15 Undergraduates Selected for First SOAR Cohort

September 2021

In June, IRWG received a five year, $1.2 million grant from the National Institutes of Health to develop and implement an innovative academic and research mentoring program for undergraduate students across the University of Michigan’s Ann Arbor campus. Student Opportunities for AIDS/HIV Research (SOAR) is a multi-component theory-based two-year long research education mentoring program for juniors and seniors interested in graduate school and eventual behavioral and social science research careers. 

After a competitive application process, we are thrilled to welcome 15 students into the first SOAR cohort! This year’s cohort will take a year-long class taught by Professor Andrea Bolivar (Womens’ & Gender Studies) and engage in mentored research experiences with faculty from the Schools of Nursing, Public Health, and the College of LSA, among other activities.

The students in the inaugural SOAR cohort are:

• Adrian Beyer (College of LSA, Residential College)
• Niah Boyd (College of LSA)
• Rafael Cortes (College of LSA, School of Public Health)
• Holly Gurnik  (College of LSA, School of Public Health)
• Evan Hall (College of LSA)
• Noelle Harris (College of LSA)
• Joshua Kennedy (College of LSA)
• Myla Lyons (College of LSA)
• Eamonn McGonigle (College of LSA, School of Public Health)
• Celia Guadalupe Morones (College of LSA)
• Jasmine Mumpfield (College of LSA)
• Saige Porter (College of LSA)
• Rakira Urquhart (College of LSA)
• Annabella Vidrio (School of Music, Theatre, and Dance)
• Preetam Vupputuri (College of LSA)

To receive emails about SOAR-related public events or future applications for the program, please email Friends-of-SOAR-requests@umich.edu.

Note: The above photo was taken during the second week of classes. Two students, Jasmine Mumpfield and Rakira Urquhart, are not pictured.