A group of students and staff from Grand Rapids Community College recently visited the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, Michigan to learn more about transfer student life.
At the end of July, more than 35 students from Grand Rapids Community College, as well as staff, visited the campus of University of Michigan at Ann Arbor for a day of academic connection, discovery, and inspiration. While on campus, the students were afforded the ability to learn firsthand about the experience of transferring to UofM while exploring its campus, and talking to partners of the university.
The students attended the Undergraduate Research Opportunity Program Summer Research Symposium during their visit. At the symposium, eight of the Grand Rapids Community College students presented the results of their summer research projects. These projects had been undertaken by the students independently, and were selected after an application process, where the students were then enrolled in the UROP Community College Summer Research Fellowship. The participation was supported through the aid of Transfer Bridges to the Humanities@Michigan, which is a partnership that operates with funding through the Mellon Foundation. Humanities@Michigan works to expand access to University of Michigan research and transfer pathways for students currently in community college.
The Grand Rapids Community College students participating in the UROP Community College Summer Research Fellowship this year were Rolando Ramos, Sally Odren, Nicholas Moore, Clarissa Hernandez-Ceron, UmmulBanin Hassani, Alma Frutos, Juliette Bolle-Leon, and Andrew Anderson. They all worked with faculty members from the University of Michigan on new research that fit with their personal interests and academic goals.
The project topics covered a variety of topics such as: "Examining the role of admissions officer background in admissions work", "Green hydrogen and fuel production using artificial photosynthesis", "Effects of functional electrical stimulation on post-stroke ankle injury", "The experiences of Latino graduate students at U-M", "Longitudinal associations of maternal mobile device use and maternal-infant wellbeing", "The effect of conditional Bmpr1a deletion in suture mesenchyme".
These research projects demanded intense effort on the part of the students while also deepening their academic engagement, developing mentorship connections, building confidence, and brought into focus a clearer vision for their future as transfer students.
Leanne Challa, who is the GRCC program manager for Transfer Bridges, was quoted on the school’s website in an article about this trip saying, “This program is an incredible example of what’s possible when institutions work together to support student success. Our students aren’t just visiting a four-year university — they’re actively participating in the research and academic culture that makes U of M such a vibrant learning environment.”
The visiting students not only viewed their peers’ presentations at the symposium, but they were also able to take a tour of University of Michigan’s Ann Arbor campus, talk to admissions representatives, and get a better feel for what it might be like to transfer to the university.
More information about campus visits, transfer opportunities, and how to participate in the UROP Summer Research Fellowship can be found on its webpage.
More information about Grand Rapids Community College can be found at the school’s website.