PRAIRIE VIEW, Texas (December 6, 2021) During the global COVID-19 pandemic, Dallas-native Ana Coronado earned real-world experience as an intern and volunteer at several human service agencies.
As a participant in the Faculty Research & Innovation for Scholarly Excellence (RISE) for Undergraduate and Graduate programs launched by the Division of Research & Innovation (R&I), Coronado conducted research with her mentor Larry Hill, Ph.D., Assistant Professor in Social Work in the College of Arts and Sciences at Prairie View A&M University on a project that will inform strategies for social work course development for the future.
Larry Hill, Ph.D., Assistant Professor in Social Work
Hill states, “Ms. Coronado embodied the missions of the university as well as the Department of Social Work. She provided the level of intellectual curiosity that expanded the boundaries of our research.”
In December 2021 Coronado will complete a Bachelor’s in Social Work degree and participate in the Inaugural Student Researcher Cording Ceremony. The ceremony recognizes students for engaging in the research process.
Coronado assisted on a research project to assess the emerging needs of human service agencies in the greater Houston area and determine how social work students can remain relevant during crises such as COVID -19.
“I relied heavily on Ana’s research skills as we worked together on our research study, Hill states. “Her real-life experience was critical to shaping the interpretation of the results in our manuscript accepted for publication in the Journal of Medical and Clinical Research & Reviews,”
He also commended Coronado for her ability “to grasp the impact that COVID-19 had on public service agencies and non-profit organizations.”
The Faculty-RISE program greatly impacted Ana.
“This experience has been very impactful on my life, my professional development, and my education,” Ana says as she reflected on her research journey. “It has helped me to expand my horizons and step out of my comfort zone.”
Assistant Professor Hill encourages other faculty to engage students in their research efforts.
“The Faculty RISE Undergraduate Research Program helped to keep my research prospectus moving forward, particularly in the area of COVID-19 response,” Hill states. “I strongly recommend that faculty invest time into developing your research agendas and apply for the Faculty RISE program.”
Next for Coronado? A move back to Dallas, where she plans to work for a school district or non-profit agency.
Karen B. Cotton