This summer I will be spending my first summer as a Global Scholar, and this really excites me, because being a Global Scholar is about a lot more than just traveling to a new place. I will be traveling with a completely new mindset of intentionally engaging with my surroundings in ways that will challenge what I already know and push me to grow past my comfort zone both personally and academically. I want to approach the new this summer with curiosity and humility so that I can learn the most I can from this experience.
As a psychology major, I am excited to apply what I’ve been learning in the classroom to real-world contexts and better understand how people’s environments/communities shape them. I plan to do this by being fully present in my experience so that I can form meaningful connections and being sure to reflect on what I learn.
This summer, I will be participating in a research-focused REU program at Syracuse University and I am very excited about the opportunity to be able to collaborate with other students who are equally as passionate about research. I also think that being surrounded by these students who are all from different backgrounds and with different perspectives will push me to think more critically and expand my understanding of the world around me.
I’m simultaneously feeling a little apprehensive about the experience since the environment I’m entering is intimidating. I’ll be surrounded by high-achieving peers and I start to wonder how I’ll measure up and if I’ll feel a true sense of belonging. I am aware that these thoughts aren’t unique, and they actually directly connect to what I hope to study this summer.
My CBI will focus on understanding how feelings of belonging influence student engagement and success, particularly in highly selective academic environments like this REU program. I chose this topic because I’ve seen firsthand how important it is for students to feel connected, especially when in competitive or unfamiliar settings. I plan to approach this research by collecting survey data from the other students in the program and analyzing patterns in their responses over time. I’m hoping that this kind of structure will be able to capture both the consistency and variability in each students’ experience.
To truly engage with the community, I’m going to push myself to go beyond surface-level interactions by exploring the Syracuse area, supporting local businesses, and taking time to connect with people outside of my immediate academic circle. Within that circle, I’m aiming to foster a strong sense of collaboration and openness with anyone I work with. I want this summer to be about growth, both academically and personally.
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