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FROM THE OFFICE OF RESEARCH, INNOVATION, & ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT |
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Welcome New & Returning Hornets |
We're starting the academic year with plenty of ways to connect, explore, and get involved! First up is our Scholarly Resources and SRC Open House, where students, faculty, and staff can meet some of our campus partners, discover valuable resources, and learn about upcoming opportunities. From there, we'll keep the momentum going with research-focused workshops, and our annual Fall Poster Forum.
Each month, we'll bring you the latest from our Center through our newsletters! You'll find upcoming SRC events, the Scholarly Synergy section, featuring research, scholarship, and creative activities happening across campus, and the Celebrating Excellence, where we spotlight exceptional students and their academic journeys. This month, we're excited to feature Master's student Aesha Abduljabbar! Be sure to check out her story below.
At the end of each newsletter, you'll also find our contact information, hours of operation, and booking link. Students and faculty working with students are always welcome to reserve the SRC as a space to meet, work, and collaborate.
Vanessa Alejos
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Discover all that the College of NSM has to offer! Connect with faculty, departments, clubs, and centers while enjoying interactive activities, games, and free giveaways.
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Join us for an inspiring afternoon focused on your future in Kinesiology and Health Science! Connect with program representatives, explore opportunities, and get your questions answered.
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| Led by executive coach Lauren Franklin, this session will help you recognize where fear may be holding you back and will help you build practical tools to move through it.
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Every third Thursday, connect with Cameron Law for open office hours at HMCI in Rancho. No agenda or pitch needed, just bring your ideas and talk through what you're building.
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Born in Iraq and later displaced to Syria, Aesha faced significant challenges from an early age. When she began school in Syria, she was unable to read or write, making her transition into the classroom especially difficult. The bullying and isolation she experienced caused her to question her abilities and whether education was truly a path meant for her. Although her skills gradually improved her self-doubt still loomed over her as she started her new chapter in America. Throughout the challenges of middle and high school, Aesha remained determined by drawing strength from her mother's sacrifices and perseverance, which inspired her to continue moving forward in her educational journey. Luckily, Aesha's experience changed once she started American River College as peers and faculty members welcomed her and provided her with a sense of community. Aesha later transferred to Sacramento State, where her academic interests continued to evolve and she changed her major from Biological Sciences to English. Determined to continue to grow, Aesha applied to the Master's program in Education at Sacramento State. While preparing for her application she immersed herself in peer-reviewed literature and she discovered an unexpected passion for research.
That growing interest became deeply personal when Aesha began researching the mental health experience for refugee students in higher education, a topic closely connected to her own. During her first semester of graduate school, she learned about the Fall Poster Forum and saw an opportunity to bring greater awareness to the challenges refugee students face. Although she initially questioned whether she had the skills or experience to participate, she dedicated weekends to preparing herself for the event. Once at the Fall Poster Forum, many of those fears began to fade. She found herself welcomed by Student Research Center staff and fellow students who were apart of a diverse and supportive research community. Aesha made new connections and discovered that presenting research was as much about learning and exchanging ideas as it was about sharing her own work. This experience gave her the confidence to participate in the Spring Symposium Competition, where she earned Second Place in the Multi-College Graduate Session. This accomplishment was particularly meaningful for Aesha, who initially entered with limited public-speaking experience and significant doubts about whether her research was "good enough". Aesha believes her success was not possible without her two mentors, Dr.Hossen and Dr. Marshall. Their willingness to share their experiences, support her academic development, and help her plan for the future was instrumental in her success at the Symposium and it has influenced her to eventually become a professor.
Outside of the classroom, Aesha uses her drive and motivation in her role as a Student Support Specialist with the Los Rios Community College District, where she supports refugee, asylum-seeking, and immigrant students. She also sits as a Board Member for the Impact100 Greater Sacramento. Reflecting on how far she has come, Aesha encourages other students not to wait until they feel completely confident or prepared before pursuing an opportunity. Her journey from questioning whether education was meant for her to becoming a graduate researcher has shaped the advice she now shares with others: "Don't let fear stop you from chasing after your dreams. Let your hopes and dreams be bigger than your fears!"
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Whether you want to get a head start on a research paper, learn how to create a poster, or reserve the Student Research Center for individual or group work, contact us today!
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| Monday - Thursday
9:00am - 6:00pm
Fridays
9:00am - 5:30pm
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Please note that hours are subject to change based on staffing and campus operations.
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