U. Notre Dame, Providence College Scholars Pursue Research Beyond Campus
Jasmin Melancon and Nandi Gayles are spending the summer pursuing academic opportunities that extend far beyond the classroom.
Jasmin, a Scholar at the University of Notre Dame, was recently awarded a Gilman Scholarship, which has allowed her to study abroad in Mexico City. A biological sciences major with a minor in health professions, Jasmin plans to become an OB-GYN and is interested in women’s health and patient care.
Nandi, a Scholar at Providence College, is spending the summer as a sociology research assistant through the Veritas Summer Undergraduate Program. The opportunity, supported by Providence’s Summer Undergraduate Research and Creative Grant program, provides funding for students to pursue in-depth research and creative projects under the guidance of a faculty mentor.
“Studying in Mexico City is giving me the chance to learn in a new cultural context and think more deeply about the kind of physician I hope to become,” says Jasmin. “As someone interested in women’s health, I want to understand how people experience care across different communities.”
For the remainder of the summer, Jasmin will also serve as a coach and counselor at a sports camp while volunteering with LCMC Health in New Orleans. Those experiences continue to build on her interest in working directly with people in settings focused on health, mentorship and community care.
“Whether I am coaching young people or volunteering in a health care setting, I am learning how important it is to listen with an open heart and mind,” says Jasmin. “That is the kind of care I hope to practice in the future.”
Nandi’s project, entitled “The Pervasive Social Death: The Sociological Imagination of Black Girlhood and Womanhood in the Works Toni Morrison,” explores the intersections of sociology and literature in Morrison’s The Bluest Eye and Beloved. Nandi is pursuing majors in Black studies, sociology and anthropology, along with a minor in creative writing.
Through the experience, Nandi’s research has taken them to Martha’s Vineyard, Princeton University and the Association of Black Sociologists Conference in New York City, offering opportunities for academic exploration and professional engagement.
“This research has allowed me to bring together the questions I care about across Black studies, sociology, anthropology and creative writing,” says Nandi. “I am interested in the stories that often go untold and in the ways literature can help us better understand black social life.”
For both Scholars, the summer has created opportunities to connect academic interests with lived experience.
Reflecting on the significance of the opportunity, Posse New Orleans Director Sherdren Burnside observes, “Whether exploring health care through a study abroad experience or using research and writing to examine culture, these off-campus research opportunities allow students to ask meaningful questions, engage deeply with communities, and elevate stories that deserve to be heard. We are incredibly proud of Jasmin and Nandi and look forward to the insight, growth, and lasting impact their research will undoubtedly produce.”
