Like many biochemistry students, Simran Pravin ’26 aspires to attend medical school. When she applies next year, she’ll have a competitive edge thanks to a summer research fellowship funded by the John Stauffer Charitable Trust.

Pravin is one of 11 chemistry and biochemistry students who completed Stauffer fellowships in University of the Pacific’s laboratories this summer. Fellowships culminated at the Stauffer Summer Research Symposium Aug. 14, where students presented their findings to an eager audience of chemistry department faculty, classmates, alumni and donors.

Pravin acknowledges the significance of completing such a fellowship as a rising junior.

“I picked Pacific for its emphasis on hands-on research. As a second year, it would be very difficult at most universities to get an opportunity like this, to really harness my skills and build them up. I'm so grateful for this chance,” she said.

At most colleges and universities in the United States, research opportunities for undergraduates are rare. Recognizing this, the Stauffer Trust provided Pacific with $1 million in grants to endow fellowships for chemistry and biochemistry majors.

Alumni and friends contributed an additional $1 million, doubling the grants’ impact and creating a permanent source of fellowship funding.

“Experiential learning is a hallmark of a Pacific education, and we are grateful that the Stauffer Trust’s philanthropy has extended this experience to more students who want it,” said Scott Biedermann ’05, ’20, vice president for development and alumni relations.

The fellowships help Pacific recruit and retain promising students in the sciences and prepare them for impactful careers in research, academia, medicine and more.

To date, the Stauffer Trust has supported 43 Pacific student researchers. Many are now pursuing advanced degrees or working at universities and laboratories across the country.

“Stauffer is empowering the next generation of leaders who are carrying the impact of a Pacific education into their schools, labs and communities nationwide,” Biedermann said.

This year’s symposium showcased the range of research topics among the 2024 cohort. Students studied the behavior of proteins that produce new treatments for diseases, probed the effects of climate change in warm water springs and explored the potential of bacteria to enhance grapevine growth.

As their fellowships concluded, the symposium challenged the students to synthesize their research and confidently discuss their findings with others.

“The skills our researchers develop go beyond what our classrooms offer,” said Jianhua Ren, chemistry professor and department co-chair. “The experience prepares them to take the next steps on a meaningful, lifelong journey, discovering their hidden talents and their passions.”

Hidy Alarcon ’27 agrees. She had just finished her first year at Pacific when she began her fellowship.

“The fellowship impacted me as a researcher but also impacted me personally,” Alarcon said. “It’s given me improved problem-solving and communication skills that I’ll use in my remaining time at Pacific and further down the road. It has also given me confidence in many aspects of my life—not just research.”

“We are so proud of how our students and graduates have thrived after completing the Stauffer program,” Ren added. “This opportunity helps cement their bright futures and truly changes their lives.”

To learn more about supporting undergraduate research and other experiential learning opportunities, contact Molly Byrne, senior associate vice president for development, at 209.946.2780 or mbyrne1@pacific.edu.