STEM fields have built a foundation of success, developed research skills, connected with professors and learned important lessons about themselves as Wheaton Outstanding STEM Scholars.

“The biggest lesson I learned is that no matter what you do in life, you will face challenges, so it is important to know how to overcome them and build a good support system,” said Rubi Gonzalez ’28, who participated in the scholars program from July 8 to August 3, 2024.

The free inaugural residential experience introduces incoming first-year students to professional and technical skills needed to meet challenges and thrive in STEM fields at Wheaton and beyond. The program’s goals are to increase participation of students belonging to groups traditionally underrepresented in STEM by lowering the barriers to pursuing research experiences; to foster early connections between students and faculty and staff; and to offer professional development opportunities to prepare students for their future careers.

This summer, there were 10 scholars—six incoming first-year students, two rising sophomores who had not previously taken a STEM course at Wheaton, and a rising junior and senior, who also served as peer mentors and teaching assistants.

Based on interests, students were matched with one of five participating faculty members from the biology, psychology, and physics and astronomy departments. Each student worked on research projects with their appointed faculty member for four weeks.

Gonzalez is interested in a career in anesthesiology. She spent the summer in the lab of Professor of Biology Robert Morris learning how cells work.

“Ever since I can remember, I have always been interested in science and the field of medicine. When I was younger, I had been fascinated by bubbles and how they worked, curious as to how they formed and floated to create a magical world around me,” Gonzalez said.

“Then, my grandfather endured a heart attack and it was the scariest moment of my life. The painful feeling of not knowing what caused it or how to deal with it was the push I needed to pursue my passion for medicine. So, when I learned of this program at Wheaton, I jumped at the opportunity to enhance my knowledge and form lifelong connections.”

Beyond their research experience, Gonzalez and the other students also took one course together as a cohort covering a broad range of topics—from laboratory techniques to professional development. The lab-based portion of the course provided a glimpse into how classes run at Wheaton and an opportunity to develop critical thinking, science communication and other skills.

“Most early-stage college students struggle with skills like analyzing and presenting data, so we

wanted these challenging skills to be a core component of the course,” said Juvenal Lopez, assistant professor of biology and director of the Wheaton Outstanding STEM Scholars program.

To establish the program, Lopez collaborated with professors Jani Benoit, John Collins and Jessie Knowlton, and Raquel Ramos, who is dean of the Marshall Center for Intercultural learning. It is loosely inspired by a similar program Lopez participated in as an undergraduate biology major at Colby College.

“I found it very useful in developing my sense of belonging because when you come in on your first day of classes and you already know students, faculty and staff. … It’s a great feeling, especially if you’re the first person in your family to go to college or if you have any doubt in your mind about taking on the STEM route,” said Lopez, who was a first-generation college student.

“I took that experience and applied my own twist to it, adding more professional development because that’s something that I wish I learned earlier. Those kinds of soft skills are really important in moving up whatever ladder you’re trying to climb,” he said.

The Wheaton Outstanding STEM Scholars program is part of the Wheaton Inclusive STEM Excellence initiative, which is funded by the Howard Hughes Medical Institute and seeks to create opportunities to encourage broader participation in STEM by students from diverse backgrounds.

Myrsa Prinston ’28, who worked with Professor of Geology Geoffrey Collins researching the planet Jupiter’s moon Europa, plans to major in chemistry. She wants to pursue a career in food science to create more efficient ways to grow food in cities to bring food security to densely populated areas. So she values getting an early start to developing strong research skills.

“The most enjoyable part of this program was the connections I made with the other students and professors, learning from them and hearing about their experiences,” Prinston said. “The biggest lesson and piece of advice that will help me in my fall semester is that there are many resources on campus, so I should take advantage of them to help me succeed, not only in my first semester, but throughout my college journey.”

The two peer mentors participating in the program were instrumental in fostering connections. Beyond participating in a research experience of their own, they also organized cohort-building activities on campus, served as teaching assistants, held weekly check-in meetings with their assigned mentees and met weekly with Lopez to brainstorm ways to improve the program.

Peer mentor Malia Gentile ’26, an environmental science major and co-director of Wheaton’s Latin dance group, Paraíso Latino, enjoyed being a role model while also participating in the program. She worked with Associate Professor of Biology Jessie Knowlton on ecology field research to determine the biodiversity and health of local forests.

“This program has allowed me to connect with STEM professors, look into internships, plan out my schedule for the upcoming semesters, improve my résumé and LinkedIn profile, and think about my career and life beyond Wheaton,” said Gentile. “When the fall semester starts, I will be much more prepared for my professional life and will have a better idea of what career opportunities I should search for.

“I loved offering a helping hand, kind words or wise upperclassman advice,” Gentile said. “As an incoming freshman with a million things on their plate, it makes a huge difference knowing an upperclassman who has been in their shoes. … Everyone deserves a support system in this transitionary period of their life.”

Overall, Lopez said that he is very proud of this year’s Wheaton Outstanding STEM Scholars Program.

“Everyone involved—from the scholars to the faculty and staff—brought a lot of energy to the table and a genuine desire to learn and support others. I look forward to welcoming back our scholars in the fall and am already excited about running next year’s program,” Lopez said.