2026 Undergraduate Community Engagement Summer Scholars and Fellows
Undergraduate students funded for community-based summer research
Sixteen University of Delaware undergraduate students have been selected as Community Engagement Summer Scholars and Fellows for 2026.
“From improving middle school student literacy in Delaware to addressing human rights issues in South Africa, the spectrum of this year’s projects shows that community engagement is not limited by discipline,” said Leann Moore, associate director of CEI. “The common factor is a willingness to partner with the public to strengthen our communities.”
Each student will be awarded sustaining funds as they engage in immersive research projects. This year, several students are supported by funding from Delaware Established Program to Stimulate Competitive Research (EPSCoR) and from generous donations to the Susan Traynor Serra ’00 Community Engagement Scholars Fund, named in honor of Sue Serra, longtime leader in service learning at UD. The fund was initiated through gifts from Carol Traynor-Mayer ’83 and Steven D. Mayer ’83, with contributions from many of Serra’s friends, family and colleagues, on the occasion of her retirement.
The program is open to all undergraduate students and is administered by CEI, which works to facilitate and strengthen UD’s identity and impact as an engaged research university and community partner throughout the state of Delaware and beyond.
The projects
Education students in the Associate in Arts program (AAP), Annabella Cimo and Thalia Figueroa will teach algebra and study how reading comprehension strategy instruction can improve content learning in middle school students, respectively, with community partner First State Squash.
Madison Gee, a junior Health Behavior Science major, will lead the Her Haven Empowerment Project, partnering with healthcare providers and community organizations in Delaware to address period poverty by increasing access to menstrual products, hygiene resources, and health education for women facing financial and social barriers.
Catherine Komp, a senior honors student majoring in public policy and a Community Engagement Scholar, will travel to Cape Town, South Africa, to work with Africa Unite, a nonprofit organization that researches and runs community programs related to human rights issues.
Figueroa, Gee and Komp are funded by the Susan Traynor Serra ’00 Community Engagement Scholars Fund.
Kaleigh Barry, a senior studying English and environmental studies, and Sarah Kasper, a sophomore honors student majoring in English and energy and environmental policy, will be Community Engagement and Ecological Restoration interns, working to maintain urban forests and vegetable gardens and leading educational workshops for K-12 students.
Junior landscape architecture students, Mirabella Bruno and Taina Schreiber, will work with the Coastal Resilience Design Studio to develop potential solutions to development pressure, riverine and stormwater flooding for coastal communities in Delaware.
Candy Ombiro, a sophomore studying biological sciences and forensic science and a Community Engagement Scholar, will work on the Food Bank of Delaware’s Newark farm, growing fresh produce for the Food Bank’s community programs.
Barry, Kasper, Bruno, Schreiber and Ombiro are funded by EPSCoR.
Jazmin Solis-Gaytan, an education student in AAP, will work with the LYTE Scholars program, studying the effects of technology integration on the reading comprehension of 8th grade students.
Alena Berger, a senior studying art conservation and art history, and Heath Manrakhan, a sophomore studying history and art conservation, will work with The Delaware Contemporary to better understand the needs of museum visitors and evaluate summer camp programming to make recommendations.
Senior neuroscience major Kathryn Hennessy will be working in Mary Dozier’s Attachment and Behavioral Catch-up laboratory, researching the role of the amygdala in social behavior, specifically within the context of trust and caregiver relationships
Mónica Santana Cintrón , a junior music education major and a Community Engagement Scholar, will partner with Exceptional Care for Children to explore how music might improve the quality of life of medically fragile teens and young adults.
Aster White, a sophomore economics and international relations major and a Community Engagement Scholar, will work with the Newark Area Welfare Committee on data analysis to assist with fundraising and outreach efforts.
Sienna Wong, a senior environmental science major, will work with nonprofit organization Green for the Greater Good to develop a strategic urban tree canopy plan for Wilmington’s vulnerable neighborhoods.
About Delaware EPSCoR
Delaware EPSCoR is a collaborative effort among the University of Delaware, Delaware State University, Delaware Technical and Community College, Goldey-Beacom College, and Wilmington University. This partnership aims to enhance the state’s research capabilities through the Established Program to Stimulate Competitive Research (EPSCoR), supported by the National Science Foundation and other federal agencies. By leveraging state and federal resources, Delaware EPSCoR strengthens research infrastructure, promotes STEM education, and drives economic growth. The funding is made possible by the US National Science Foundation EPSCoR Grant No. 2438144. 2438145 and the State of Delaware.