Earlier this summer, NMC Project PROA sent 27 Proa Pathway scholars to attend the 3rd Annual Summer Research Academy (SRA). The SRA was held at the Smith Memorial Student Union Ballroom at Portland State University (PSU) in Portland, Oregon from June 17-21, 2024. The Center for Internship, Mentoring, and Research (CIMR) and the Higher Education Coordinating Commission (HECC) sponsored the event. This marks the second year that Project PROA and CIMR teams met in person since the Northern Marianas College (NMC) was awarded the Asian American Native American Pacific Islander-Serving (AANAPISI) cooperative grant, or Proa Pathway Partnership, back in October 2022.
This partnership enabled the institution to establish a Memorandum of Understanding between Project PROA and CIMR to provide access to a clearer pathway for students who start at NMC and transfer to PSU by making the transition more seamless and transparent. Airfare and summer housing expenses were covered for all scholars participating in this opportunity.
The event was designed to engage undergraduate students interested in making a difference in their communities by pursuing research opportunities in STEM, biomedical, behavioral, clinical, health, the arts, and social sciences. The goal of SRA is to provide undergraduate students an introduction to what research is, how it’s developed and conducted, and where to find relevant research opportunities. Participants heard from a range of professional researchers in their respective fields, panel discussions by undergraduate and graduate students involved in research, and got to know the different undergraduate research opportunities available at PSU and other universities.
"I want to thank our partners at PSU for coordinating these efforts and working closely with us to ensure our scholars are accessing the appropriate services and resources to succeed as transfer students. It took a lot for our students to move away from home, so I want to congratulate them again for their perseverance and commitment to completing the summer immersion program. I am excited for them to experience university life at PSU and cannot wait for them to come back home," said Kaelani Demapan, Director of Project PROA and Principal Investigator of Proa Pathway Partnership. "One of the program's requirements is to intend to return home to the CNMI to contribute to our workforce so I trust that our scholars are committed to doing so after accomplishing their goals."
On September 18th, 17 transfer scholars conducted oral and poster presentations at the Summer Undergraduate Research Forum (SURF), where friends and family on Saipan were able to join virtually. This concluded their summer immersion program as part of their induction into the research environment and building confidence in their work.
Three scholars scored the most points in their presentations. Seonirae Camacho, majoring in Civil and Environmental Engineering, placed 1st in her research project involving "Identifying Liquefaction Hazards" mentored by Dr. Diane Moug; Arianna Kapileo, majoring in Pre-Clinical, placed 2nd in her research project involving the "Impact of Age at Full Oral Feeding and Pre-Discharge Feeding Volume on Growth Trajectories in Moderately Preterm Infants" mentored by Dr. Maggie Jerome and Dr. Diane Stadler; and Clark Jonas Cabang, majoring in Electrical Engineering, placed 3rd in his research project involving "Temperature Sensing in an Electric Water Heater to Use Heat as a Power Source" mentored by Dr. Robert Bass.
The PROA Pathways program is committed to supporting AAPI students as they graduate from NMC and transfer to PSU. By providing services that help them identify career paths in STEM, receive mentorship and guidance, and gain research experience, the program ensures that students are well-prepared for their transition. The deadline to submit applications for Cohort 3 is December 1st, 2024.
For more information about how to apply for the Proa Pathways (transfer) program, please visit www.marianas.edu/projectproa.