Celebrating community-engaged research and impact in Champaign-Urbana

On August 7, 2024, the Interdisciplinary Health Sciences Institute (IHSI) hosted a poster session and celebration for the 2024 Community-Academic Scholars (CAS) program, which allows Illinois undergraduate students to pursue community-based research projects in the Champaign-Urbana area each summer. Now in its sixth year, the CAS program has provided this unique undergraduate research opportunity to 83 students from 10 Illinois colleges to work with nearly 50 community partners on 75 community-based research projects in the Champaign-Urbana community.

During the poster session, attendees met the scholars and learned about their research projects and experiences with the CAS program. Following the poster session, a ceremony was held to recognize the the scholars' work with their academic and community mentors to make a positive impact in Champaign-Urbana this summer.

New this year, the celebration was held at the Champaign Park District Martens Center, a community center that offers a variety of educational, health, fitness, and recreational programming and resources to the people of Champaign-Urbana. Previously, it was hosted on the Illinois campus and held virtually during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“As the CAS program aims to bring students out of traditional research labs and into communities, we wanted to bring the poster session and celebration into the Champaign-Urbana community,” said Celina Trujillo, a research development manager at IHSI focused on community-academic partnerships and one of the CAS program directors. “By hosting it at the Martens Center, we increased accessibility for more community members to attend rather than asking them to come to campus.”

Selected from a pool of 80 applicants and representing 18 majors and minors in seven colleges and schools, the 18 scholars in the 2024 CAS cohort encompass a diverse array of fields of study, from community health to education to industrial design. New this year, the 2024 CAS program welcomed three students participating in the Illinois Minority Serving Institutions (MSI) Alliance Summer Research Experience, providing them with meaningful community-engaged research experiences in partnership with the Office of Public Engagement and the Graduate College.

During the 10-week summer program, the scholars developed applied research skills for measuring and maximizing the impact in their work. The 2024 program featured 14 powerful projects that address a range of topics including substance addiction recovery, postpartum pain, basalt application in vegetable crops, culturally relevant programs and services, youth development and well-being, autonomous bicycles, environmental justice, indoor air quality, assistive robots in caregiving of older adults, cultural humility and bias, middle school STEM+C learning, local food chains, and accessibility of local businesses.

As they worked on their projects throughout the summer, the Community-Academic Scholars received mentorship from a faculty or staff member and community collaborator, acquiring valuable skills needed to conduct research and understand real, on-the-ground viewpoints and challenges.

Tonya Carter, founder of The Carter Education and Community Foundation, which aims to build a formidable network of community organizers, business leaders, family, friends, and neighbors to ensure equitable access for the advancement of all youth and future leaders, was a community mentor working with collaborator Kevin Tan, a professor of social work, and CAS scholar Diamond Smith, a student studying clinical psychology and communications.

“Working with Diamond was a complete joy. It kept me thinking and motivated to keep in the fight for advocating for the overall wellbeing of children and the community,” said Carter. “Diamond brought a level of thoughtfulness and attention to the current needs of the community that I want to see leaders have in the future.”

In addition to the undergraduate research experience, the scholars met weekly for a coffee hour and facilitated discussion, during which program directors, invited researchers, and campus experts provided practical guidance, covering topics such as careers in community-engaged research, conducting research in community settings, centering anti-racism in research, and presenting research to varied audiences.

Trujillo also wanted to provide the scholars with practical opportunities to connect with the community beyond their research projects. The 2024 scholars volunteered at the Eastern Illinois Foodbank, Salt & Light, Randolph Street Community Garden, and the Jubilee Café to better understand both issues facing the community and the remarkable ways community agencies are addressing local needs.

Genevieve Kirk, Director of the Center for Nonprofit Excellence, attended the 2024 poster session.

“As a first-time attendee, I was very impressed with the work of the scholars and excited to see how their research is positively impacting the missions of several local community organizations that are affiliated with our Center for Nonprofit Excellence at the Community Foundation of East Central Illinois” said Kirk. “It is my hope that more nonprofit organizations in our service area will engage with a Community-Academic Scholar to address critical issues in Champaign County and our greater service area in the future.”

IHSI Director Stephen Boppart expressed his appreciation for the hard work, effort, and contributions from the scholars, faculty, and community members that participated in the 2024 CAS program and eagerly anticipates the many further directions these partnerships will lead.

“IHSI, as the only institute on campus focused solely on the health sciences, technology, and innovation, has in its mission the drive to engage with our community and pursue research together that will improve the health and lives of so many.” 

In a video capturing participants’ reflections of the summer, scholars shared how their summer research experience impacted their future academic and career goals and advice for future scholars or those who may be interested in applying. The mentors shared highlights about working with the scholars, what other faculty should know about the program, and the value that community-academic partnerships bring to the community and the students and faculty involved.

Each fall, Illinois faculty and staff are invited to submit a community-engaged research project to the Community-Academic Scholars Program and the application for Illinois undergraduates opens each year in January. Visit the website for more information about becoming a Community-Academic Scholar, academic mentor, or community mentor and contact Celina Trujillo with questions.

Subscribe to the IHSI e-newsletter to receive announcements about the Community-Academic Scholars Program as well as information about upcoming events, research support services, partnership opportunities, and other news.