After she toured the Randolph-Macon College campus for the first time, Lauren Estell ’19 knew she had found her college. The Simsbury, Connecticut native was impressed by all that RMC offers, from dedicated faculty and staff to internship and research opportunities. “The campus has a grand university feel—but with a small-town, community spirit,” she says.

The Discovery of Research
Estell, a biology major and sociology/anthropology minor, discovered recently that she is passionate about the research process. Under the guidance of Adjunct Classics and Humanities Professor Rosanna Lauriola, she participated in RMC’s SURF (Schapiro Undergraduate Research Fellowship) program during summer 2017. SURF offers students the opportunity to conduct nine weeks of summer research under the guidance of a faculty mentor.

Estell, whose project was titled The Case of Odysseus and Beyond: Healing through Storytelling, spent the summer examining how storytelling can act as social therapy for combat veterans with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).

“Given that PTSD is a social as well as a biological disorder, I hypothesized that there must be a social therapy that, coupled with medication, might provide the best treatment,” she explains. “In addition, I believe communities have a responsibility to do what they can to assist combat veterans with PTSD as they assimilate into society.”

Mentorship
The one-on-one interaction with professors that SURF offers is invaluable, says Estell.

“Professor Lauriola provided me with a roadmap to research methods, and to writing an informative paper and giving a good presentation,” says Estell, who presented her research at the Sweet Briar College Mid-Atlantic Regional Conference of Undergraduate Scholarship in fall 2017.

“Without her guidance, I could not have been as effective in sifting through academic journals, studying data, and preparing my final paper. Thanks to SURF, and to Professor Lauriola, I was able to share with others my thoughts on the importance of seeking alternative therapies for the treatment of PTSD.”

Lauriola says, “What I treasured during my interactions with Lauren was the opportunity to have a genuine, mature dialogue about her project. Lauren took an idea I shared in class—about the therapeutic effects of storytelling on veterans, taking Odysseus’ case as a starting point—and has been developing an expertise in this subject that would not have been possible in a traditional course. I am especially impressed by her mental toughness—she dealt with the inevitable difficulties that conducting research involves. Mentoring Lauren has been a valuable and meaningful experience.”

At the conference, Estell enjoyed meeting college students from all over the United States.

“Networking with students and faculty was an unforgettable experience,” she says.  “Conferences are not only an opportunity to present research—they also allow students to create connections with other students from around the country who share a similar mindset and motivation. For this reason, I hope to present my research at the Southern Regional Honors Conference in spring 2018.”

Honors Program + Leadership
Estell is a proud member of the Honors program and serves as committee coordinator for the Student Honors Association (SHA). The purpose of the SHA is to further the mission of the Honors program and to help expand it through newsletters and social events. Spanish Professor Mark Malin, the faculty advisor for the SHA, attended the Southern Regional Honors Conference in Asheville, North Carolina in spring 2017, along with several Honors students, including Estell.

“It was on that trip that we talked about reforming the SHA,” says Malin. “After we returned to campus, we held a meeting to discuss how to grow the SHA, and Lauren was elected committee coordinator. The students involved in the SHA are a very industrious and strategic-minded group.”

Estell also serves as executive director of community outreach for the Service Fellows program, which integrates service opportunities with instruction, reflection, and exploration of the contexts and root causes of social needs. In this role, she works with community groups in Hanover and Henrico counties to pair Randolph-Macon College students with volunteer opportunities and strengthen community relations.

Future Plans
Although she originally thought she wanted to go into medicine, Estell’s plans for the future are taking another direction.

“My main purpose in considering becoming a physician was the opportunity it would grant me in being able to serve rural communities,” she explains. “Instead of continuing on that path, I thought of other ways in which I can serve rural communities. I realized that the leadership skills I have started to develop at Randolph-Macon College—such as being able to connect and communicate with people of different backgrounds, organize and lead group discussions and think tanks, and help others realize their full potential—would be best used in helping non-profits that serve rural areas. I hope to help expand outreach and help communities throughout Virginia.”

The best part about being a Yellow Jacket, says Estell, is the warm campus community.

“I am part of a swarm of students who, after they leave the Randolph-Macon hive, can spread positive social change,” she says.