Global Health Concentration Journey

The Oberlin College Global Health Concentration has played a crucial role in helping me strengthen my personal goals and professional vision, especially regarding the future I hope to shape for others. Before attending Oberlin, I knew I wanted to pursue a career in nursing, driven by both positive and negative experiences that my family, my communities, and I have encountered within the healthcare system. These experiences motivated me to acquire the necessary knowledge and skills to create a more equitable, accessible, and intentional healthcare environment for underrepresented communities. Throughout my time at Oberlin, I’ve been learning to think critically about problems, identify ways to address the issues within healthcare and discover how I can effectively advocate for the needs of people around the world. I’ve had the incredible opportunity to intern at Rush University as part of their College Career Pathways program, which exposes undergraduate students to the healthcare field. During this internship, I’ve collaborated with peers who share similar goals and visions of building a better healthcare system. I’ve worked hands-on with patients in an internist clinic and have learned how to share the knowledge I’ve gained both inside and outside of the internship with others. My goals moving forward are to continue growing as a leader in healthcare and to focus on tackling the systemic barriers that limit access to quality healthcare in different communities

Honorary Degree Recipients and Commencement Speakers 1851-2025

https://digitalcommons.oberlin.edu/commencement_programs/1189/thumbnail.jp

Sedimentation Evolution of Dredged Estuary

Estuarine sediment infilling is an emerging area of study due to sea-level rise; managed retreat and wetland restoration offer human-supported solutions. The Mink Meadows “Yacht Basin” on Martha’s Vineyard, created by dredging in 1963, provides an unlikely case study for the evolution of a human-constructed wetland over time. Sediment core samples of the basin and surrounding marshes were measured for fallout radionuclides 137Cs and excess 210Pb (210Pbex) to determine approximate amount and rate of sediment accumulation. Preliminary 210Pbex values and core analysis indicate quick initial sedimentation after dredging, followed by a steep decline in accumulation. Though near-constant 210Pbex concentrations in two lagoon cores suggest accelerating sedimentation rates, rates are not fast enough to fill significant portions of the lagoon before 2050; accounting for sea-level rise pushes the infill date estimate later. Approximately 40-48 cm of sediment have accumulated since dredging. Marsh cores are currently being analyzed for rate of sedimentation using 210Pbex concentrations to determine whether the surrounding marshes are a source of accumulating sediment. Tidal data will constrain saline-mobile 137Cs for more-precise dating. Moderately high LOI drops off sharply at the backhoe facies, suggesting heavily organic initial sediment followed by limited organic material. LOI core analysis is ongoing. Due to fluctuating LOI data, sediment source remains a question; SEM/XRD analyses will help further determine sediment composition. Current data show leveling similar to non-anthropogenic estuaries, suggesting successful geomorphologic stabilization. Evaluating the success and evolution of this constructed wetland will allow for better understanding of future wetland remediation efforts

Blerds of a Feather, Nerd Out Together: Exploring Sociological Intersections of Black Identity and Nerd Culture

Black nerds, or “Blerds,” exist at the intersection of nerd identity and Black racial identity. In recent years, however, Blerds have built communities and events that celebrate both aspects of their identity. However, mainstream (predominantly white) nerd culture and societal stereotypes of Blackness often position these identities as conflicting, leaving Blerds to navigate a unique middle ground. This study explores how Blerds embrace both identities despite these tensions. Based on semi-structured interviews with 18 self-identified Blerds, the research examines how they negotiate their racial and nerd identities, how other identities intersect, and how they challenge norms around race and nerd culture. My findings highlight that Blerds actively resist stereotypes, creating spaces where Blackness and nerdiness coexist in ways that defy societal expectations. This study contributes to intersectionality research by demonstrating how identity is constructed at the crossroads of race and subculture, positioning the Blerd community as a site of joy, resistance, and belonging

The Impact of Cross-Racial Social Contact on Multiracial Perception

Though Multiracial people are the fastest growing racial group in the United States, their historic lack of representation has made the perception of Mixed-Race individuals inconsistent among the general public. Past research has drawn conflicting conclusions on how Multiracial people are categorized in terms of racial background and presumed social attributes. Many of these studies have also relied on computer-generated images that combine two Monoracial faces instead of photos of existing Mixed-Race individuals, which subsequent research has shown to be an imperfect substitute. Furthermore, many of these studies have lacked racial diversity in both participant demographics and the Multiracial individuals assessed, with Latin American and Hispanic people being an especially underrepresented population. An online survey was given to Latine and Hispanic American participants to assess their racial and social perception of faces from the American Multiracial Faces Database and the Chicago Faces Database. They were then asked about their perceived level of social contact with members of different racial groups. Regression analyses were conducted to measure the relationship between cross-racial social contact among the participants and perceived racial ambiguity of the Multiracial faces has on these perceptions