Two students at South Mountain Community College, Erica Garcia and Danielle Singh, have been accepted into the International Summer Research Program at the University of Guanajuato in Mexico. The eight-week program, which runs from June to July, provides undergraduate students with research training, faculty mentorship and cultural immersion.
This global learning opportunity is offered to SMCC students through a partnership with Maricopa County Community College District’s Center for Global Engagement, which helps local and international students expand their world.
Garcia, who is currently working towards a bachelor’s degree in Behavioral Health Sciences at SMCC, sees the significance that this opportunity holds and is grateful for what it means for her as a student.
“As a first-generation Mexican American and the first in my family to attend college, this opportunity represents both personal and academic growth,” said Garcia. “It allows me to gain valuable research experience while also being immersed in a new and enriching environment.”
Singh is also a first-generation college student and is currently pursuing dual associate degrees in both Behavioral Health Sciences and Network and Systems Administration at SMCC. The opportunity to study in the program does not just connect to her role as a student, but also to her role as a mother, as she is currently in the process of an international adoption with a Mexican agency to become a single parent to a child with special needs.
“This research program allows me to build a professional support system and a cultural foundation in Mexico, ensuring that my future child’s heritage is the primary foundation of our dual life,” said Singh. “I want to show my child that education is a lifelong, stimulating pursuit by living that reality myself, while perfecting my Spanish in professional and academic settings to further enhance my reach in every field I work in.”
While in the program, Garcia and Singh will engage in cultural activities through faculty-guided research while also building professional connections. They will complete over 200 hours of research in fields such as engineering, life sciences and humanities, which will be followed by a presentation of their results.
The students attribute both their academic experiences and connections at SMCC as guidance in preparation for the program.
“SMCC has been instrumental in supporting me throughout this journey,” said Garcia. “The faculty and staff helped guide me through the application process and even connected me with a previous participant, which gave me greater insight into the experience and made me even more excited to be part of it.”
“The BHS program has elevated my natural empathy with professional techniques in cultural competence, therapeutic communication and professional resiliency,” said Singh. “SMCC did not just teach me how to study these fields, they gave me the confidence and the village I needed to practice them with purpose.”