Siena College
06/05/2026 | News release | Distributed by Public on 06/05/2026 09:46
Saints Showcase Community-Engaged Research at NCUR
When Raenell Holder '26 was invited to present at the National Conference on Undergraduate Research (NCUR), she decided "to color outside of the lines" and try something different to share her project.
Holder created a short video about "Web Design as a Tool For Social Change," which tracked her efforts designing a website for immigrants to the Capital Region who are searching for employment. She partnered with the Albany-based Refugee & Immigrant Support Services of Emmaus (RISSE), who will manage the website going forward.
"I interviewed the people at RISSE to determine the pain points of looking for a new job after coming to this country," she explained. "The website simplifies the entire process: people fill out their information and AI comes up with good-fit jobs in the area."
Holder, who is headed to basic training for the U.S. Air Force next week, said her project helped her appreciate the many different factors involved in job searches.
"Every single person has different needs, motivations and drivers when looking for employment, especially when they are new to this country," she said. "I had to be very intentional when designing the site."
NCUR was held April 13-15 in Richmond, VA, and all seven student participants were with either the Bonner Service Leaders or Nonprofit Excellence and Transformation (NExT) programs through Siena's Center for Academic Community Engagement. They were accompanied by ACE assistant directors Mairead Carr and Josh Anthony.
"For ACE members, NCUR is an opportunity to showcase what community-engaged research looks like and why it matters," said Anthony. "Many of our students spend multiple semesters, and sometimes years, working alongside community partners to develop their projects and conduct meaningful research. This work not only strengthens their skills as researchers but also creates tangible benefits for the communities they serve."
Also presenting at NCUR were Jasmine Bordelon '26, Rebecah Leonard '26, Talia Narzymski '26, Neha (Drishti) Matta '26, Will Fuerbringer '26 and Jaden Simpson '26.
The annual conference, sponsored by the Council on Undergraduate Research, is dedicated to promoting undergraduate research, scholarship and creative activity in all fields of study. Student scholars from all disciplines are invited.
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