Nicole DePasquale is a rising senior at Rutgers University, where she is a communication major with a health concentration and a school of arts and sciences excellence award recipient. Nicole was interested in participating and learning more about health research, but found there were limited opportunities for her as a communication major to participate in health research. Project L/EARN was the answer she had been looking for, and a great opportunity that fell in line with her interests. Still a tentative career goal, Nicole plans to obtain a doctorate in Public Health. Before participating in Project L/EARN, Nicole thought she wanted to be a professor, but Project L/earn has opened her eyes to many opportunities, which she is still exploring.

Coming into the program with a weak mathematical background, Nicole highly values the extensive course in statistics and quantitative research Project L/earn has provided, which she recognizes that she may not have been exposed to otherwise. She states that the hardest part of the program for her was producing the best possible work in the limited time allotted. Nicole admits that Project L/EARN was a humbling experience because it made her realize that there is always room for improvement upon existing skills.

Nicole values the opportunity to work with both of her mentors, Dr. Marsha Rosenfield and Dr. Deborah Carr, on a project evaluating factors that contribute to whom older adults choose for end-of-life communication. She appreciates the different feedback and perspectives on her course project, which has allowed her to continuously develop and improve her research. Looking back on the admission process of Project L/earn, Nicole states that she wants future interns to know exactly what she was told when applying,