Earlier this semester, members of TCNJ’s SACNAS Chapter represented The College at the largest multidisciplinary and multicultural STEM diversity event in the country, The National Diversity in STEM Conference hosted by SACNAS (Society for Advancement of Chicanos/Hispanics and Native Americans in Science) in Portland, Oregon.
TCNJ SACNAS executive board members, Ileana Gonzalez, Sophy Vuong, Belmarie Siverio, Omar Halim, Naileny Rodriguez, and Leandra Pesantes attended the conference alongside advisors Dr. Jennifer Aleman and Dr. Giovanny Parada.
Over the course of the conference, attendees are immersed in cutting-edge STEM research presentations, professional development sessions, motivational keynote speakers, and the Graduate School & Career Expo Hall, as well as multicultural celebrations and traditions, and an inclusive and welcoming community of peers, mentors, and role models.
Ileana Gonzalez, TCNJ SACNAS’ Treasurer and junior biology major who is currently conducting research at RU YES Cancer Institute of New Jersey, explained that the conference was an immensely empowering experience both personally and professionally.
Ileana explained, “I felt so included and in touch with myself and I think a big part of that was seeing so many Latinos here succeeding in STEM. As soon as I entered that environment it was so moving to see the diversity of representation. That in and of itself was one of my favorite parts of the conference – getting the chance to feel that sense of community first hand in such an exciting environment.”
Ileana also noted that attending the conference was an excellent professional development experience, an example of the great value SACNAS’ national chapter places on building a strong sense of community to support diverse student groups is an empowering experience that she hopes to bring back to TCNJ.
Belmarie Siverio,TCNJ SACNAS’ Co-President and senior biology major, who has previously conducted research in Dr. Grochau-Wright’s Lab and
is currently working in Dr. Clement’s Lab, noted the tremendous personal and professional development opportunities made available through the conference.
“It was really cool getting to connect with such a diverse group of scholars and professionals in this environment. Getting to share my own personal research and discuss my experiences at TCNJ was a really exciting component of this experience,” Belmarie explained.
“I feel like this was a great experience for our chapter as a whole too, to be able to represent TCNJ at a nationally recognized conference was really exciting and transformative for our e-board members.”
SACNAS’ TCNJ Co-President, and senior biology major, Sophy Voung who conducts research in Dr. Elliot’s lab, noted the wide variety of benefits attending this conference brings to TCNJ’s very own SACNAS chapter.
“It was a great opportunity for us to network with a lot of the other SACNAS chapters, especially those in the tri-state area that we hope to collaborate with more in the future,” she explained.
TCNJ SACNAS’ Event’s Coordinator and junior biology major, Omar Halim, reflected on his experience noting that his favorite component of the conference was the immersive multicultural experiences. He explained that, “getting the opportunity to engage with students from around the world, in addition to learning about the rich cultural diversity was an amazing experience.”
Naileny Rodriguez, TCNJ SACNAS’ Outreach Chair and a senior biology major who conducts research in Dr. Peel’s Lab, discussed the exciting experiences she had at the conference as a second time attendee. Despite presenting here before, Naileny discussed the very real sense of “ imposter syndrome” that is commonly felt by many STEM students, particularly those hailing from diverse backgrounds. 
Naileny expressed, “In some ways I still struggle with identifying myself as an actual scientist. The imposter syndrome is real. But, sitting in this conference and seeing people with similar backgrounds share their stories and experiences I saw myself in their shoes. It was an amazing experience.”
Advisors, Dr. Jennifer Aleman and Dr. Giovanny Parada also had the opportunity to present at the conference at a session entitled “How to Maintain a Healthy SACNAS chapter.” Here they were able to showcase the TCNJ Chapter’s work to the national SACNAS community, provide insight to those looking to start their own chapters at their own institutions, and facilitate discussion amongst chapter members and advisors about best practices for chapter maintenance, growth and success.
Discussing the value of connecting with this larger community of scholars, Dr. Aleman explained, “It was really amazing to reflect on and share all that we’ve accomplished in such a short amount of time as a newer SACNAS chapter within the larger SACNAS network. We can be a resource and example for other institutions that want to create their own SACNAS community at their own institutions. I am immensely proud of the students’ hard work in creating this community at TCNJ and for embodying the SACNAS mission here at home everyday because of the experiences that they’ve had at the national conference.”
Written by School of Science Student Journalist, Jax DiEugenio