Student Highlight: Amanda Jane Pride, Undergraduate Researcher

14 Dec 2021

Undergraduate Researcher

I am majoring in Biomedical Sciences with a Pre-Physician Assistant concentration and a minor in Human Development and Family Science (HDFS). My goal is to become a physician assistant and specialize in women’s health. You may be asking yourself, “Why is a future physician assistant interested in minoring in HDFS?” I chose Biomedical Sciences because I wanted to learn the medical explanations for why the body works the way it does. However, I also wanted to know about human growth and development, so HDFS is where I landed with my minor. It’s taught me that I enjoy learning about people as well as assessing and understanding the research on different topics that affect society. This interest led me to an undergraduate research position with Military REACH.

I learned about Military REACH in a sophomore-year HDFS class with Dr. Lucier-Greer. At the time, I had no particular interest in research, but Dr. Lucier-Greer mentioned she was looking for students to help with her project. Fast-forward to spring of my junior year: I wanted to get involved with HDFS research but wasn’t sure about what type – or even how. When I received an email about Military REACH’s search for undergraduate research assistants, I thought to myself, “This couldn’t be more perfect!” I got to interview in person for the position, which left me feeling excited and hopeful at the prospect of joining the team. After joining, I am so thankful to have been given this opportunity!

What stands out to me the most about Military REACH is its purpose. I love that our work makes a difference in many people’s lives. I got exactly what I wanted, which was to be a part of something that would allow me to enrich the lives of others. Being a member of Military REACH also means I can learn from a diverse group of knowledgeable, experienced people, all of whom help me become more well-rounded.

During my time as REACH’s undergraduate research assistant, I’ve developed an immense appreciation for the time and work it takes to ensure our projects are of the highest quality. Since joining REACH, I have:

Written summary documents for research articles in our online library;
Written social media posts highlighting current research on the well-being of military families;
Co-authored a Family Focus article on couples in the pre-deployment phase;
And learned so much about military families and the military in general that I now feel profound gratitude for all our service members do!

Student Highlights

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