MLK Spotlight - Christina: Summer research on Chinese adoptee experiences

Christina is a junior majoring in English with a minor in Technical Communication. This post is part of the MLK Spotlight, a regular feature on our blog. The goal is to highlight MLK student (or staff) stories, experiences, and perspectives. Have something you'd like to share? Send an email to mlkdesk@umn.edu, or ask your adviser!

Christina at the Summer Undergraduate Research Symposium.

My name is Christina Leighton, and I am part of the MLK Program. This last summer, I had an amazing opportunity to research through the Multicultural Summer Research Opportunity Program (MSROP) at the University of Minnesota. I would encourage anyone who is interested in research and or graduate school to look into this program for summer 2014! 

My research, “Complex Identities and Relationships: Four Documentaries on the Chinese Adoptee Experience," discussed common issues that Chinese adoptees in America face within three important relationships: birthparents, adoptive parents, and peers and community. I chose four documentaries, out of eleven, in order to analyze similarities and differences of Chinese adoptees and their families. Issues with identity, culture, history, and coping were prevalent in all the documentaries. The research was presented at the Summer Undergraduate Research Symposium on campus and within a final research paper for the program. 

This research experience was rewarding and challenging. MSROP looks for applicants who have not had prior research opportunities because the program provides a foundation for future research and for students interested in graduate school. I had not participated in an undergraduate research project before this summer, and I definitely learned a lot from this experience. The reason why I wanted to join MSROP was because I wanted to contribute to the adoption community and explore my personal views as a Chinese adoptee. In addition, I wanted to challenge myself academically over the summer and see if researching adoption was something I would like to do as a career. 

In the end, I discovered that adoption, for now, is too personal for me to research professionally. However, I definitely do not regret participating in MSROP. The program has given me the opportunity to explore many adoption perspectives, including my own. In addition, MSROP has helped give me an idea of what to expect in graduate school, and it has pushed me academically.

MLK students would benefit greatly from participating in the Multicultural Summer Research Opportunity Program (MSROP). The program accepts all areas of study – mine just happened to focus on Humanities. Additionally, students usually have the option of selecting their mentor and research topic. Professor Josephine Lee, from the Department of English and Asian American Studies at the University of Minnesota, served as my main mentor over the 10-week program. Jo Lee’s guidance, support, and encouragement really helped me throughout the summer research. I was fortunate enough to have her as my professor in her “Asian America Through Arts and Culture” course last fall semester, where I first met her, and even more fortunate to have her as my mentor.

If you’re interested in MSROP, definitely check it out! The program strives to help multicultural students build their research skills and interest for graduate school. If you genuinely want to research over the summer, you’ve got a great head start for applying to MSROP because your sincerity will be evident in the application process. The last thing I want to say, which I’ve had to tell myself multiple times, is to remember that this is a learning opportunity and that you can do whatever you put your mind to! Good luck.