Cal Lutheran created the Community Scholars for Black Lives Fellowship Program to empower students to develop research projects specifically designed to strengthen and impact the Black community. With the Amgen Foundation as our major funder, we provide a select cohort of students with scholarships, mentorship, and a platform to pursue work that embodies progress toward a more just and equitable society.
Through the ASCENSO Hispanic Fellowship program, students serve as advocates for the Hispanic community by reaching out to representatives from county agencies and departments to research different services and policies and their impact on the Hispanic community. Students also raise awareness of important issues and directly influence systemic change.
Student Abstracts
Left Behind: The Silent Struggle of Children with Mothers Across Borders
This research explores the multifaceted experiences of children left behind in Zimbabwe due to maternal migration to neighboring South Africa. Driven by economic hardship and political instability, many Zimbabwean women seek employment abroad, often leaving their children in the care of extended family or community members. I analyzed data already collected 2019-2020 by Dr. Zikhali and Dr. Muñoz. The data was collected through arts-based participatory methods, focus groups, storybooks, and zines. The study highlights children’s emotional, social, and educational challenges, revealing resilience amid hardship. The research project focused on contextual factors such as kinship systems, cultural norms, and migration patterns, illustrating how family separation impacts children’s identities.
Student(s):
Ninelihle Dube
Faculty Mentor:
Dr. Lorena Munoz
Kinetic Characterization of the Siderophore Biosynthesis Enzyme FslA
Antibiotic resistance remains a critical global health challenge, particularly due to multidrug-resistant pathogens such as Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). An emerging strategy to combat resistance is to target bacterial virulence mechanisms, including siderophore-mediated iron acquisition, rather than essential survival pathways. Siderophores are small molecules secreted by bacteria to scavenge iron and play a crucial role in virulence, making their biosynthetic enzymes promising targets for drug development. This study focuses on the kinetic characterization of FslA, a Non-Ribosomal Peptide Synthetase Independent Siderophore (NIS) synthetase from Francisella tularensis. FslA catalyzes the ATP-dependent biosynthesis of the siderophore rhizoferrin through the condensation of citrate and 1,4-diaminobutane (DAB). Due to its similarity to NIS synthetases in other pathogens, including MRSA, understanding its catalytic activity and substrate specificity may inform structure-based drug design strategies. The primary objective of this project is to develop a reproducible kinetic assay for FslA, building on methods established for the related enzyme DesD. Recombinant FslA will be expressed using a cell-free system, purified via streptavidin-affinity chromatography, and verified by SDS-PAGE and UV/Vis spectrophotometry. Enzyme kinetics will be measured using isothermal titration calorimetry (ITC), with substrates evaluated under limiting conditions in triplicate. Substrate specificity will be assessed using structural analogs, including aminobutane, isocitrate, and GTP. Kinetic data will be analyzed using Michaelis–Menten modeling to determine Km, kcat, and catalytic efficiency. These results will provide insight into FslA’s catalytic mechanism and support the development of novel antimicrobial strategies targeting siderophore biosynthesis.
Student(s):
Chidiogo Pat-Onuoha
Faculty Mentor:
Dr. Katherine Hoffmann
Fear and Belonging: How ICE Presence Reshapes Latino Community Space in Thousand Oaks
The research examines how Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) presence disrupts and reshapes Latinos’ lives and community spaces in Thousand Oaks. Using ethnographic fieldwork, census data, news articles, and interviews, the study highlights how fear impacts traditional and nontraditional community spaces. District tract 71 has one of the highest concentrations of Hispanics and low-income households in Thousand Oaks which served as my primary observational site. My fieldwork revealed patterns that highlight the importance of these traditional community spaces such as La Sarai Panaderia and untraditional spaces such as the Chevron gas station. ICE activity in these areas and spaces disrupt the entire community and create visible fear in the community. Businesses are forced to adjust their operations by locking doors during peak ICE activity and Latinos are forced to change their routine. These disruptions show how fear forces the reorganization of space and routine, creating cycles of instability that are unsustainable yet resilient. This research also incorporated perspectives from city officials and the impact nonprofits and grassroots organizations have in supporting Latinos. Ultimately, this study argues that fear produced by ICE not only targets individuals but it also reshapes the very spaces and rhythms of Latino communities in Thousand Oaks.
Student(s):
Jennifer Quintero
Faculty Mentor:
Dr. Lorena Munoz
Examining Latino Voting Patterns
This study examines how affluence shapes Latino voting behavior. While existing research emphasizes the influence of generation, country of origin, and identity, the role of wealth acquisition remains less understood. Drawing on secondary literature and preliminary interviews with local officials, this project investigates whether there is a correlation between higher-income Latinos and how they prioritize different policy concerns and voting choices compared to their less affluent counterparts.