During the summer of 2024, LLS major Alexa Rodriguez conducted research as a TRIO McNair Scholar. She wrote to us about her experience. 

This summer, I conducted research with the UIUC TRIO McNair Scholars Program. The Program helps eligible students prepare for PhD programs by providing research opportunities, mentoring, and graduate school preparation.

Becoming a McNair Scholar has been such a transformative experience for me as a first-gen college student. Before joining, I had no idea what research really involved—I thought it was only for people working in labs! I didn’t realize that anyone could explore topics they were passionate about. I also didn’t know much about the path to getting a master's or PhD.

That’s why I applied to McNair—to get the guidance I needed to navigate research and grad school.This summer, I had the opportunity to conduct my first literature review on the experiences of Latinx families navigating the criminal justice system as surviving. victims of homicide. It was an eye-opening experience, and I loved discovering what worked for me and what didn’t in the research process.

I also had the incredible opportunity to present my research at the Illinois Summer Research Symposium in a poster presentation. This was such a meaningful experience—I got to share all of my findings on a poster that I designed myself! It represents my very first time presenting research in this way, and I know it’s just the beginning of many more to come.

by Alexa Rodriguez