Coffeyville, KS — Coffeyville Community College (CCC) is proud to announce that freshman Jacinda Wood is one of 19 undergraduate students selected for the Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) “ARISE: Building Pathways to Community Disaster Resilience” summer internship, a competitive summer research program supported by the National Science Foundation (NSF).
While completing the internship, Wood will work alongside Dr. Joel Mendez, an Assistant Professor in the University of Kansas’ Urban Planning Program. His teaching and research interests lie at the intersection of transportation, economic development, and social justice.
The internship will take place in Lawrence, Kansas, where Wood will spend the summer conducting research under the guidance of university faculty mentors. The program provides participating students with housing, a meal plan, travel support, and a $7,000 stipend.
For Wood, the opportunity is both academic and personal. Growing up in Coffeyville, she witnessed firsthand how environmental disasters can shape a community’s future.
“Disaster resilience is important to me,” Wood said. “Growing up in Coffeyville, I saw how the flood and oil spill affected the community, the environment, and the local economy. That experience is why I included it in my application essay — it’s something that directly connects to where I’m from.”
During the program, Wood will gain hands-on experience in university-level research and develop technical and professional skills to support her future academic goals, including learning Python, a widely used computer programming language used for data analysis and research.
“Students in the program learn Python, which will be helpful going forward,” Wood said. “I’m also excited about networking with professors and learning how the research process works at the university level. It opens up opportunities and will help when applying to universities after Coffeyville Community College.”
She said the experience will also help her grow as a researcher.
“I hope the experience will help streamline my work and allow me to produce higher-quality research,” Wood said. “Being in a university research environment will give me experience with the expectations and pace of that kind of work.”
Wood, the daughter of CCC employees Robert and Jill Wood, said, “I’ve been around academics my entire life. Both of my parents are educators, so growing up in that environment made college feel like a natural step.”
With Wood’s passion for sociology and ambitions to obtain her PhD, she began exploring internship opportunities through her sociology coursework at CCC. Her instructor, Courey Feerer, said she quickly stood
out as a student ready to take on the challenge.
“Jacinda is a standout student in my sociology classes,” Feerer said. “She is naturally inquisitive and takes an active role in learning. She is what I call an ‘asset student’ — always ready with an insightful thought and willing to apply herself.”
Feerer said the internship will place Wood in a strong position as she continues her academic career.
“The opportunity Jacinda has in front of her puts her in a unique spot,” Feerer said. “She will get to immerse herself in research that can lead to change in rural communities like Coffeyville while receiving one-on-one guidance from experts in Urban Planning and Rural Development.”
Experiences like this, he added, demonstrate how CCC students can thrive when given opportunities to expand their academic work beyond the classroom.
“Jacinda and other CCC students who engage in opportunities like this are better prepared for the challenges of upper-level university work and future graduate study,” Feerer said.
Coffeyville Community College congratulates Jacinda Wood on her selection for this prestigious research program and internship opportunity. CCC is committed to providing all students with the support and resources necessary for their academic success.