Meet Our McNair Scholars

Majors: Psychology and Child Development
Minor: Spanish

Biography:
Abril Ayanna Correa is a third-year student pursuing a degree in Psychology (BS) and a degree in Child Development (BS) with a minor in Spanish and an academic certificate in Diversity and Inclusion. She was born and raised in Jerome, Idaho to immigrant parents and as the oldest of three, she led out to set an example for her siblings and family as a first-generation student. Her family has always been a source of motivation and empowerment for her education, and she has always worked hard on excelling as a student. As a first-year student at the University of Idaho, she formed part of the College of Letters, Arts and Social Sciences Dean’s List for Fall 2020 and Spring 2021, and again as a second-year student in Spring 2022. A key piece in helping her find all these opportunities and resources as a first-year first-generation student at U of I was the university’s College Assistance Migrant Program. In search of a home away from home that aligned with her core beliefs, she became a sister of Kappa Delta Chi Sorority, Inc., a multicultural sorority, that promotes Unity, Honesty, Integrity, and Leadership. Abril currently serves as the Vice President, Co-Historian, and Council Delegate of her sorority alongside being the Public Relations Chair for the Multicultural Greek Council. 

Currently, Abril works for the Idaho Center on Disabilities and Human Development with IdahoSTARS. She also had the opportunity to participate as a research assistant working under Dr. Annie Roe. Her research supported the state-wide project titled “Early Beef Consumption in Idaho: Perceptions, Practices, and Relationship to Child Cognition”. Her aspiration to obtain a Ph.D. motivated her to join the Ronald E. McNair Post-Baccalaureate Achievement Program. Her independent research project titled “Self-Image of Adult Children of Alcoholics” was done under the mentorship of Dr. Shiyi Chen. Her research interest on the impacts of childhood trauma on adult life come due to her experience as a daughter of an alcoholic. Although her father was able to overcome his addiction and embrace his sobriety, she knows that not many children of alcoholics have the same luck to see their loved ones overcome addiction and find closure to the trauma inflicted upon them. Dr. Chen has been an amazing mentor and Abril still works closely with Dr. Chen as she forms part of her Graduate Student’s Lab Meetings. She presented her research in the MKN McNair Heartland Research Conference and hopes to present at the APA 2023 Conference in Washington D.C. this summer. 

Abril intends to graduate from the University of Idaho in May of 2024 and attend graduate school to obtain her Master’s and Ph.D. as a Clinical Child Psychologist specializing in Developmental Trauma. As a result of her life events, she wants to specialize in developmental trauma and conduct research on ways that the education system can be improved to prevent chronic trauma, develop early identification protocols, and create early intervention programs. She wants to aid children in unstable circumstances and support them by addressing any traumatic circumstances occurring within their household. She hopes that, through these efforts, children’s abilities as individuals will be strengthened to be the best version of themselves.

Majors: Biochemistry

Majors: Psychology

Biography:
Hector Guerrero is a fourth-year student at the University of Idaho College of Letters, Arts, & Social Sciences (CLASS). He is currently pursuing a degree in psychology with a minor in Spanish. He was born in Culiacan, Sinaloa, Mexico, and moved to the US when he was 7. Hector is a first-generation student and the eldest in his family with two younger siblings. In his first three years, he was on the CLASS dean's list for all six semesters from Fall 2020–Spring 2023. Hector is also involved in several programs and organizations. He is brainstorming project ideas for campus improvement since he is serving in the University of Idaho student body senate. Hector served as a University of Idaho student body senator to give voice to his community. While serving in the Senate, Hector authored and endorsed legislative proposals and resolutions aimed at benefiting both his local community and the broader student population.  He is the former President of Omega Delta Phi Fraternity, Inc. and a current McNair Scholar. During his time as president, he litigated for all positions in his fraternity and oversaw regional and national requirements of the fraternity. He now advises the current president whenever he comes upon new conflicts regarding the fraternity. He attends events such as service events, photoshoots, tabling, and showcases to fulfill fraternal duties and simultaneously connect with his community. Thanks to his father’s work of 40+ years in agriculture, he forms part of the College Assistance Migrant Program (C.A.M.P.) and Student Support Services (SSS)—TRIO.

As a McNair scholar, Hector is in the final phases of preparing his research for publication. His research interests stem from his relevant coursework in sociology, developmental psychology, and social psychology. Through his coursework, he has been able to relate it to his past experiences within his family and community to see how these restrictions are put into place and how, in a developmental sense, they affect underrepresented communities' and families’ mental health. He believes that through his research he will be able to better educate underrepresented communities and open them up to new ways of thinking. He hopes that this will result in a more understanding developmental mindset for underrepresented communities.

Hector plans on attending law school in the fall of 2024 after finishing his undergraduate degree.  Hector has taken several steps in order assure to his preparedness for attending law school. For example, attending several law school information events hosted by the University of Idaho and other institutions. He has also completed an internship as a legal assistant at the law firm named Legal Aid of North Carolina (LANC).

Majors: Biotechnology & Plant Genomics and Horticulture & Urban Agriculture

Majors: Business Economics and Medical Sciences

Major: Mathematics

Biography:
Felino Macatuno is a first-generation, Filipino student in his senior year at the University of Idaho, where he is pursuing a B.S. in Applied Mathematics with a minor in Computer Science. He has undertaken multiple academic experiences, namely completing internships at Idaho National Laboratory, Sandia National Laboratories and National Aeronautics and Space Administration.

His recent work, through the Ronald E. McNair Post-Baccalaureate Achievement Program, focuses on designing a thermal and visual comfort controller to effectively heat and cool offices alongside Dr. Damon Woods, the director of the Integrated Design Lab at the University of Idaho Boise campus. Felino has also received the University of Idaho’s College of Science Hill Fellowship, where he will continue to validate his research findings.

Felino is actively involved in student activities here at the university, where he is a member of the Phi Eta Sigma Honor Society and the Pi Mu Epsilon Mathematics Honor Society. Felino was also a math and computer science tutor during his sophomore and junior years.

Upon graduating in May 2024, Felino hopes to attend graduate school to obtain his Master’s and Ph. D. in Computer Science. His research interests are at the intersection of artificial intelligence and sensing technologies. In the future, Felino aims to lead a research group, create intelligent sensor technologies with practical benefits, and teach at a university.

Majors: Sociology and International Studies

Biography:
Yerika Marquez is a fourth year first generation college student at the University of Idaho who was raised in Weiser, Idaho. Coming from a single parent household and as the oldest of three siblings she aims to pave the way for her siblings to obtain college degrees as well. Her family has also served as a major source of strength and motivation as she is the first person in her family to pursue a college education. Growing up in a small town made her aware of social injustices and difficulties within the education system. Influenced by these factors she decided to major in Sociology and International Studies with minors in Justice Studies and Spanish and an academic certificate in Equity and Justice. A former College Assistant Migrant Program Scholar, TRIO Mentor, sister of Kappa Delta Chi Sorority Inc, and an ambassador for her college, the College of Letters, Arts, and Social Sciences. Yerika is passionate about giving back to diverse educational programs and initiatives that have paved the way for her during her studies and academic endeavors. She also spent the fall semester studying abroad in Madrid, Spain in the University of Rey Juan Carlos.

As the first in her family to attend college, she understands the impact and difference that an education can have for herself and others. For these reasons, she is passionate about researching inequalities in education, the sociology of education, race and ethnicity, criminal justice reforms, and educational policy. Yerika was a Summer Research Opportunities Program student at the University of Notre Dame where she was able to learn more about Faculty Diversity among tenure/tenure track faculty within the top fifty social science departments within the United States. She received the opportunity to present this project at the University of Notre Dame Summer Undergraduate Research Symposium and the University of Washington Gabriel E. Gallardo Undergraduate Research Symposium. She has also worked two summers for the Oregon Migrant Leadership Institute one summer as a mentor and another as a supporting staff member.

Yerika will graduate in the Spring of 2024. Because of the underrepresentation of faculty of color within academia, in the future Yerika strives to obtain her Masters in Public Administration or Educational Policy and later her PhD in Sociology. She strives to become a professor at a university where she can assist students in pursuing their academic goals, in addition to giving back to first generation college students with underrepresented backgrounds. She hopes to serve as a professor, mentor, advocate, advisor, and role model.

Major: Animal and Veterinary Sciences

Major: Animal & Vet Science

Biography:
Abigail Olmos, an aspiring scholar with a rural Mexican American background, possesses a deep-rooted connection to the land and its creatures. She is a first-generation student at the University of Idaho majoring in Animal and Veterinary Sciences As a McNair scholar, Abigail is determined to carve her path by diving into the complex realm of animal welfare within the Northwestern United States. Her passion for this subject was ignited during a transformative six-week program exploring the dairy industry, which exposed her to the perspectives surrounding animal well-being.

Growing up on a calf ranch and as the daughter of a dairyman, Abigail understood the significance of caring for these animals. Her research aspirations dives into the emotional and behavioral aspects of animal welfare. She aims to better interpret how society perceives the dairy industry from economic, social, and environmental viewpoints. Her goal is to bridge the gap between those intimately familiar with livestock and urban dwellers, spreading essential knowledge and advocating for the welfare of both the industry and its four-legged inhabitants.

Abigail envisions a future where she can make a difference by pursuing a doctorate in veterinary medicine and a Ph.D. in social sciences, allowing her to teach, conduct research, and amplify the voices of dairy farmers, urban dwellers, and, above all, the cattle. Her journey as a scholar is but the first step toward her lifelong mission of advancing research in this critical field.

Abigail has begun her experience in undergraduate research studying what animal welfare is to dairy farmers.

Major: Biology

Majors: Animal Sciences

Biography:
Gabriella Ponce is a Senior pursuing a Bachelor’s in Animal and Veterinary Sciences with a Production emphasis with a minor in International Studies at the University of Idaho’s College of Agricultural and Life Sciences.

She was born in a small town in Southern Idaho to parents who migrated from Mexico. As a first-generation student, she is motivated by her ability to pursue a post-secondary education which is an opportunity her parents never had. She strives to be a hard worker and pave the way for other multicultural students in agriculture like herself. Although her first couple of years were a struggle due to Covid, she still finished both years with a 3.0 grade point average and joined the Diversity Scholars Program and Kappa Delta Chi, Sorority Inc., a multicultural greek organization. These organizations helped her succeed as a college student and further her knowledge and goals towards graduate school.

As a third year
student, she became the Multicultural Greek Council Co-President, a Student Support Services Trio Mentor, held various positions in her sorority, and won the Outstanding Junior-Dean Vitrus Award. As a Senior she is active in her sorority, helps mentor students through freshman orientation, is a part of the Vandal Promise Scholars Program, and the Student Support Services Trio Program. Since Gabriella discovered her passion for agriculture and animal science through the National FFA Organization she has not looked back. After being an intern for Dr. Jim Sprinkle, a range and animal nutrition specialist, her interest in nutrition and cattle efficiency flourished.

Because she aspires to get a Ph.D, become a professor, and conduct research on animal nutrition and environmental sustainability, she became a Trio Ronald E. Mcnair Scholar. This pushed her to pursue more research and is currently working with Dr. Pedram Rezzamand and Dr. Amy Skiebal from the University of Idaho on how wildfire smoke inhalation of 2.5 pm affects dairy heifer calves in-utero. She hopes to not only help progress the cattle industry through animal sustainability and health but also spread awareness on the importance of sustainable agriculture. Gabriella hopes that as a future Latina/Chicana professor she can not only pave the way for animal agriculture but for other first-generation students.

Major: Animal and Vet Science

Major: Psychology and Philosophy

Biography:
Natalie Suaste is a fourth-year undergraduate student at the University of Idaho. She is a first-generation, Chicana college student expected to graduate in Spring 2024 with a Bachelor of Science in Psychology and Philosophy with minors in Politics, Philosophy, Economics, and Spanish.

Natalie Suaste has been a very involved student here at the university. She has been part of various clubs and organizations such as the College Assistance Migrant Program (CAMP), McNair, McClure Scholar, ASUI, College of Letters of Arts and Social Science Ambassador, and Kappa Delta Chi Sorority Inc. Alexandra has also had the opportunity to work alongside the College of Education, Health, and Human Sciences as assistant to the Dean.

During the summer 23’ Natalie conducted research alongside Dr. Graham Hubbs. Her topic consisted of “The Racial Opportunity Cost  of Latina and Chicana in the State of Idaho.”  Researcher Terah Venzant Chambers, who created the term "Racial Opportunity Cost," presents the classic way of explaining the notion by making one choice negate all other possible choices. Utilizing Dr. Chambers's findings, Natalie transcribed and coded four interviews to generate themes associated with the framework. Results show that Latina and Chicana politicians in the state of Idaho have had to pay a grand price. Through this research, Natalie was able to learn about the cost she will have to endure as an aspiring politician in the state of Idaho.

Natalie hopes to attend law school in the Fall of 2024. In the future she strives to open her own law firm along her sister. She hopes to also run for office in the near future.

Majors: Psychology

Biography:
Susana Torres is a First-Generation Latina and undergraduate student working towards a Bachelor of Science in Psychology with minors in Pre-Health Studies and Spanish, and an Academic Certificate in Equity and Inclusion. During McNair’s Summer 2023 Susana conducted a research project “’¿Los bebes vienen de dónde?’: Communication Dynamics within Latinx Families and Communities” with support from her faculty mentor, Associate Dean, Dr. Traci Craig. Her research focused on researching what comprehensive/conceptual sex education looks like within Latinx families and how well-prepared recipients are of their knowledge in this field.

Ms. Torres has worked with the SSS TRIO Program for three years at the University of Idaho, to help support first-generation students like herself who come from diverse backgrounds. She is also a Mentor for the Office of Multicultural Affairs and TRIO, she has had the opportunity to provide tailored support, strategies, and engagement opportunities for First-Generation, Pell Grant-eligible students and individuals with documented disabilities.

Susana intends to graduate from the University of Idaho in May of 2024 and attend a Master’s program in the Summer of 2024. She plans to receive a Ph.D. in the following four-to-six years; She hopes to focus on research that focuses on the impact of medical prescriptions on children and adolescents and how it factors into their development, particularly within underserved communities. By combining her passion for child development with a keen interest in preventive healthcare, her goal is to contribute to the design of innovative strategies that promote healthy growth and empower children to overcome obstacles they might encounter.

Majors: Apparel, Textiles, and Design

Majors: Architecture

Majors: Psychology

Majors: Wildlife Resources