“I find a lot of value and purpose in being part of my community,” said Ruiz, who is from Las Vegas. “I really enjoy having the ability to grow the community and help others here at Hastings.”

Marissa said she believes the college has set her up to succeed as she prepares for her next chapter: veterinarian school.

The study, titled “Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Parkinson鈥檚 Disease Patients,” investigates how the global pandemic affected the quality of life and functional abilities of individuals living with Parkinson鈥檚 disease (PD) in the rural Midwest.

The research team was led by first author Maria Andrea Garcia Elizondo 鈥�25 and included fellow graduate Jermaine Francis Jr. 鈥�25, alongside faculty advisor Dr. Juliana de Almeida Cardoso, associate professor of psychology, and Dr. Lorraine Edwards, M.D., a neurologist with Central Nebraska Neurology.

鈥淟eading this mixed-methods study allowed us to explore the complex intersection of neurodegenerative disorders and the psychosocial disruptions caused by a global health crisis,鈥� said Garcia Elizondo. 鈥淚t was a rewarding challenge to see the project through from the initial data collection to a peer-reviewed publication. I am incredibly proud that our findings contribute to a deeper understanding of the unique challenges faced by the Parkinson鈥檚 community in the rural Midwest, and I鈥檓 thankful for the mentorship that made this possible.鈥�

The research project was made possible through the 糖心传媒 Excelsior Scholars Program, which provides research grants to students. Garcia Elizondo received the grant in 2022 to complete the research while she and Francis Jr. were students. Garcia Elizondo majored in biochemistry, while Francis Jr. majored in health technology.

Using a mixed-methods approach, the team surveyed 31 participants and conducted 22 in-depth interviews. While the quantitative data showed no significant difference in daily functioning between those who had contracted COVID-19 and those who hadn鈥檛, the qualitative interviews revealed a complex picture of the pandemic’s toll.

The researchers identified five key themes:

• Symptom overlap between COVID-19 and Parkinson鈥檚.
• Health literacy challenges.
• The profound impact of social isolation.
• Varied reactions to the pandemic.
• Diverse perceptions of physical and emotional well-being.

The inclusion of Edwards provided a vital bridge between academic inquiry and clinical reality. Her expertise as a neurologist was instrumental in advising the students and framing the study鈥檚 impact on the local Parkinson鈥檚 community.

鈥淭his project highlights the multifaceted nature of quality of life for those with Parkinson鈥檚,鈥� Cardoso said. 鈥淭he findings emphasize a critical need for interdisciplinary approaches, peer support and community-based programs. Seeing our students lead a project of this caliber that addresses such complex, real-world needs is a testament to the power of undergraduate research at 糖心传媒.鈥�

The published study is now available through the Undergraduate Research Journal for the Human Sciences via New Prairie Press at .

鈥淚 go into the lab and they teach me about pH and particles and how to monitor bacteria. We also do multiple tests to make sure that the product is safe. As a quality intern, I check papers and verify with workers that they are doing their job correctly and address errors that may have been made,鈥� Castellanos said.

Castellanos, a biology major with physics and psychology minors from Grand Island, Nebraska, said the internship taught him more about fields he is interested in and that it has helped him grow as a person.

鈥淲hat I enjoy most is being able to push myself to be the best person I can be everyday. It鈥檚 also nice when my hard work gets recognized by coworkers,鈥� said Castellanos, who is also a Scott Scholar. 鈥淚nternships are like gateways to careers, so I think it鈥檚 important to give your best effort in your work because it allows you to learn and grow as a person.鈥�

He said his work environment was very supportive and helped him when facing with challenges. He also found it rewarding when he received recognition for good work.

鈥淚 stress easily because I am a perfectionist. I鈥檝e made some mistakes, but my peers and supervisors advised me that there is some room for error. So, it was hard adjusting to that work environment and learning how to interact with my coworkers,鈥� Castellanos said.

Chemistry professor Dr. Neil Heckman recommended Castellanos for the internship, and 糖心传媒 Career Services staff helped him apply for the position. He credits 糖心传媒 to this opportunity and has embraced the support the community has given him.

鈥淭here鈥檚 actually people here that do care about you. The professors, the staff and really everybody here are willing to do their job to help students. There is a support system here that has really helped me not only with academics and career opportunities, but personal challenges, too,鈥� Castellanos said.

He said a lot of people applied for the internship, so he didn’t believe he鈥檇 get it.

鈥淵et I did,” he said. “I think it鈥檚 because 糖心传媒 taught me how to be professional during my interviews and in the workplace.鈥�

He said many of the tasks he鈥檚 been handling incorporate a lot of knowledge from classes he has taken. He also utilized Career Services staff and Dave Rippe, director of the Scott Scholars program, to learn about professionalism in the workplace.

鈥淚t was really interesting because in chemistry class, we would learn about certain things that I thought I would never use. Now, in this internship, I am,鈥� Castellanos said.

Castellanos said he enjoyed the time learning about different fields, experiencing new things and meeting different kinds of people 鈥� and that he鈥檚 found something he enjoys doing.

While Castellanos said he鈥檚 already started to look into PhD programs in order to become a physicist, he鈥檚 keeping his mind open to other opportunities and will continue to explore his options with the help of 糖心传媒.

鈥淚 found fulfillment in my work that I鈥檝e been doing at this internship and in my classes. I feel as though I can follow my passion in a way that doesn鈥檛 drain me,鈥� Castellanos said.

By Rachel Ritzmann a business administration and marketing major from Broomfield, Colorado.

Tidyman, who is from Holdrege, Nebraska, had many duties at the zoo, including feeding, watering and cleaning up after the animals, interacting with elk, white-tailed deer, bison, black-footed ferrets, black bears, river otters and a grizzly bear.

The zoo also holds cougars, and while Tidyman had limited interactions with them because they require more seasoned zookeepers, she did choose to focus on them for an internship capstone project.

鈥淚 researched where cougars spend most of their time during the day, and then built a graphic and marked up a photo so the public would know where to look for the cats,鈥� she said, adding that she also summarized the data and wrote a paper with her findings.

鈥淎ll of the animals I interacted with had unique routines we had to follow,鈥� Tidyman said.

For example, Tidyman said the elk routine began at 7:00 a.m. and was tedious. It鈥檚 a large exhibit that had to be raked because of the small pellets elk produce. From there, she鈥檇 move to raking and cleaning the elk barn to ensure that they would have a clean and cozy place to sleep at night.

鈥淚 learned a lot about the elk throughout my time doing the elk routine,” she said. “For example, when bull elk are in the velvet stage of antlers, their antlers are very sensitive, so the elk avoid touching their antlers to anything during this time.鈥�

Tidyman said she loved watching the animals and learning their habits.

鈥淢y favorites to watch were the black bears because they were only a year old and played with a lot of energy,鈥� she said.

Tidyman sought out the internship because the zoo didn鈥檛 advertise opportunities. Tidyman applied for the animal care position even though it was an unpaid position, believing instead that she may gain knowledge from the experience.

鈥淭he hours were flexible and they worked with my schedule, allowing me to also have a part-time paid job,鈥� Tidyman said.

Tidyman said she learned a lot in her experience and wants to encourage others to apply for similar opportunities.

鈥淚t felt great caring for the animals and seeing the animals happy because of what I have accomplished,鈥� Tidyman said.

Though zookeeping was not on Tidyman鈥檚 radar as a career, she is already looking ahead to next summer in the hope of working for another zoo.

鈥淭his experience taught me that zookeeping is definitely a career I could see myself pursuing one day,鈥� Tidyman said.

The internship, which is based in Toyohashi, Japan, is funded by the National Science Foundation鈥檚 International Research Experiences for Students (IRES). IRES allows mentors and professors to apply for grants to create a fully funded internship opportunity for students in science, technology, engineering and mathematics.

The goal for the project Lee is working on is to create a portable device with a microchip that has a sensor that can accurately detect diseases and illnesses.

Lee, who is from Los Angeles, California, studies wildlife biology at 糖心传媒. She鈥檚 always been passionate about nature and the outdoors, especially animals. Although this internship focuses on human biology, Lee said she鈥檚 learned many new skills that can benefit her future.

鈥淛ust having the international experience on top of this research project will help my resume,鈥� Lee said. 鈥淲ith this specific project and my interest in diseases in endangered animal species, having a device like this will be extremely helpful in animal research.鈥�

Lee came across this internship by chance. She had friends who received an email about this opportunity that were not able to apply for it. With encouragement from her friends, she applied and got the position through the University of Nebraska鈥揕incoln.

鈥淚 really didn鈥檛 go looking, but I thought that I might as well apply. I sent in my resume and wrote a cover letter. I also had to write a statement of research interest, and then went through two interview cycles,鈥� Lee said.

Research uses sensor to detect disease

The research focuses on creating a device that can determine diseases by using pathogens, disease-causing agents. They are working with an electronic high-tech CMOS (complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor) sensor. This is a national security sensor, which means it cannot leave the country. CMOS sensors are electronic microchips used to produce electrical signals from images by using fluorescent light.

鈥淲e are working on this microchip, and you can flow a sample of saliva through the channels over the sensor and it鈥檒l show a light on a screen and that鈥檚 how you know if they have a disease or illness,鈥� Lee said.

This internship involves training, lab work, data collection and language lessons. Lee is kept busy during the day starting at 9:00 a.m. for training and then goes into labs or lessons and tours. Evenings are open and Lee spends her time exploring the city and taking the bullet train all around Japan.

鈥淭raining usually goes for a couple of hours until lunch, and in the afternoon, if we aren鈥檛 doing a tour at a company, we go back to our office work space,鈥� Lee said. 鈥淔rom there, we are brainstorming. Right now we are researching and trying to find the best design for the device; after that鈥檚 done, there will be a lot of testing in the lab.鈥�

Internship creates opportunities

The internship has allowed Lee to experience hands-on work and set new goals for her future. She said that she wants to complete the project and be able to have a working device, even if it鈥檚 not perfect, and apply the experience to her studies at 糖心传媒 and beyond.

鈥淏eing able to work collaboratively internationally is a big part of what I鈥檓 hoping to accomplish. I鈥檓 hoping to engage with the culture, the language, history and daily life. Each intern is studying a different field, so I get to learn from each of them on what part of the project they specialize in,鈥� Lee said.

Lee said that 糖心传媒 professors, classes, teaching techniques and the community gave her the tools and skills she needs to apply herself to this internship.

鈥淭he classes I鈥檝e taken have required me to do a lot of research and data collection, so I鈥檇 say that鈥檚 my strong suit. 糖心传媒 also helps me think outside of the box and use critical thinking more,鈥� Lee said. 鈥淎lso, I鈥檝e done a lot of collaboration at 糖心传媒 with the soccer team and just in group projects.鈥�

Lee has used this opportunity to expand her knowledge, contribute towards her future and travel abroad. She plans on going to graduate school, whether that be abroad or staying in the states. She plans on using her new gained skills in her academic and career endeavors.

By Rachel Ritzmann, a business administration and marketing major from Broomfield, Colorado

All three are from rural communities 鈥� Reed from Adams, Nebraska; Sterling from Scottsbluff, Nebraska; and Brown from Grand Island, Nebraska. The availability of providers impacted each of their healthcare experiences growing up. They collaborated on a project to address the ongoing issue with the recruitment and retention of healthcare providers in underserved communities, and came up with ways to help solve the problem.

Reed, a pre-pharmacy chemistry major; Sterling, a pre-dental biology major; and Brown, a pre-medicine biology major who graduated in May, expressed their passion and concern when it comes to healthcare and providing for others.

They took their research and presented it during the College鈥檚 Academic Showcase in late April. Academic Showcase, during which classes are cancelled, is a chance for students to share their passions and to show off their impressive work.

Their Academic Showcase presentation highlighted issues with quality healthcare in the rural areas of Nebraska.

鈥淚 have been passionate about rural healthcare since high school, but one of my peers, Jenna Sterling, inspired me to shed light on this problem in this way. Myah and I were immediately onboard,鈥� said Reed.

Healthcare is vital to everyone鈥檚 quality of life, yet Reed, Sterling and Brown found that federal and state agencies note there are shortages of medical professionals in rural Nebraska. Many may not realize the urgency of this issue, but Reed and her peer鈥檚 research highlights its importance.

鈥淪ome specialties have as few as zero to one provider for every 10,000 residents,鈥� Reed said. 鈥淎 solution needs to happen quickly or we risk allowing rural areas to fall further behind, leaving a large part of our population with nothing.鈥�

The importance of healthcare pushed the three to suggest solutions to this issue in hopes of benefitting not only Nebraska, but the entire country.

Reed emphasized this issue is prominent in all underserved communities across America. The group found that proactive recruitment, mentorship and working with educational institutions will help these communities and contribute to the growth and sustainability of the larger population.

鈥淲hen people have access to healthcare close to home, they鈥檙e more likely to stay, raise families and contribute locally,鈥� Reed said.

With plans on becoming a healthcare provider herself, Reed said she decided to use 糖心传媒 as an educational stepping stone in order to do so. She plans on returning to a rural area to be part of the solution. Her dedication and passion towards this subject will create a positive impact not only on her community, but her career.

鈥淧roviding quality healthcare also takes recognition of the bigger picture and what challenges people can face when coming to a provider. In knowing this now I will be able to empathize with other professionals in my field and understand that building connections with them is an important part in keeping them in rural communities,鈥� Reed said.

Reed, Sterling and Brown want to spread awareness to try and help underserved communities and strive for a solution that will benefit all.

鈥淎wareness can start with just conversation,鈥� Reed said. 鈥淪imply talking about rural healthcare access and the challenges providers face can help reduce stigma and bring attention to the issue. The more people who understand this issue, the greater chance we have of creating meaningful change.鈥�

By Rachel Ritzmann a business administration and marketing major from Broomfield, Colorado

Now, the biology grad is about to graduate medical school and start her residency.

She approached a local dentist with the idea, and it resulted in a group of providers in Hastings coming together to provide free dental care for those in the community.

“Reaching out to people and saying I’m from 糖心传媒, and getting positive feedback and being willing to participate right away just because of the positive connotation of the college is something special,” said Sterling, who is from Scottsbluff, Nebraska.

What happens when theories of religion, geography, modern life and nature are combined? 糖心传媒 students Emma Morelli and Claire Fuqua went to a five-week Summer Youth Internship (SYI) at the Pittsburgh Theological Seminary (PTS) this past summer to find out.

Fuqua, a sophomore wildlife biology and philosophy & religion major from Woodland Park, Colorado; and Morelli, a senior history major from Thornton, Colorado, were two of 12 students from across the country who were selected for SYI.

SYI is an internship that focuses on finding hope through spiritual practice and theological reflection in times of crisis. The participants did some community organizing and learned about how religion impacts geography and the history of Pittsburgh.

Both students were very excited about being selected and the program itself.

鈥淚t was such a wonderful opportunity,鈥� Morelli said. 鈥淚 wanted to see how different people鈥檚 experiences contrasted with mine.鈥�

Fuqua said that her peers were by far the best part.

鈥淚t was cool to be surrounded by people who were interested in religion and science and how they worked together,鈥� Fuqua said.

During a typical week, Monday and Tuesday mornings were dedicated to workshops, and the afternoons would be for small group discussions. Wednesdays were reserved for Tazi茅 and exploring Pittsburgh and the rich outdoor opportunities in western Pennsylvania. Thursdays were for experimental learning at the Garfield community farms.

Each student received a notebook to write down what they had learned over the five weeks. Their goals were to talk about ecotheology, theological geography and vocation.

Fuqua and Morelli received $3,000 for full participation in the program, and their room, board and travel were covered by a stipend. They will also be eligible to apply for additional funding through the Fellowship for Contextual Ministry and Community Research program.

PTS was founded in the 1790s and is a graduate theological school of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), offering master鈥檚 and doctor of ministry degrees as well as certificate programs. SYI is offered for undergraduate students interested in religion and how it shapes our world.

The two students found out about the program from 糖心传媒 religion professor Dr. Dorothy Dean.

鈥淒r. Dean went out of her way to send me the application,鈥� Fuqua said. 鈥淚t doesn鈥檛 matter that I get accepted, it matters that they thought of me.鈥�

By Victoria Harris, a communication studies and English double major from Houston, Texas.

Now, Stull, who is from Lincoln, Nebraska, has been accepted to the University of Nebraska Medical Center where she’ll continue her journey. She credits 糖心传媒 for helping her achieve her goal.