Local student in fellowship program

The Misericordia University Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship Program enables students to develop new knowledge and skills using innovative technology and methodology. The program allows fellows to collaborate with other students, faculty and outside scholars. Independent learning and critical thinking skills become more refined as they explore beyond their current boundaries.

The program has grown since its inaugural summer of 2014. The program started with 12 students and eight faculty members engaging in eight unique projects with overall expenditures of $38,000. The program today consists of 39 students and 19 faculty members who worked on 25 distinctive projects that had a budget of $192,000.

"From a student's perspective, it makes sense to develop a close working relationship with a faculty mentor because that bond encourages students to stretch their boundaries," said President Thomas J. Botzman.

Fellowship program participants came together for one evening in October for the Summer Undergraduate Research fellowship Poster Presentation in Sandy and Marlene Insalaco Hall. The annual program is a precursor for many of the fellows who will present their oral and poster presentations at state and national conferences.

Atasha Rehrig, class of 2018, is from Lehighton. Rehrig worked with Angela Asirvatham, Ph.D., associate professor of biology, and with fellow classmate Michale Blazaskie. Their project was titled the "Expressions of AKAP 95, Krox-20, and Cycline D3 in Immortalized Schwann Cell Lines."

Andrea Nale of Gilbert and Mike Shott of Tresckow also participated.