07.18.22
JUNE:
After a difficult month of June trying to finish editing my literature review, revising my IRB application, and overall struggling with my initial recruitment procedures, things are beginning to come back together. When I was initially approved by the IRB, I got to work emailing program directors within the state of Wisconsin. My efforts were shortly stalled after weeks of outreach with no potential participants.
I met with my mentors and devised a plan to move forward more productively. I decided to shift my population to include current and former members of the McNair program within the last 10 years. I also included those who fit the eligibility requirement, but may not have been an active participant of the program. I submitted the revision form and attempted to keep busy with literature review revisions, which I ultimately finished before hearing back.
JULY:
A week or so later I got the confirmation I needed to move forward and got to work on my new plan. This gave me the flexibility I needed to reach individuals who had worked with Dr. Schultz in the past, as well as reconnect with members of my cohort to discuss a potential interview.
As of now, I have two interviews scheduled and am looking at increasing this as the month continues. There is a lot that goes into each interview, transcription, analysis, and knowing that each interview is going to be different. While a lot is still unknown as far as how many participants I will get, what the results will be, and even if there will be significant information, I am looking forward to continuing this project.
AUGUST:
Next month, I have a lot on my agenda. I will be participating in the UW-Superior McNair poster presentation, continuing to conduct interviews and gather data, as well as preparing for my final semester as an undergraduate student. I’m excited to participate in sharing my research, networking with other McNair Scholars, and potentially learning new ideas related to the study I am conducting. I find great value in opportunities like this, to have those who know (for the most part) what I’m going through and can provide support not many others can.
A Piece of Advice:
Knowing you're not alone on this journey is the most valuable thing. When things get difficult, knowing that I am not the only person to have faced this is the one thing that’s able to get me through. Through the support of my mentors, my peers, and everyone in-between, I have been able to accomplish more than I ever thought I could. Reach out when you need to, ask questions, and always remember it is okay if research does not go exactly the way you planned. Thats why revision forms exist.