The Research Access and Mentorship Program (RAMP) completed its second year through the Franco Institute at the University of Notre Dame during the summer of 2025. Through RAMP, five students—three from Xavier University and two from Notre Dame—carried out individual research projects under the supervision of their faculty mentors while participating as a cohort in on-campus events and other opportunities.

This year’s cohort built upon the vision for RAMP. The foundational goal for this program is to remove barriers that have historically hindered many underserved students from participating in research or creative projects, and students from low-income backgrounds or first-generation college students are strongly encouraged to apply. By participating in the program, undergraduate students have been able to discover the nature and impact of research projects conducted in the liberal arts and explore potential research-oriented career paths and opportunities.

Lindsay Paturalski, Franco Institute’s student grants program manager, shares that, “The second year of the Research Access and Mentorship Program brought together a cohort of Notre Dame and Xavier students for eight weeks of paid independent research.” Reflecting on the benefits of the program, Paturalski said, “Participants worked closely with their mentors, gained skills for graduate school, and engaged with South Bend and the Michiana area through program activities and volunteer work.”

Testimonials from this year’s RAMP scholars demonstrate the transformative experience that the program has provided.

Mariela Rodriguez, a Notre Dame student in psychology, reflected on the high-level research of her work. “This summer, I served as a research assistant in the BRAIN Lab, which studies how children process different types of rewards using eye-tracking, EEG, and behavioral video analysis,” she explained. Rodriguez also shared how this work fed into new ideas for future research. She said, “I began developing my own research project focused on how cultural differences influence the way Latina mothers interpret early signs of autism, particularly in social communication and interaction behaviors.”

Throughout the program, the mentoring that RAMP scholars received from faculty and from Franco Institute staff provided guidance and reassurance as students progressed through the eight-week program. Amani Garrison, a visiting student from Xavier University, shared that, “I took part in psychology research under my mentor, Dr. Dawn Gondoli. I researched the potential impact that anxiety, pain catastrophizing, income, and stress have on gastrointestinal symptoms in young African-American women.” Garrison relished the networking opportunities and the chance to meet new people over the summer, but she noted that the summer’s research was not without its obstacles: “One challenge I faced while in this program was dealing with imposter syndrome. Sometimes I felt as if I were a fraud, or that my accomplishments that I made were not good enough, but Dr. Paturalski assured me that I belonged. I appreciated that a lot.”

Mariah Stevens, another student from Xavier, also overcame “a bit of imposter syndrome” and ultimately came away from the program with greater confidence and certainty in her career goals. Stevens said, “RAMP taught me the power of perseverance in research. I’m finishing this program with not only stronger academic skills, but also a clearer vision of what I want to do after undergrad and how I want to use psychology to advocate for marginalized college students in research settings.”

Notre Dame student Ryan Zambrano offered a holistic sense of what RAMP offered him. His research focused on the identity of the Eastern Catholic Churches. “These Churches have a unique identity, sharing much of their culture with Orthodox, yet they are Catholic,” Zambrano explained. “I examined how they viewed themselves as well as how the Orthodox and Latin Catholics perceived them. Additionally, I explored what efforts could be made to help them gain greater appreciation, given their mistreatment throughout their history,” he said. He praised his faculty mentor, theology professor Ulrich Lehner, as “the best part about RAMP,” while noting how beneficial the entire program has been for him: “There is so much to take away from this experience. Getting a look into how academia works and the tools needed to conduct research, such as asking critical questions, going back to the sources other scholars used, and even the skills required to interview people.” Echoing that sentiment, Mariah Stevens concluded, "The best part was being part of a supportive academic community. Collaborating with faculty and mentors who genuinely care about my growth made a huge impact. I gained a lot of meaningful connections in preparation for graduate school. I especially appreciated how RAMP encouraged me to think critically and take ownership of my learning."

Originally published by Jacob Schepers at franco.nd.edu on September 02, 2025.