SAN ANTONIO – Excitement is in the air as the fall semester kicks off at the University of Texas at San Antonio on Monday. Fresh faces, eager to dive into their academic journey, are already making waves on campus. This summer, a special group of incoming freshmen got a unique opportunity to participate in a hands-on STEM lab program, providing them with invaluable experience before the official start of classes.
One such student is Fatimah Majeed, a recent graduate from Clark High School who is set to begin her freshman year at UTSA. Through her involvement in the N-PRE (Neuroscience, Developmental, and Regenerative Biology Pre-Freshman Research Experience) program, Fatimah has already been immersed in hands-on lab work, giving her a head start in her academic journey.
Reflecting on her experience, Fatimah shared, “These experiments helped me learn about how things work in the lab and how to work on different experiments. I had the opportunity to meet new people, so I was able to make new friends.”
The N-PRE program pairs incoming freshmen with faculty mentors, providing them with a real-world research environment that goes beyond traditional classroom learning.
Dr. John McCarrey, a professor at UTSA, highlighted the importance of hands-on experience in a laboratory setting, stating, “That’s very different than getting hands-on experience in a laboratory.”
Stephanie Villalon, a Ph.D. student at UTSA and founder of the nonprofit STEM-START, spearheaded the N-PRE program. Stemming from her own research, the program aims to provide STEM education and career exposure to students at an early stage.
Nataly Ibarra, a UTSA sophomore who participated in the program last summer, discussed how it prepared her for her current studies, stating, “It helped me prepare with my genetics classes and biology. I felt more advanced in my classes and understood the concepts better.”
Villalon emphasized the benefits of the program, including networking opportunities, professional development, and scientific writing skills, all of which contribute to students’ academic and career growth.
With its expanding reach, the N-PRE program continues to inspire and empower students to pursue careers in STEM fields, setting them on a path to success. As Dr. McCarrey aptly puts it, “This motivates them to do even better in their classes and in their studies, and eventually go into science as a career.”
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