Sprout and STEM joined by SPRINT-iProv Summer Fellow

The Swearer Center at Brown University supplies students with opportunities to further their education through academic growth and community service, often by partnering with local agencies doing advocacy work in Providence. It is committed to making a social impact by leveraging Brown's well-known Open Curriculum to provide coursework that develops civic knowledge and promotes social justice.

The SPRINT-iProv Summer Fellowship, which stands for "Summer/Semester Projects for Research, Internship, Teaching," is one of many funded positions offered by the Swearer Center. It financially supports 30 undergraduate students to work with a local nonprofit organization in the Providence area for 10 weeks throughout the summer. Students engage in professional development by applying critical thinking and leadership skills to real-world scenarios, while organizations benefit from the influx of talent and creativity offered by their fellow.

This summer, Sprout and STEM will be joined by Hannah Zupancic, a rising sophomore from Newton, MA. Hannah is concentrating in Medical Anthropology and Music and on the pre-medical track, and intends to complete a Master's in Public Health before attending medical school. She envisions a career in pediatrics and plans to continue working on projects related to health equity throughout her professional life.

Outside of class, Hannah is a member of the Brown University Orchestra as a cellist, and volunteers as a mentor with Community Music Works, which aims to bring accessible music education to underfunded schools in Providence.

She also enjoys hiking, reading, and playing in various concerts with her chamber music group at Brown. Hannah has always loved working with younger students, whether that be through STEM mentoring programs or musical opportunities. As a child, she was fascinated by science (biology in particular), and had a persistent curiosity about the various creatures she found in her backyard and in tidepools on vacations in Maine.

Hannah is thrilled to be working with Sprout this summer and excited to share her love of science with students in Providence, especially while providing them with resources and encouragement to pursue careers in medicine and other disciplines in STEM.