6/29/2026 Amy Clay
Written by Amy Clay
The Interdisciplinary Health Sciences Institute (IHSI) is proud to announce a new cohort of Illinois undergraduate students joining the 2026 Community-Academic Scholars (CAS) this summer. With support from the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), the Illinois-Substance Use and Mental Health Mentored Experience and Research (I-SUMMER) program uses the CAS program model to create a community-engaged research experience that is dedicated specifically to substance use and mental health comorbidities. Like CAS, the program provides training for the next generation of community-engaged researchers while addressing areas of critical need within our community and building community partnerships that endure long after the individual scholars have graduated.
The I-SUMMER program is led by IHSI Research Scientist Brandi Barnes, IHSI affiliate Douglas C. Smith, a professor of social work, and Celina Trujillo, IHSI research development manager for community-academic partnerships. IHSI affiliate Cherie Avent, a professor of educational psychology, will bring her expertise in educational research, measurement, and evaluation to assess I-SUMMER program quality, effectiveness, and to make sure the program is achieving its proposed aims.
Students in both programs will have the same supports, mentorship, and social and volunteer opportunities to connect with each other and with the community. Students in the CAS program will focus a little more on building skills aimed at strengthening community partnerships, and accessible science communication, while I-SUMMER scholars will spend time learning about working with substance use prevention, treatment populations and the ethics involved in that work. All 28 scholars will come together for a poster session and celebration on Wednesday, August 5, 2026.
The inaugural cohort of nine I-SUMMER scholars will contribute to seven research projects examining risk factors for misuse and overdose, as well as projects exploring methods of screening, prevention, and support.
Introducing the inaugural I-SUMMER scholars
J Beto is working with Human Development and Family Studies (HDFS) Professor Jacinda Dariotis and Youth Employment Services (YES), a program of Champaign Unit 4 School District, on the Summer Youth Participatory Action Research (YPAR) Experience: Facilitating Youth-Led Project Related to Substance Use.
J is a first-generation college student in the Agricultural Leadership, Education, and Communication (ALEC) program with a concentration in education and a minor in horticulture. J has worked with ALEC Professor Amy Leman to evaluate methods for empowering rural high school students to address issues within their local communities. J also works to empower and support fellow students in their personal and professional growth through involvement with registered student organizations Alpha Tau Alpha and MANRRS. J plans to pursue a career in education research.
Blessing Eyinle is working with a mentor from the University of Illinois Hospital & Health Sciences System and Charee Thompson, a professor of communication, on Advancing Women’s Health Through Community-Engaged Research on Health Screening and Substance Use.
Blessing is a double major in communication and psychology with a concentration in behavioral neuroscience. She had previously been working with Prof. Thompson to examine health communication in interpersonal and patient-provider contexts. She is also active in the Beekeeping Club, where she promotes sustainability and pollinator education. Blessing plans to become a professor of communication.
Emily Depke and Gurneer Sidhu are working with Health and Kinesiology (HK) Professor Rachel Hoopsick and the Champaign-Urbana Public Health District (CUPHD) on Translating Baseline Findings from the HEALERS Study to Inform Healthcare Worker Well-Being. The project is a collaboration with the HEALERS (Healthcare Environments: A Longitudinal Examination of Resilience and Stress) Study, funded by the National Institute on Drug Abuse, and the Champaign-Urbana Public Health District.
Emily is a Chancellor’s Scholar majoring in neural engineering with a minor in psychology. A volunteer experience in her own rural community led her to a passion for addressing systemic challenges in the medical field. Emily has been actively involved with the Cancer Center at Illinois, where she has participated in the Cancer Scholars Program and the 2026 International Cancer Education Conference (ICEC) Abstract Program. Her research for the ICEC focused on cancer screening disparities in rural regions of the United States. She also works in Professor Joseph Irudayaraj’s Cancer Toxicology lab examining the impact that exposure to Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) has on various organs. Emily plans to pursue a doctoral program where she can apply engineering and public health research to address health disparities in underserved populations.
Gurneer is studying molecular and cellular biology with the goal of becoming a physician. Through the Sudden Cardiac-Death Awareness Research Foundation (SCARF), she has conducted research and contributed to writing papers focused on cardiac health. She also helps raise funds to purchase and place Automated External Defibrillators (AEDs) in locations throughout the Champaign-Urbana community that would not otherwise be able to afford one. Gurneer’s experience working as a certified nursing assistant has helped her to develop a strong interest in compassionate, patient-centered care. Gurneer aims to combine clinical research, advocacy, and community engagement to improve healthcare access.
Curtis Lok and Louisa Nwaigbo are working with a mentor from Rosecrance: Mental Health, Addiction, and Residential Treatment, as well as Prof. Jacinda Dariotis on Exploring Childhood, Family, and Social Factors that Predict Substance Use Risk-Taking among Transition-Aged Youth: Informing Prevention Recommendations.
Curtis is studying clinical and community psychology. He has been working with Professor Dariotis on a project examining the impact of mindfulness-, music-, and nature-based interventions on social and emotional development and executive functioning among young children. For his bachelor’s thesis, Curtis is working on an acculturation project focusing on international students, using online surveys, hands-on tasks, and interviews under the supervision of Benedek Kurdi, professor of psychology. Curtis is passionate about supporting children with emotional, learning, or intellectual disabilities. He plans to become a child psychologist and to continue researching developmental pathways and resilience in children.
Louisa is a first-generation college student and James Scholar studying interdisciplinary health sciences with a concentration in health and aging. She also works in the Dariotis Lab, studying child development and stress regulation. As a peer mentor in the College of Applied Health Sciences (AHS), she supports new students as they get adjusted to life at Illinois. She is also the incoming peer mentor chair on the AHS Advisory Board in the coming academic year. Louisa plans to pursue a career in health. She is exploring both biomedical research and clinical pathways.
Sophia Stuart is working with Professor Hoopsick and a mentor from CUPHD on Nitrous Oxide Misuse Among Young Adults: Developing a Community-Engaged Pilot Study.
Sophia is a James Scholar studying community health with a focus on health education and a minor in history. She is an Illinois Women’s Rugby player and an incoming facilitator for The First Year Consent and Relationship Education (FYCARE) workshop required for all first-year students. Sophia plans to pursue graduate study in public health and is also considering medical school.
Dontavious Williams is working with mentors from the Urbana Park District as well as Social Work Professors Moses Okumu and Doug Smith on Understanding Substance Use and Mental Health Among Young Adults in Champaign-Urbana Through Participatory Listening Sessions.
Dontavious is a Fred S. Bailey Scholar and first-generation college student studying clinical psychology while minoring in public health. He has conducted research in LaTasha R. Holden’s Learning & Achievement Motivation Processes Lab. Dontavious serves as a Counseling Center paraprofessional and president of Men of Impact. Dontavious plans to become a school psychologist serving marginalized communities and eventually open a private practice.
Kaile Yang is working with HK Professor Hyojung Kang and CUPHD on Understanding Polysubstance Use Patterns and Overdose Risk in Champaign-Urbana.
Kaile is studying community health with a focus on health planning and administration and a minor in business. She has held multiple leadership roles in Phi Chi Theta Professional Business Fraternity, including consulting director, recruitment chair, marketing chair, and project manager, and is also involved in the Illinois Consulting Academy. Kaile is interested in pursuing a career in healthcare consulting.
Preparing community-engaged health leaders
Through the I-SUMMER program, undergraduates are working on projects that have the potential to positively impact the Champaign-Urbana community in many ways. In addition to the intended aims of the projects themselves, the students are learning to engage in effective and reciprocal community-based research. As these scholars progress toward careers dedicated to improving health from a variety of angles, we are optimistic that they will recognize the value of community collaboration and lived experience in developing solutions that meet the needs of people and communities they aim to serve.
Campus and community members will have an opportunity to learn more about the research and experiences of all 28 Community-Academic Scholars at a poster session on Wednesday, August 5, 10 – 11:30 a.m. at the I Hotel and Conference Center. Subscribe to the IHSI mailing list to receive an invitation to this and future IHSI events.