Long hours spent using the library’s print and digital resources are often a hallmark of a college student’s academic career. For Marisela Padilla Alcala and Sarah Lee, time spent in the library resulted in being named recipients of the Carter Joseph Abrescy and Larry Kranich Library Award for Student Research Excellence.
The award — Padilla Alcala and Lee received $500 each — recognizes students who demonstrate effective use of library and information resources, as well as an understanding of the research process and growth in research practices. As part of the application process, students submitted recent research papers or projects, as well as reflective essays on their research process and how the experience has changed and advanced their practices for future use.
“The UC Merced Library is so proud of our award winners, Marisela and Sarah, for their outstanding accomplishments. The reason we are here is to support our students on their journey to success,” University Librarian Haipeng Li said. “We are thankful for Arlene Kranich and her family’s continued support of our students with the award in honor of her grandson Carter Joseph Abrescy and her late husband, Larry Kranich."
A native of Hilmar, Padilla Alcala is majoring in biological sciences with a human emphasis. She submitted a literature review titled “Access to Healthcare within the Prison System.”
The fourth-year student is a member of Delta Epsilon Mu, a professional pre-health co-ed fraternity, and the American Medical Student Association. She works as the student services coordinator for UC Merced’s Services for Undocumented Students office and coaches a youth soccer league in Turlock. She will graduate next spring and plans to pursue a nursing career.
Fresno native Sarah Lee is majoring in history. Her submission is titled “They Called it a Boom: National Building in Coronado, California in 1888.” Lee also presented the paper at UC Merced’s Interdisciplinary Humanities Graduate Conference this month.
The third-year student transferred from Fresno City College in December 2017 and plans to graduate next year. She works on campus as a student ambassador for Admissions and is a UROC-Humanities scholar. She plans to pursue a doctoral degree in history.
“The Abrescy and Kranich Library Scholarship means a couple things to me,” Lee said. “First, as a first-generation student who has concerns about my ability to be an academic, winning was definitely a confidence booster. Second, as someone who is supporting herself through college, the award means less anxiety about bills and more focus on school.”
