REACH Fellow Spotlights

REACH Fellow Spotlight - Peace Ajirotutu

"The most googled show on earth in 2018 was a 70-episode Chinese drama titled Story of Yanxi Palace. This statistic is a feat since Google is banned in China. Even though Yanxi was a mega success internationally and reached over half a billion views in China, it was censored in China shortly after airing. This begs the question; why would China censor its most popular television show in 2018? My personal curiosity led me to wonder if historical accuracy had to do with its censorship. My speculation for why Yanxi could have been censored led to this paper's central research questions: How accurate is the portrayal of Qianlong’s empresses and imperial consorts in Story of Yanxi Palace? Furthermore, should historical accuracy be mandatory for historical fiction television shows? Ultimately I find that after watching all 70 episodes, viewers understand that a consort’s life begins when entering the Forbidden City, for which death is the only way out. Furthermore, as viewers watch the women deal with the highs and lows of the ranking system, they become extremely familiar with the internal complexities of the Forbidden City. The most important aspect of these women’s lives are portrayed in Yanxi; thus, historical accuracy could not have been the reason for its censorship.

I am grateful to the REACH program and Dr. Hudson for allowing me to research a topic that greatly interests me and for giving me the platform to share my interest with others! I have never done such a large project before, and it certainly hasn’t been easy, but it was a valuable experience."- Peace Ajirotutu

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"My research takes a unique approach to analyze UNCP students who go to the gym and participate in the culture of working out. I am researching gym culture and looking at students' perceived body image and self-esteem in current years to see how trends have changed over the years. Looking at past studies of gym culture in students were quite repetitive and the data didn't have many differences. I'm hoping to collect new and diverse data to see if different factors play a part in how students participate in the gym. I am currently doing focus-group interviews with students using pseudonyms, so it remains anonymous and audio recording the interviews for transcription. After transcribing all of the interviews, I will continue to edit my literature review and create a final writing piece on my research. Working with Dr. Reiter has helped me to strengthen my academic writing, thoroughly analyze research studies and make my research successful!"- Tiffany Smaw

"Participating as a R.E.A.C.H. Fellow has been an experience I will take with me for the rest of my life. It has been incredible to delve deeply into my passion for veteran substance use and to receive so much professional support on my path to law school. My mentor, Dr. Brooke Kelly, has pushed my abilities as a researcher and fostered meaningful growth, both academically and personally. More confident in myself, I have demystified the research process and hope anyone interested in pursuing research will give it a try. This is my second year in the program, and I am so grateful to have been given the opportunity to continue my research project. The “why” of substance use has always interested me; my interviews with veterans have highlighted how tobacco and alcohol are used as coping mechanisms within the military environment. More than just research, giving veterans a platform to share their story has become my passion. I hope my research is able to reach beyond and create meaningful conversations about the implications of substance use among service members."- Hannah Irving

The study Dr. Miranda Reiter and I are conducting is entitled The Daily Life of a Police Officer: A Futuristic View Examining Racial and Socioeconomic Impacts. Here we will be offering a survey to students that are pursuing a career as a police officer in the future. Through this survey, we hope to find the beliefs and attitudes of those who are pursuing a career as a police officer through the participant's ethical perspectives. This study is only for those with a Criminal Justice or Sociology major. It has been a great experience so far getting to learn about how to conduct research. I am extremely grateful for this opportunity to conduct research with Dr. Reiter and to have her as a mentor. Dr. Reiter has been extremely helpful through this entire process and has given me much guidance regarding professional development.~Madison Bathke

2021-2022 Outstanding REACH Fellow Jessica Muniz

"Jessica is one of the most impressive students I have had the opportunity to teach during my thirteen years at UNC Pembroke. I first met Jessica in the fall of 2019 when I became her major advisor, and I have been fortunate to teach her in two advanced history courses and serve as one of her research mentors. Jessica is one of those dream advisees who walks into every meeting thoroughly prepared—she always knows which classes she wants to take, what forms she needs me to sign, and what questions she has about her research project. In addition to completing her major in History with Honors and minors in both American Studies and American Indian Studies, Jessica has eagerly pursued relevant opportunities outside of the classroom, including an extended museum internship and two years of the REACH program. She is highly motivated and self-directed, a thoughtful researcher and writer, and a good colleague to her classmates and fellow REACH participants."Jessica's Mentor Dr. Jaime Martinez

"My research is focused on Native American felons and their reintegration into society, primarily in North Carolina. Being a Native American, and my father being a felon, I have a personal connection to my research. I have been looking into laws that govern felons and their access to social safety nets. Participation in the REACH program afforded me the opportunity to present my research at the 11th Annual The National Collegiate Research Conference hosted by the Harvard College Research Association. My mentor Dr. Jane Haladay has been pivotal to my growth while a part of the fellowship, and I have enjoyed her continued guidance throughout the academic year. REACH was also a blessing while applying to law school. I was able to pay for LSAT tutoring and law school application fees, which has allowed me to apply more broadly. I am thankful for all that REACH has done for me."~ ZACHARY YOUNG

REACH Spotlight Hannah Irving - Mellon Fellow

REACH Spotlight Mattea Sylvester - Mellon Fellow

REACH Spotlight Irma Bannerman - Mellon Fellow

REACH Spotlight Kaila Thompson - Mellon Fellow

REACH Fellow Spotlights

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Pembroke Mellon R.E.A.C.H. Program

The University of North Carolina at Pembroke