All of the students featured in this section are graduating seniors who are a part of our second cohort of Advanced LEAP Scholars. Read below to learn more about Raksha, Naidelyn, and Angie's, undergraduate experiences at UC Berkeley!
Raksha Rajeshmohan
Major: Public Health
Tell us about your LEAP Research Fellowship
I participated in URAP on the UC Berkeley campus with Professor Winston Tseng looking at arsenic poisoning in the Central Valley.
Are there any other MCAH-related extracurriculars that you're involved in?
I worked part-time at the California Department of Public Health in the Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention Branch!
Angie Shengyi Zhao
Major: Public Health
Minors: Global Poverty and Practice & Clinical and Counseling Psychology
Tell us about your LEAP Research Fellowship
During my LEAP Research Fellowship, I collaborated closely with Karen Weidert, the Executive Director of the Bixby Center at UC Berkeley, focusing on research projects for telemedicine and abortion access. My role involved conducting thorough literature reviews and contributing to the enhancement of the annual research report.
Are there any other MCAH-related extracurriculars that you're involved in?
Since becoming a LEAP Scholar, I have been serving as an undergraduate fellow with the Center of Excellence in MCAH at UC Berkeley; where I have had the opportunity to work collaboratively with many of the staff members at the Center of Excellence (CoE) and have assisted on website accessibility projects and maintaining alumni relationships.
Naidelyn Rodas
Major: Public Health
Tell us about your LEAP Research Fellowship
I am currently doing my research fellowship through the Firebaugh Scholars Program. Here, students can design and complete a faculty-sponsored research project. For my research project, I am investigating the impact community health workers have on Medi-cal enrollment rates among newly covered undocumented adult populations in California. I am doing health policy research with a focus on undocumented population. The Firebaugh Scholars Program extends support throughout the entirety of the research process, aiding in data collection and analysis, enabling students to present their findings at the program's annual research symposium.
Are there any other MCAH-related extracurriculars that you're involved in?
Through my involvement in the Health Advocate program at Highland Hospital, I've been actively engaged in addressing the multifaceted needs of expectant and new mothers. I collaborate with community health workers, medical staff and social workers, to bridge the gap between medical care and essential social support services. By connecting mothers with resources such as housing, food assistance, legal aid, and financial support, we strive to ensure their well-being and enhance maternal and child health outcomes.