WIRE 2026 presentation. Ava Brandt (’27 Creative Writing, Documentary Film, and LGBTQ studies minor)

The Wilkinson Interterm Research Experience (WIRE) 2026 marked a powerful milestone in the fellows’ academic growth, guiding emerging scholars toward becoming assured and capable researchers. Over the January Interterm, 10 students developed the expertise and practical insight essential to success in scholarly research.

Over the four-week program, students participated in a series of professional development workshops designed to equip them with key skills for their research projects. Sessions such as “How to Do Research,” “Career and Graduate School,” “Presenting and Publishing Your Research,” and “Mock Presentations” offered both practical guidance and interactive learning experiences. Together, these workshops formed a central component of the WIRE program, strengthening students’ preparation and confidence as budding researchers.

“WIRE was a great way to dip my toes into research — I feel like the programme gave me enough space to try new things and make mistakes, but also enough guidance that I felt like I wasn’t totally lost.”                                                                                                 WIRE Fellow Aleks Lam (‘27 Cultural Anthropology, Chinese minor)

Lam’s ethnographic study examined patterns of heritage language maintenance among Mandarin-speaking students at Chapman University. Through surveys, interviews, and focus groups, Lam explored sociocultural factors influencing language retention, aiming to inform educational frameworks for heritage language learners.

WIRE Fellow Aleks Lam (‘27 Cultural Anthropology, Chinese minor). Photo by: Violet Gude (’29 Broadcast Journalism major)

“It really alleviated a lot of my own anxiety regarding academia and research, and really demystified the whole process. I’m really grateful for the opportunity that WIRE offered. I think it was a wonderful way for me to push myself and jump into something I previously thought was “too smart” for me,” said Lam.

The WIRE program concluded with its much-anticipated research showcase, where students presented five-minute summaries of their projects to Wilkinson College faculty, staff, and invited guests. The event served as a dynamic celebration of creativity and accomplishment, recognizing the dedication and effort of each participant. The breadth of subjects explored was remarkable, demonstrating the diverse interests and scholarly strengths represented within the cohort.

“To any students who are on the fence, I really want to encourage you to apply — rejection fear is real and can be really scary, but I think it’s one of those ‘you won’t know ’till you try it’ moments. Practically, it is a lot of work, but you’re supported every step of the way by faculty who are genuinely cheering you on and who are ecstatic to see you grow and learn,” said Lam.

To learn more about each of the student projects, please see our December blog post, Wilkinson Interterm Research Experience (WIRE): Empowering Student Research, and stay tuned, as WIRE students share with us their experiences with WIRE and reflect on the program in their own words in future newsletters, blog posts, and on Instagram.

(Pictured in header: 2026 WIRE Fellows and Mentors with Dean Jennifer Keene (pictured top row left) Photo by Ava Brandt (’27 Creative Writing, Documentary Film, and LGBTQ studies minor).