URSA Engage Testimonies
Here you will find first hand experience from students who have been through URSA Engage and how it has helped influence their college experience!
Kendra DelToro
I'm a third year Zoology student. My URSA Engage research project was a continuation of research I had done the previous summer in James Rivers lab, and was focused on how native bee fitness is affected by varying forest fire severity. I’m currently involved with Ramesh Sagili Honeybee Health and Nutrition lab, and the David Maddison Ground Beetle Systematics lab. I have independent projects in both labs focusing on hive evaluation efficacy, and species description following a genus review of Brachypelus, respectively. URSA Engage allowed me to further explore the interface between insects and their environment through a forestry application, and was the first project I had that was independent from beginning to end. I presented my URSA Engage research at the 2018 SACNAS National Diversity in STEM conference, and won first place for my oral presentation on the same research at the 2019 Regional LSAMP conference.
Advice for other students:
Take advantage of OSU’s undergraduate research funding opportunities and seek ways to leverage the experience into presentations and publications!
More Testimonies
“It was amazing to actually see applications of the classes I am taking, and makes me really excited to continue my research with Dr. Skip. I felt more motivated to do well in my other classes, and it was also so nice to meet other students taking the same classes as me. I ended up becoming good friends with a senior environmental engineer, and she was able to give me both academic and social advice. It was so helpful to meet people in my major, because it has been so hard to meet people via zoom. I now feel like I have a whole new network of people working in Skip’s lab, and like I have a spot for me here at OSU. This was a great team to be on during COVID, and I enjoyed it so much!”
“URSA Engage was a great experience for me, and provided me with the means to make lasting social connections, gain research involvement, and have the financial means to pursue my interests, even in the wake of a pandemic. It has been extremely beneficial for me in many areas of my life, and I am beyond grateful for the opportunity!”
“It is interesting to look back and think about how much my interests have changed over the course of this project. When I was first thinking about URSA, it was winter term, and I was a BMB major sure I wanted to go to med school. Now, I am a civil engineering major interested in the military.
“After the URSA internship and working with CAPS for several months, I’ve realized that I may be interested in pursuing a career in public health. By participating in URSA Engage, I’ve been able to uncover some passions and career paths that make me ecstatic for my future.”
“I was very pleasantly surprised when I discovered the URSA Engage program and that I could complete it as an e-campus student. “
“Having this relationship with my mentor as a first year student has opened up new opportunities for me that I can pursue the rest of my undergraduate career. It has also given me a person who I can go to for advice and college/career questions.”
“Although I was intimidated by what the journey would entail, I’m proud of myself for stepping out of my comfort zone. I not only developed new skills involving research, but I also gained inspiration to continue to explore new ideas.”
“Participating in URSA has made me realize that no matter what profession I go into I want to engage in research--and explore the unknown.”
“I am so thankful for the URSA Engage program for being the bridge that helped me meet my mentor. The experience, opportunity, network, and skills that I learned are things that I am so thankful of. Without URSA Engage, I wouldn’t have gained the experience I needed to level up in the real world.”
“I myself will be leaving this experience with a great professional connection and a better sense of my skills as a researcher and presenter.”
“Participating in URSA Engage has given me a solid foundation for any future research projects I might participate in during my college career or beyond.”
“The URSA program was something I never thought of myself as doing, but I am very glad that I did. Grad school is something that I am very interested in pursuing, I want to work in research some day, and URSA solidified my interest in a research career.”
“The most valuable take-away I got from URSA Engage has been how my research project led me to my current job.”
“I’m excited to continue working on projects for both Giebultowicz and Hendrix labs, and am thankful to the URSA engage program for opening that door for me and helping me discover these research and gain a more competent mindset in the field of research.”
“Looking back on the last 7 months, it is clear to me that participating in URSA Engage was a significant step in my career. Partaking in natural language processing research as a freshman in college is something I never dreamed I would be able to do, but after going through the process, I couldn’t be more satisfied with the outcome.”