{"id":21400,"date":"2025-10-22T19:14:58","date_gmt":"2025-10-22T19:14:58","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/mpower.maryland.edu\/?p=21400"},"modified":"2026-01-12T21:39:41","modified_gmt":"2026-01-12T21:39:41","slug":"umsons-um-scholars-program-hits-double-digits","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/mpower.maryland.edu\/umsons-um-scholars-program-hits-double-digits\/","title":{"rendered":"UMSON’s UM Scholars Program Hits Double Digits"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Pictured L to R — Top row: Hooria Umer, Georgia Bardi, Zuzana Huserova, Kayla Morris, Ayanna Arroyo; Middle row: Ozioma Agoh, Rachel Ni, Alejandra Mata, Daphney Waller; Front row: Jackson Kerner, Christina Lee, Megha Chander.<\/sub><\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/div>\n\n\n\n

Published on the UMSON website<\/a><\/strong>, Adapted for the MPower website<\/strong> | October 22, 2025<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/div>\n\n\n\n

It\u2019s amazing what you can grow in 10 years.<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
<\/div>\n\n\n\n

In its decade of operation at the University of Maryland School of Nursing<\/a><\/strong>, the UM Scholars program<\/strong><\/a> has expanded from two students and two faculty mentors to 12 students placed with seven mentors. This year\u2019s scholars are among 35 who have participated since 2016, 32 of whom have matriculated to UMSON.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

These are numbers that tell a story of a successful collaboration, part of the University of Maryland Strategic Partnership: MPowering the State<\/em><\/strong>. This alliance between the state\u2019s two most powerful public research institutions \u2014 the University of Maryland, Baltimore<\/a> <\/strong>(UMB<\/strong>) and the University of Maryland, College Park<\/strong> <\/a>(UMCP<\/strong>) \u2014 provides a summer opportunity for UMCP students to conduct important research alongside UMB faculty.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Now more than ever, bolstering the conduit of early-career researchers is critical, paving the way for continuity and developing expertise.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

On July 31, UMSON celebrated the dozen UM Scholars who conducted nursing research during this year\u2019s program, as they presented their findings, which included background, results, purpose and aim, methods, discussion and steps, acknowledgments, and references.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cOnce I became a bedside nurse, I became very aware of the need to do research when I was working in the NICU,\u201d said Yolanda Ogbolu, PhD \u201911, MS \u201905, BSN \u201904, NNP, FNAP, FAAN<\/a><\/strong>, the Bill and Joanne Conway Dean of the University of Maryland School of Nursing and professor, during her opening remarks. \u201cI wondered why babies who looked like me were more likely to die before they reached their first birthday. There are deep factors within our communities that often drive those outcomes. It took me on a wonderful path, but we can\u2019t understand the drivers of poor health outcomes if we don\u2019t do research, if we don\u2019t have people who are curious like you.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As the scholars presented their research findings, they thanked their mentors and other supporters. Ogbolu reinforced this appreciation, saying, \u201cMentoring students in research is very important work, and sometimes those mentors become lifelong mentors. I\u2019m sure they\u2019ve put an imprint on you and your life.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n

\n
\"Female<\/a>
UM Scholar Georgia Bardi presents her research progress at the UMSOM Student Research Forum on Friday, July 25, 2025.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

The scholars shared aspects of their research that surprised them, which ranged from the amount of paperwork to the number of moving parts to the lack of research done to date. \u201cI wasn\u2019t expecting how collaborative research can be, especially at the beginning when you\u2019re designing it,\u201d said UM Scholar Georgia Bardi.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The consensus among the scholars was for students to take advantage of opportunities to engage in research whenever possible.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIf there\u2019s a research opportunity, just go for it,\u201d said UM Scholar Kayla Morris. \u201cThere are so many things that can be incorporated into it, whether you come from a background of computer science or you\u2019ve never used an Excel spreadsheet. It also makes you grow up a little bit, getting to be in a professional setting all the time.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n

\n
\"Female<\/a>
UM Scholar Kayla Morris presents her research at the UMSOM Student Research Forum on Friday, July 25, 2025.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n
<\/div>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYou always are going to learn something new. You might love research, you might learn that you don\u2019t,\u201d Bardi added. \u201cIt helps you in your future; knowing what the process is behind it helps you understand it better.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This year\u2019s scholars, mentors, and projects are:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/div>\n\n\n\n