Thanks to the generous financial support of the Honors Ambassadorial Grant, I had the opportunity to represent the Honors Program at Fordham College Rose Hill at the American Chemical Society (ACS) Spring Conference 2025 in San Diego, California. At ACS, I attended an undergraduate poster session in the field of Chemical Education alongside students selected from all across North America. During the poster session, I presented my original research investigating the molecular determinants of clamp binding in Bacillus subtilis conducted during my time as a research assistant in the Fordham University Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry. My research provides insight into mechanisms related to a novel class of antibiotic drugs, known as DnaN inhibitors, which can be used to combat the rising prevalence of antibiotic-resistant bacteria. More information on my presentation can be found here.
In addition to presenting, I attended chemical industry events featuring keynote speakers who provided valuable insights into emerging chemical research developments and cutting-edge equipment. I also had the opportunity to network with professional chemists and representatives from major chemical companies to learn about the wide array of career paths in chemistry. Furthermore, I connected with fellow students who shared similar interests and discussed our academic and research backgrounds and how we might apply our experiences to our future endeavors.
I am incredibly grateful to the Honors Program for making my experience at the ACS Conference possible. As a senior exploring career options, it was especially meaningful to gain perspectives on life after graduation as a chemist. Moreover, having the opportunity to present my own research to a large and diverse audience was tremendously thrilling and fulfilling. I strongly encourage other Honors students to utilize the resources offered by the Honors Program, like the Honors Ambassadorial Grant, to foster their intellectual growth and support their professional development.
With help from the Honors Ambassadorial Grant, I was able to finance and install an exhibition about a Puerto Rican lacemaking process called mundillo at the NYPL Bronx Library Center’s Latinx and Puerto Rican Heritage Center. This collection of photographs, interview excerpts, and lace products were sourced during an ethnographic research trip I completed last summer in the San Juan and Moca areas of Puerto Rico. I studied how mundillo can be considered a source for the cultivation of cultural and community resilience after Hurricane María in 2017. This exhibition, Little World, honors the work and perspectives of the lace artisans I interviewed while in Puerto Rico, uniting bilingual text and visual art in a private room inside the library.
Curating this exhibition provided me with experience in artifact collection, exhibition design, visual communication, and art installation techniques. I have been considering pursuing a career in museum curation and this project has allowed me to engage in every stage of this process: from learning how to apply for a research grant to installing materials and hosting a gallery opening. It was incredibly gratifying to present my work professionally and publicly after a year- long process of academic research and logistical coordination of exhibition materials. It was also nice to host my friends, family, and professors at a community event, and to see in the visitor log that Bronx residents who are native to the small town of Moca (most well-known for its mundillo production) came to the exhibit and appreciated my work.
While I was in Puerto Rico last summer, many of the mundillo artisans asked me to spread the word about this form of art and its importance to their small community. With the help of the Honors program’s grant, I have been able to do so by bringing their stories and art to the Bronx community and that of Fordham University. I hope that other students will take the opportunity to engage in events and projects outside of Fordham and know that there will likely be support from the Honors Program along the way!
Thanks to the generous support of the Honors Program Ambassadorial Grant, I was able to complete my senior Urban Studies community-based internship at Youth Ministries for Peace & Justice (YMPJ) this fall. The Ambassadorial Grant funded my transportation costs between campus and YMPJ’s headquarters, located in the South Bronx, and enabled my senior thesis research, examining development on the Bronx River.
My primary work included a Brownfield Opportunity Area (BOA) study for the Southern Boulevard neighborhood, a Cass Gilbert Amtrack Station Development project, and the Soundview Economic Hub project. These various projects align with YMPJ’s commitment to helping local communities grow, develop, and thrive through remediation campaigns that turn neglected areas into vibrant public spaces. I was able to aid in the coordination and management of these federal and state-funded projects, exceeding $500,000, as well as planning community stakeholder engagement, and transforming the community development website pages through design and standardized content. Additionally, I met with various community leaders and experts in urban planning through weekly meetings and the Steering Committee I served on.
YMPJ’s mission is to rebuild the neighborhoods of Bronx River and Soundview/Bruckner Boulevard in the South Bronx by preparing community members to become prophetic voices for peace and justice. This mission is accomplished through political education, spiritual formation, and youth and community development and organizing. I had the pleasure of working alongside the Community Development team, including Fordham alumnus, Mr. Brosco, and the executive director, Mr. Shuffler. Their leadership was transformative in developing my knowledge and skills in community development and non-profit work.
I’m grateful for the opportunity to support YMPJ’s important mission and to further my career in urban planning & development. This experience was made possible by the Honors Program administration and their generosity. I look forward to applying my knowledge from YMPJ in both my professional and academic pursuits, thanks to the Ambassadorial Grant.
Authors: Kathryn Amend, Maya Anand, Sean Huynh, Alexander Kim, Francesca Stella, Elijah Otaner, Nicholas Bianco, Natalie Loo, Julian Melendez, Kirsten Rosas, Julia del Pino, Andres Caballero
In October 2024, a group of Honors students began preparing for a Global Outreach (GO!) trip to Puebla, Mexico. Each week, we met for around two hours to build relationships within the group and learn about the purpose and goals of the trip. We discussed the intricacies of sustainable farming and contextualized the migrant experience in preparation for working at Enlaces Community Center and La Sagrada Familia migrant shelter. Our GO! Leaders, Sean Huynh and Natalie Loo, made sure we were as prepared as possible to fully engage and gain something from this experience. We focused on the purpose of the trip and what we each wanted to personally achieve during immersion. Beyond this informational preparation, we also grew closer as friends and as a team by meeting individually with a different group member each week. Whether it was a quick chat over Dagger John’s or a trip to get frozen yogurt on Arthur Avenue, we enjoyed these chances to learn more about each other.
During formation, our group discussed the 2024 election and how the ongoing culture wars surrounding migration and the US-Mexico relationship would complicate our presence in Mexico. It was essential to our team to help establish a sense of hope for ourselves and the people we met during this trip. Despite our worry about this tension and the language barrier for many of us, the people we met at the community center were nothing if not welcoming. Whether we were working alongside Joanna and Maria in the kitchen or communicating with Renato through simple gestures and the help of translation, there was a richness in the interactions that transcended words. Renato’s life lessons were an especially poignant example of how connection can happen even when language fails. We learned about the universal need for human dignity and service and how these values are foundational to the work we were engaged in.
We spent the bulk of our daytime hours doing physical labor around the farm, such as tilling, composting, planting vegetables, and removing trash and microplastics from the soil. During some afternoons, we also helped babysit kids from the community and had the opportunity to have conversations with their parents and family members. Many of us found our most intimate connections during this time, whether playing with or teaching the kids, engaging in small talk with the adults, or even just stepping away from the high-energy environment to return to farm work.
We also spent a lot of time learning about the real-life practices of sustainable farming, specifically in the context of small-scale family farms. Arturo’s work advocating for sustainability on his farm and within his community was a direct reminder that sustainable practices can start small but have ripple effects. Every resource on the farm was used to its fullest ability, down to human waste. While large-scale solutions to environmental issues are necessary, the realization that individual actions matter became clear when we applied the techniques to several families’ backyard gardens. We began to understand that sustainability doesn’t look the same everywhere; it must be adapted to local contexts. What works in one place may not work in another, and the key to meaningful change is being responsive to the environment, the people, and their unique needs.
The experience was also deeply reflective of social justice, particularly the urgency we saw in the migrant shelter in Apizaco. Meeting people who were facing the struggles we had been discussing in our formation meetings reminded us of the larger political and social issues we must confront outside of this experience. The shelter visit, though distressing, sparked a realization of the importance of empathy, solidarity, and active resistance against unjust systems. It left us grappling with the contradictions of privilege, borders, and the harsh realities many people face daily. During our nightly reflection that day, we reflected on the difficult fact that while engaging with people who needed help, the path for tackling the underlying problems that created their circumstances was very unclear. In these moments of doubt, we had to trust in Arturo’s insistence that solidarity is ultimately the key to promoting universal human dignity.
Even when confronting these sobering realities, there was much joy in daily life in Cholula. We experienced a profound connection to the environment, and the shared experiences of working, eating, and reflecting together created an unspoken bond among us. We also felt a deeper connection to the land through the rituals and practices we were taught: asking permission from and thanking the land, the cycle of crops, and the movement of energy through us and back into the environment. The small tasks—like washing dishes or tilling the soil—held great meaning in the context of the trip’s broader themes. Even the humbling presence of the Popocatépetl volcano served as a reminder of the natural forces that shape our world, grounding us in the significance of living in harmony with the environment.
Towards the end of the trip, as we were wrapping up the projects we had started at the beginning of the week, we spent a little more time inside, listening to presentations about other kinds of sustainable work. We listened to presentations by the founders of the Bamboo Architecture Company and Kuiñi Xa’a Mezcal company. It was amazing to see other sustainable innovators who had brought their products to market and remained competitive while remaining environmentally conscious.
Every group member left this trip with a newfound appreciation for solidarity, sustainability, and service. Whether it was the lessons about sustainable farming or the need to respond to urgent social justice issues, this trip provided a framework for creating meaningful change in our communities. The experience in Mexico was not just a week of service learning — it was a lasting reminder that real change begins with empathy, action, and a deep respect for the environment and one another.
For the fall 2024 semester, I worked with Part of the Solution (POTS) as a Legal Intern. As my first exposure to a legal setting, this opportunity was invaluable. I joined the attorneys in the Bronx Housing Courts various times, where I interacted with clients and observed the attorneys. When I first began, I was shocked to hear that many clients had arrears amounting to tens of thousands of dollars.
However, I observed that, at times, clients did not have accurate and sufficient public support from programs such as FHEPS, cityFHEPS, and Section 8. Other times unforeseen extenuating circumstances resulted in high arrears. It was a very eye-opening and interesting experience to navigate these situations. When observing the attorneys in the Court House, I learned how they would relentlessly advocate for their clients to obtain services and improve their homes if needed.
When in the office, I helped organize, complete, and supplementary write applications explaining the situations leading the clients to fall behind on their rent. I also helped POTS create their annual report for grant organizations to track the impact and sustainability of their support.
Lastly, I had the opportunity to observe the other social services offered at their other office on Webster Avenue. I spent a day volunteering at the kitchen and another day with the social workers. The organization certainly has a large undertaking, but the gratitude and positive outlook of many people are contagious.
I enjoyed interacting with the clients and the opportunity to learn from the attorneys’ extensive experience in the field, their motivations, and educational backgrounds. I am so grateful for the Fordham Honors Program Ambassadorial Grant. It is one of the many ways in which the Honors Program supports and encourages students’ endeavors.
This summer I had the opportunity to intern for Co-op Power, a multi-class, multi-race, intergenerational renewable energy cooperative working towards our just and sustainable transition. Co-op Power’s primary focus is on community-owned solar to create clean, continuous electricity, green jobs, consumer savings, and community wealth.
Co-op Power’s Community Energy Cooperative (CEC) network has CECs in Massachusetts, Southern Vermont, and New York. With the support of Co-op Power, the CECs develop community-solar projects by applying for and receiving grants, carrying out green job trainings for hosting their own site installations, and hosting educational workshops and resources for furthering social justice and sustainability. Co-op Power also provides a solar subscription program through co-located solar panels, bringing the benefits of renewable electricity to any subscriber. Along with solar development, Co-op Power created a biodiesel plant and was in the process of transferring ownership to another cooperative in renewable energy production.
At Co-op Power, I was their Project Development Coordinator and took part in many different aspects of their ongoing operations. Through these, I learned a lot about the organization itself and different non-profit organizational processes. I conducted email campaigns for continued CEC outreach and hosted workshops on upcoming community-solar grants and CEC resource sessions. I attended board meetings and took meeting notes, and helped to facilitate specialized committee meetings on the subjects of Member Outreach and Engagement and the upcoming Annual Member Gathering. Each of these aspects introduced me to new types of work skills and new people. As an International and Environmental Studies double-major, conducting communication for a variety of audiences, learning more about renewable energy, and sharing educational sustainability resources all helped to enhance my studies.
I really enjoyed working with Co-op Power this summer and appreciated the opportunity to engage in such impactful work in social justice and sustainability. Through this summer internship introduction, I will be continuing to work with Co-op Power on a remote basis this fall. I look forward to learning more about and participating in our just and sustainable transition.
With the support of the FCRH Honors Program, I had the privilege of working as the Institutional Giving Intern for Sanctuary for Families this past summer. Sanctuary is a major NYC-based nonprofit dedicated to serving survivors of domestic violence and other forms of gender-based violence. They work out of multiple shelter and office locations throughout the city to provide survivors with shelter, counseling, crisis intervention, legal representation and advice, and career training, with the ultimate goal of creating a world where freedom from gender violence is a basic human right. I was honored to be a part of that mission this summer.
I spent most of my time working with the Institutional Giving team on grant proposals and other aspects of government and foundation fundraising. As I worked to draft and edit proposals, reports, and acknowledgement letters, I honed my professional writing skills and grew in my ability to accept constructive criticism and work collaboratively.
Many of the grants we applied for were for specific programs, so I also had the opportunity to meet people from across the organization in order to learn and write about their work. For instance, in drafting a report about Sanctuary’s Economic Empowerment Program (EEP), sitting in on an interview with the program’s director, and volunteering at the EEP graduation ceremony, I learned about the unique career-related challenges facing abuse survivors, especially those who have limited English skills or were financially dependent on their abusers. I got to write about the impact of Sanctuary’s career training services, which empowers survivors by preparing them for and placing them in living-wage jobs. Beyond the tangible impact of the program, it was inspiring to see how much more hopeful and less alone survivors reported feeling after completing the program.
Another highlight of my internship was spending my Wednesdays at one of Sanctuary’s shelters in the Bronx, where I helped run a summer camp for the children living there. Amidst all the art projects, sidewalk-chalk obstacle courses, and fun space-themed activities, I listened as the kids shared pieces of their stories with me. It was a privilege to help create a fun, welcoming, and safe environment for them.
In my Honors classes, we often talk about justice issues facing our communities. This internship was an incredible opportunity to take that learning out of the classroom and witness an organization that is actively working to pursue justice for gender violence survivors. I am grateful to Dr. Meneses and Hannah for their support and to Sanctuary for Families and the Institutional Giving Team for welcoming me into their work and affirming my desire to pursue nonprofit work in the future. I am excited to continue working with them in the fall.
This summer, I had the opportunity to intern at the International Rescue Committee, a refugee resettlement agency that resettles refugees in the Atlanta area, my hometown. The international rescue committee is an international organization that works in both crisis mitigation and resettlement.
I worked as a financial capabilities intern within the Economic Empowerment branch of the Atlanta office. As a financial capabilities intern, we worked to help newly arrived refugees develop financial capabilities and understand the daunting United States financial system.
The main goals of my department were to offer loans, including auto loans, credit-building loans, and small personal loans. These loans are intended to help clients gain low-interest access to capital and credit. Our department also offers financial literacy classes in clients’ native languages. These weekly workshops cover topics like credit and loans, savings and banking, and budgeting.
My largest responsibility in my internship was conducting budgets for clients, to assess both their self sufficiency and their eligibility for loans. For these budgets, I was assigned to work with French-speaking clients, as I had taken French in school. This was incredibly daunting because I had never spoken French outside of the academic context, but speaking French became incredibly rewarding as my conversational skills began to progress. I was able to assist many French speaking clients whom our department would have been otherwise unable to serve without an interpreter.
As an intern, one of my other primary responsibilities was to contact clients who needed help understanding their IOM loans, a mandatory loan covering each refugee’s cost of travel, and work with them to set up repayment or deferment. I spent a lot of time working one-on-one with clients and helping them understand more about what these loans are, helping clients set up loan repayment, or helping them defer the loan.
One of the most rewarding parts of my internship was simply speaking to clients, as working with them on budgets and IOM loans also allowed them to raise other concerns or questions. Each day brought an unexpected new task, like helping a client order a debit card, translating mail, or connecting them with employment or medical services.
As an economics and urban studies student, I was able to experience firsthand how personal finance can empower economic development. I have learned a lot about the resettlement process and how necessary and meaningful resettlement support is for clients. I hope to continue this work in future economic development roles, and I would like to thank the Honors Program for this incredible opportunity.
This past summer, I was fortunate to intern for Interfaith Works, a non-profit organization providing refugee resettlement services in Syracuse, New York. Interfaith Works provides government-regulated and funded resettlement services. It is their mission to provide these services with respect and dignity. The organization relies heavily on generously donated time and goods to facilitate resettlement and the future success of individuals and families. I interned with the Match Grant program, which offers new Americans additional support to develop self-sufficiency through the means of employment services, budgeting guidance, and basic needs assurance such as housing and food.
At the beginning of my internship, I focused on learning the ins and outs of the Matching Grant program and learned how to manage and organize client paperwork and files. I then contributed more profoundly to the program by crafting resumes, leading job searches, and translating enrollment and self-sufficiency meetings for Spanish-speaking clients. Interacting with the Matching Grant team and its clients in various ways taught me a lot about professional teamwork and time management. For example, managing housing or employment concerns often requires teamwork to overcome language and cultural barriers to reach solutions. With over 100 families and individuals in unique situations arriving at the agency monthly, I have learned how essential each member of the Matching Grant team and their communication is to assure proper support for each client.
As a psychology major, Spanish minor, and pre-law student, this internship and the Honors Fellowship have been incredible opportunities to immerse myself in a personally fulfilling and intellectually exciting environment.
Personally, I enjoyed supporting clients and watching them flourish. I had the opportunity to work with clients who arrived in the United States and began in our programs around the same time I began my internship. I felt a sense of responsibility and compassion toward them and took care and attention when providing employment services.
Academically and professionally, I have learned much about the resettlement process for people with refugee and special immigration (SIV) status. This has encouraged me to explore social psychology and immigration law opportunities for the upcoming year.
Thank you to the Fordham Honors Program for this opportunity!
This summer, I had the privilege of working as a visiting researcher in Dr. Juan Del Valle’s lab at the University of Notre Dame in South Bend, IN. The Del Valle lab is part of the Notre Dame Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, and a major focus of the lab is peptide and protein mimics. My specific project concerns an interaction between two proteins, Tau and Fyn kinase, that is associated with Alzheimer’s disease. I am working to develop peptides, or small protein fragments, that inhibit the Tau-Fyn interaction and therefore slow the progression of Alzheimer’s. This summer I have focused primarily on creating an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) that will be able to test whether or not the peptides I make are effective inhibitors. I will be using this assay back at Fordham as I continue my project in Dr. Nicholas Sawyer’s lab, which will ultimately provide a central focus for my senior Honors thesis.
The Del Valle lab group is composed of mostly graduate students and a few undergraduate students. Because Fordham does not have a chemistry graduate program, working among graduate students and having one of them as a mentor was a novel experience for me. I gained exposure to several new laboratory techniques, while increasing my competency as a scientist and helping with other Tau-related projects. I received valuable guidance as I navigated the numerous roadblocks of assay development, as well as academic and career advice from colleagues currently on the PhD track I hope to pursue. I also exercised independence when it came to the progression of my project, taking responsibility for experiment workflow and data analysis.
In this position, I have met fascinating people from around the world and become immersed in the campus culture of Notre Dame. I spent the summer surrounded by the cutting edge of scientific research and had the opportunity to envision my future life as a chemistry graduate student. I am beyond grateful to the Honors Program for making it possible for me to engage with the Del Valle lab and dive into my research that ultimately seeks to treat Alzheimer’s disease.
