PC student Ada Xhanari assists Maryvale students in a science project.
PC students Yesenia Graza (L) and Alma Perez (R) assist Maryvale middle school students with scientific discovery
PC student Nancy Espino (white shirt) instructs students on proper scientific techniques.
This spring, four Phoenix College (PC) Biology students—Ada Xhanari, Yesenia Garza, Alma Perez, and Nancy Espino—took their Bio181 classroom learning into the community as part of a PC Work-Based Experience. PC Biology Professor Dr. Alicia Baier Wideman collaborated with ASU researcher Dr. Jeremy Wideman to provide PC students the opportunity to engage in hands-on science outreach with middle schoolers in Maryvale.
Over five weeks, the PC students mentored young learners during an afterschool program, guiding them through authentic research projects designed to uncover new protists—unicellular eukaryotes—living in their own backyard. Armed with microscopes and advanced lab techniques like Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) and gel electrophoresis, the middle school students eagerly jumped into the work. Discovering these protists helped students see that science isn’t some distant concept - it is happening all around them. Microorganisms play a vital role in the ecosystem which connects directly to the health of our environment and local communities. The middle school students’ excitement was contagious—each new discovery sparked questions, curiosity, and a sense of pride in working alongside college students and professors in pursuit of scientific research.
Together with Phoenix College’s Work-Based Experience program, the partnership created meaningful learning opportunities for both the middle schoolers and the PC students. Following the culmination of the outreach program, the PC students visited ASU research labs and made connections for future research opportunities. Yesenia Garza and Nancy Espino were later awarded a summer research internship at ASU.
By combining authentic research with mentorship, this project not only opened doors for middle schoolers in Maryvale, but also helped Phoenix College students strengthen their own pathways toward scientific discovery. Dr. Anil Kapoor, PC Biosciences faculty member, reflected on the impact of the program: “A powerful collaboration between PC Biology students, ASU's Dr. Wideman, and PC's Dr. Baier Wideman is igniting scientific curiosity in Maryvale, demonstrating the profound impact of mentorship and shared expertise.”
Want to learn more about how Phoenix College connects students with real-world opportunities like this? Visit our Work-Based Experience Program page to see how you can gain valuable skills, build professional networks, and make an impact while pursuing your education.