RSP: Alumni Research Profile

Kenia Sedano Garduno

Graduation Year: Undergraduate 2016/ Graduate 2016
Major/Department: Criminal Justice/Social Sciences
Current Occupation: Graduate Assistant, Marywood University

Participating in the Undergraduate Research forum in Harrisburg was a great opportunity to further develop my research and technical skills that I had acquired over the years as an undergraduate student. It gave me the opportunity to network and collaborate with other students that shared my interest in research. With the support of Dr. Brian Monahan, we were able to identify an issue, conduct extended research and present our findings to an audience, including Senator, John Blake.

Project Sponsors:

Brian Monahan

Mentors:

Brian Monahan

My Research Project Experience:

Describe the undergraduate research/creative experience that you had while at Marywood.

Participating in the Undergraduate Research forum in Harrisburg was a great opportunity to further develop my research and technical skills that I had acquired over the years as an undergraduate student. It gave me the opportunity to network and collaborate with other students that shared my interest in research. With the support of Dr. Brian Monahan, we were able to identify an issue, conduct extended research and present our findings to an audience, including Senator, John Blake.

What do you think was the most important thing you learned while doing research?

Some of the big takeaways from my research experience have been all of the skills that I have learned such as critical analysis of literature, data, and conceptual thinking. Since I was working with a group I was able to work on building relationships and communication skills. Additionally, the research taught me the importance of parenting skills, educational attainment, and juvenile delinquency, which are social factors that greatly impact our society today.

What advice do you have for undergraduates who might be interested in doing research or creative scholarship?

One major advice that I would give students is to take advantage of opportunities that are available to them such as research forums. Marywood has an undergraduate research form and there are many others you could look into with the help of your professors. You will learn so much as you enjoy the experience and feel more confident in your research.

Do you use any of the skills or perspectives gained doing research in your current occupation? How so?

I am a currently a graduate assistant at Marywood. Many of the skills that I learned from my undergraduate research have assisted me in the job setting but also have helped me in writing my Master’s thesis. Skills such as problem-solving, management skills and research skills have played a major role in the continuation of my studies and in the workplace.

Many undergraduate researchers are making decisions about what to do after they graduate from Marywood University.  Having had that experience, what do you know now that you wish you’d known then? Do you have any advice?

An advice that I can give is that I believe that the topic of research is extremely important. I would suggest that the student finds a topic that links directly to their future career interests. For example, our research topic was on the influence that parenting skills and education attainment have on juvenile delinquency. I am a Criminal Justice major and I can definitely see myself using this information in the future. Find a topic that you are eager to learn about and that can help you in your future career.