They are in their early 20s and entering their junior years at UMass Boston, with their whole careers waiting ahead of them. Yet in their work at UMass Boston鈥檚 , five undergraduate research assistants find themselves considering the lives of people on the other end of the adulthood spectrum.
CSDRA鈥檚 work with Massachusetts communities has mushroomed in recent years as more towns and cities turn to the center to help them assess the needs of their older residents and to recommend the best way to meet those needs. Working under the guidance of CSDRA Director Caitlin Coyle and senior doctoral students, the students contribute to all aspects of the center鈥檚 work, including coding survey results from older residents, taking notes in focus groups and community forums, and analyzing qualitative survey responses. Coyle and her doctoral student team encourage the undergraduates to think of ways to use their experiences to develop their own research questions.
鈥淚鈥檝e definitely learned a lot about aging communities and their needs, which is something I鈥檝e never thought about before,鈥 says Sabrin Zahid, who has interned at CSDRA for almost a year. 鈥淏efore working here, the only interaction I鈥檇 had with older people was with my grandparents. Now I鈥檓 learning about older people鈥檚 housing needs and about how many of them want to downsize but how hard it is to do.鈥
Agrees Roisin O鈥橩eeffe, 鈥淚 hadn鈥檛 ever given much thought to what it鈥檚 like to be retired. I鈥檓 20 years old and thinking about starting my career, not about what comes after that.鈥
Their CSDRA work also is opening the students鈥 eyes to the field of gerontology and to the possibilities of social policy and applied research in their future schooling and careers. Daniel Caron had never heard of gerontology before he started as an intern in February鈥攁nd he still has to explain it to family and friends. A psychology major, he may move his studies toward the psychology of aging; he signed up for that class for the fall semester. He began the internship coding survey responses, then moved to taking notes at the forums and working with the information they bring back. He enjoys learning about how public funding works and what it means for taxpayers.
鈥淚 love the social work aspect of this work,鈥 Caron says.
Bendu David is majoring in women, gender, and sexuality with double minors in psychology and political science. In the spring semester, David took a political research methods class that opened new possibilities.
鈥淚 never thought you could look at research through a political science lens, and I realized I was really interested,鈥 they said. The internship reinforces this new interest while widening David鈥檚 appreciation for civic engagement, begun in high school
鈥淚 am so grateful that our center offers these opportunities. Undergraduate research experiences enrich a student鈥檚 classroom learning and supports the development of a range of skills,鈥 says Coyle, . 鈥淥ur current team is made up of really bright undergraduates who bring curiosity and energy to the work, which keeps it fun.鈥
Himani Pachchigar, a nursing major, codes survey responses but also is helping the CSDRA staff create a training program for nursing students that helps them understand how ageist language can serve as a barrier to clinical practice with older adults. Doing computer-based research is a big contrast from her previous work with University Health Services, where she was on her feet most of the time and interacting with patients. But she welcomes the change and the chance to learn new skills. Although all nursing students gain certified nursing assistant, or CNA, experience, gaining research experience, especially with work that helps communities, helps Pachchigar鈥檚 resume stand out. She was game to explore her options, she says. 鈥淚 don鈥檛 believe I can only help people by working in a hospital.鈥
鈥淚鈥檝e definitely learned more about how to conduct a research project,鈥 Pachchigar says, including the iterative process with team members suggesting changes along the way. 鈥淚 love how communicative everyone in the office is, and how supportive they are.鈥 O鈥橩eeffe, a CSDRA intern for six months, is majoring in biology with a focus in genetics and a minor in art history. 鈥淚 love preparing the surveys. I really like organizing things,鈥 she says. One of the important lessons the internship has taught her is that the right job can be fulfilling. 鈥淥ur supervisors. Ceara [Somerville] and Sara [Collins] are fantastic. Everything about this job is satisfying. I actually really enjoy coming to work.鈥
Read more about the CSDRA and other initiatives at the .