The STEM Connection

At the tender age of six, Cheyanne Rodriguez knew she wanted to have a career in science after visiting a popular theme park in San Diego.

“I was at SeaWorld when I realized that I wanted to become a marine biologist and have my life revolve around animals,” said Cheyanne, a first-year student double majoring in biology and environmental science. 

Her participation in California Lutheran University’s STEM Academy this summer brings her one step closer to her dream.

 An early start to university life   

STEM Academy has provided students from underrepresented backgrounds with immersive experiences in different areas of science, technology, engineering and math since its launch in 2017. The free, two-week-long program exposes participants to areas of science they may not have studied prior to enrolling at Cal Lutheran. To date, 151 students have participated in the academy. 

“STEM Academy gives incoming first-year and transfer students an inside look to being a STEM major. The program offers students a chance to experience research and get an early start on the various components of being a STEM scholar at Cal Lutheran,” said Elena Jaloma ’03, MS ’08, MPPA ’15, who is the director of ALLIES in STEM, McNair Scholars Program and Student Support Services.

Jaloma said students engage in research, networking, professional development, academic success support, and make connections with other students from similar backgrounds.

Originally a program of the Title III federally funded ALLIES (Access, Learning, and Leadership Initiative to Elevate Students) in STEM project, STEM Academy now falls under Cal Lutheran’s ALLIES Program aligning with the university’s Hispanic-Serving Institution (HSI) initiatives.  

This summer’s group consisted of 13 students involved in STEM Academy’s cohort six. They had opportunities to live on campus while working on various research projects in classroom and laboratory settings. Students closely interacted with professors and prior participants, and aptly named peer mentors to introduce them to the rigors of academic life. 

Topics they researched included:

• The Science of Sports for exercise science and biology majors

• The Chemistry of Stars for chemistry, physics, biology, and biochemistry majors

• The Science of Art for environmental science, geology, chemistry, biochemistry, and molecular biology majors

Discovering science…and themselves

Cohort six participant Andrew Gonzalez’s project involved exploring the relationship between science and art. He studied under the guidance of faculty mentors Megan Fung, PhD, and Katherine Hoffmann, PhD, learning about the elemental composition of materials such as paints, ceramics, and stones and how they can be determined using spectroscopy. 

“Our group focused on validating previously unconfirmed cave paintings as Chumash cave pictographs,” said Gonzalez, who is embarking on his first year of studies and majoring in computer science. 

He notes the project allowed students to ask themselves a question others may ask: Is this an authentic Chumash cave painting?

“Being able to contribute to a niche topic such as Chumash history really gave me a sense of fulfillment,” said Gonzalez.

First-year student Carlos Daniel Zaragosa learned about the chemistry of stars this summer. The physics major has always wanted to know whether life exists outside the earth’s solar system. His project allowed him and his lab partner, Luis Altamirano, to research whether a star system 620 light years away can sustain potential life. 

“Space has always been an interest of mine, and I actually knew about this system for a few years based on my own research when I was in elementary school,” said Zaragosa. 

Through their work, Zaragosa and Altamirano determined there is a high possibility the system can house life in its habitable zone.

In addition to making this finding, Daniel Zaragosa discovered his untapped scholastic talents. 

“After completing this project, I learned that I am more than capable of doing research at California Lutheran University. Not only did I learn how to make research posters at the college level, but I also know how to present my research in front of a large audience and answer their questions confidently and professionally," said Zaragosa.   

Senior Rakaihya Thomas, a member of STEM Academy’s cohort three, worked as a peer mentor to this summer’s participating students. Thomas is a biology major who plans to pursue a degree in medicine after graduating in May 2023. In her peer mentor role, she led workshops and team-building activities with other peer mentors to prepare incoming students for the program and build community. 

“The advice I always give to students is to make sure your journey is for you. Sometimes we are always doing for others and forget about the journey for ourselves,” said Thomas.  

Ties leading to collaborative efforts that can solve the challenges of humankind

Another cohort six participant, Elisha Tong, attests her affinity with STEM harkens back to her primary school years when she participated in myriad science fairs to feed her curiosity. A biochemistry major and first-year student, Tong believes it is crucial to understand how our planet functions.

“I am fascinated by how we can learn more about our world through collaborative efforts, slowly chipping away at the large amount of stuff we don’t know about our universe,” said Tong. 

Tong said that STEM is an ever-evolving field and the more we support and disprove theories, we can collectively put our minds together to find solutions to real-world problems. 

Similarly, Thomas sees the benefits of teamwork through her engagement with science-related topics that have fascinated her since childhood when she stuffed tissues in a crying cousin’s ears to quell his sobbing during a fireworks display.

“I love the interconnectedness of STEM subjects. There are so many different fields, yet they all relate to each other, which is why collaboration in STEM is so important,” said Thomas.

Junior and peer mentor Anthony Garay has also strived to nourish his curiosity about our world. 

Garay said that he struggled with serious food allergies as a child, and the care he received from his doctor sparked his interest in STEM subjects.

“I longed to understand the chemical reactions occurring within me at a molecular level,” said Garay.

Garay, who is the first person in his family to attend college, participated in STEM Academy’s cohort four in 2020, which was virtual due to the pandemic. Nevertheless, the program enabled him to establish trusted relationships with other students and professors.

“My peers and faculty members are what make the program feel like a second family on campus,” said Garay.

Find out more about Cal Lutheran’s other Hispanic-Serving Initiatives, Project CHESS and EDU|CAL