Director of XULA-Merck Program

In 2025, I became the Director of the Shoring Up the Pathways to Biomedical Sciences Program. As Director, I have one-on-one meetings with each scholar during each month of the year. We (CURGO (Alnita Porea) and I) host monthly workshops that benefit the career progress of all scholars within the program. For Fall 2025, 25 scholars were selected within the program. The workshops that have been hosted for the 2025-2026 school yeat are found below. In this year, each scholar received around $14,000 ($7000 Fall; $7000 Spring). Scholars also received $150 per month in stipend to offset normal daily expenses.

Key Aspects of Shoring Up Pathways Initiatives:

• Targeted Support: The program provides financial support (scholarships/stipends) and professional development to help students transition into biomedical research careers.

• Career Development: Activities include mentorship, career transition activities, and research experiences.

• Institutional Goal: The initiative aims to enhance the pipeline for underrepresented students, similar to Xavier’s BUILD Project Pathways which focuses on strengthening academic advising, mentoring, and research skills for students.

• Curriculum Focus: Programs generally cover foundational knowledge in biomedical science, allowing students to explore career paths in research. 

XULA-MERCK Scholars at ABRCMS 2025 (San Antonio, TX)