Nicolette Harvey '26 stands with her final Summer Scholars poster.
On Friday, August 1, a record number of St. Catherine University Summer Scholars research teams presented their final projects in the Rauenhorst Ballroom. This year’s cohort included 20 teams and 34 undergraduate students, who worked with faculty mentors as well as student and faculty collaborators across a range of disciplines to create 23 final presentations. The celebration was well-attended by family, friends, research partners, and other St. Kate’s community members.
Students presented on a range of interdisciplinary topics, from freshwater biology to the effects of long COVID to Native American food sovereignty in Minnesota. As Summer Scholars program participants, students learned new research strategies, practiced teamwork and flexibility, and forged connections with mentors, fellow students, and faculty from other disciplines.
Nicolette Harvey ’26, is majoring in applied science in exercise science (pre-PT). As a Summer Scholars student, she worked with faculty mentors Steven Elmer, PhD, and Erin Schumacher, DPT, EdD, both professors in the Doctor of Physical Therapy program. Their project — “A ‘Fair’ Approach to Characterizing Health and Fitness in Minnesota” — involved collecting health and wellness data from test participants at Minnesota county fairs. As a continuation of their project, they also conducted research at the Minnesota State Fair.
After a summer of intensive research, many teams will go on to present their work at research conferences, including the 2026 National Conference on Undergraduate Research (NCUR). Six teams will also continue their research as part of the fall 2025 Assistantship Mentoring Program (AMP) at St. Kate’s.
Director of Collaborative Research Katie Campbell, PhD, highlighted the value of this program, saying, “Our students and their faculty mentors become a real scholarly community over the duration of the Summer Scholars program — sharing weekly workshops to discuss and celebrate the challenges and successes of each team’s project. This year, we had a record number of students and faculty participants and the energy in the ballroom during the closing poster session was outstanding — with external collaborators and students’ families coming together to celebrate the research!”
The Summer Scholars program is part of Collaborative Research, within the Office of Scholarly Engagement (OSE). More information about Summer Scholars, including the full 2025 Closing Celebration Abstract Book, is available on the Summer Scholars webpage. Faculty and students who have questions about Summer Scholars are welcome to contact Katie Campbell at collresearch@stkate.edu.
Nesteho Abdi '27 and Maryam Irobe '27 pose with their final poster. Both students plan to continue this project in fall 2025 as part of the Assistantship Mentoring Program (AMP).
Sophi Cahalan '26 and Leila Hoeschen Ehrbright '28 pose with their mentor, Angela U. Ekwonye, PhD.
2025 Summer Scholars Projects
When waterways run dry: Dynamics of algal assemblages in intermittent rivers.
Maddie Newabuer ’27; Kajsa Schultz-Bakke ’27; Paula C. Furey, PhD
Examining the impact of shoe type on gait mechanics in older adults
Kyla Bohr ’25; Marcella Myers, PhD
Neuromuscular Fatigue in Pediatric Oncology Survivors
Amara Moss ’27; John Pellegrini, PhD
Building a Knowledge Repository for Broadening Representation in the Chemistry Classroom
Jade Davis ’26; Kim Ha, PhD
Mechanochemical Synthesis of Photoluminescent and Triboluminescent Materials using Earth-Abundant Elements
Lalisse Burka ’26; Porkim Minh ’27; Daron E. Janzen, PhD
Polymer Education in the Undergraduate Laboratory
Kaelin Ogston ’26; Brielle Peterson ’27; Kayla A. Lantz, PhD
Understanding facilitators and barriers for the utilization of an Indigenized meal kit amongst urban Minnesota Native American youth and families
Anna Hanratty ’26; Margret McCue-Enser, PhD
Navigating Long COVID: The Role of Social Support in Mental Health and Well-being
Anna Friendshuh ’26; Julia Schmitt-Mischke ’26; Lacey Chu, PhD
Welcoming the Dear Neighbor Economics Team
Zoe McKillip ’26; Samantha Schroeder ’27; Cristina Flores-Alatriste ’26; Hawti Boranto ’27; Kristine West, PhD
Healthy Girl Revolution: Pre-Adolescent & Adolescent Girls' Health-Promoting Stories of Resistance
Cecilia Purfeerst ’27; Rebecca Busanich, PhD
Welcoming the Dear Neighbor?: Housing and School Segregation in St. Paul, Minnesota
Alexandriana Davis ’27; Olivia Lien ’26; Veda VanHorne ’27; Rachel A. Neiwert, PhD
Evaluation of Menopause Care in Immigrant Women, and Recommendations for Improving Care
Samrawit Ameha ’27; Yasmin Hajihassan ’27; Hailie Reynoso ’28; Amy Kelly, MD, MPH; Leah Wonderful, PharmD
Facilitators and Barriers to Migrational Transitions and Its Impact on Type 2 Diabetes in Somali Elders Living in Minnesota
Nesteho Abdi ’27; Maryam Irobe ’27; Ambria Crusan, PhD
Effectiveness of Individualized Occupational Therapy Education Combined with Stay Active and Independent for Life (SAIL) Program Participation on Balance Improvement and Fall Reduction
Hiba Hussein ’28; Charlene Pair ’28; Marie Ramos ’28; Melanie Homan, OTD
A “Fair” Approach to Characterizing Health and Fitness in Minnesota
Nicolette Harvey ’26; Steven Elmer, PhD
Balance and Postural Control in Pediatric Cancer Survivors
Felicity Lamb ’27; Kelli Nielsen, DPT
Sleep Hygiene and Well-Being in Older Adults: Examining Patterns, Perceptions, and Health Outcomes
Maya Ndjarakana ’28; Anaya Mitra, PhD
Evaluating the impact of an eight-week positive psychology intervention in improving the subjective well-being of Nigerian university students: A mixed-methods pilot study
Sophi Cahalan ’26; Leila Hoeschen Ehrbright ’28; Angela U. Ekwonye, PhD
Food acculturation patterns and diabetes-related health risks among East African Immigrants
Nimo Mohamed ’26; Habiba Ibrahim, PhD