WIRE Fellow Coco Ridge (’26, Sociology, Leadership and Philosophy minors) presenting her WIRE research at the Wilkinson College Faculty Retreat. Photo by Violet Gude (’29 Broadcast Journalism).

This edition of From Our Eyes spotlights Coco Ridge (’26, Sociology, Leadership and Philosophy Minors), one of ten student fellows selected for the 2026 Wilkinson Interterm Research Experience (WIRE). This immersive program equips students with the skills and hands-on experience needed to excel in academic research. Ridge’s project explored the developmental experiences of left-wing student activists.

I never expected I would have the opportunity to direct my own research project as an undergraduate in the humanities. The Wilkinson Interterm Research Experience (WIRE) provided the freedom and resources necessary to curate my abilities as a researcher. I had the privilege to work with Dr. Pete Simi (Sociology) as my faculty mentor for direct expertise in my field. Along with the other faculty who assisted the program, I felt thoroughly guided through the process.

During the four-week fellowship, I examined the developmental experiences among left-wing student activists. My research question started from a curiosity I had as a student about why some people connect personally to politics at a young age. WIRE was the perfect opportunity to develop this question into a sociological research inquiry. The thirty hours a week commitment allowed me to appreciate and prioritize my project all of January.

From conception to finish, I learned the research process in the best way, by doing it myself. To test the research question, ​I conducted ten ninety-minute semi-structured interviews with student activists. These interviews were made possible by additional support I received through an Undergraduate Research Grant, which provided funding to compensate my interviewees.  Interview questions focused on their developmental experiences, activism, and political beliefs. I transcribed and coded the interviews line-by-line. I used an inductive approach to produce themes directly from patterns in the data. The data provided me with extensive themes to analyze and connect. From the themes, I was able to draw sociologically significant conclusions about the politicization process of student activists.

WIRE was not just an individual exploration, as we had several professional development workshops with the fellows and faculty. The faculty-led workshops provided us with the research knowledge necessary as WIRE fellows, but also as future researchers. I especially enjoyed the presentations on graduate school and presenting and publishing research. I developed an understanding of myself as a researcher, ready for plausible next steps after graduation. The workshops also gave fellows the space to foster a sense of community. We learned and bonded with one another by sharing our evolving difficulties and successes. We all loved each other’s company almost as much as the catered lunches during the workshops.

I learned that research is tedious, yet rewarding. One surprise was the difficulty of compiling my findings into the five-minute presentation for the WIRE showcase. Consolidating four weeks of research into a presentation that is clear and concise is a difficult skill. I am proud of myself and the other fellows for presenting a professional final product of our own creation. I am currently continuing to work on my research paper because I aspire to publish my research. WIRE solidified this goal along with my understanding that I want to pursue graduate school with confidence and clarity.

I am so grateful to Wilkinson and  Dean Jennifer Keene for pushing for research and scholarly projects in the humanities. We will continue to believe in ourselves as academics because they do too.

(Pictured in header: (left to right) WIRE Fellow Coco Ridge (’26, Sociology, Leadership and Philosophy Minors) with her Faculty Mentor Pete Simi (Sociology). Photo by Violet Gude (’29 Broadcast Journalism).)