Tori Crisostomo-Rickman is mapping out South LA to identify fresh food resources, examine food disparities and create strategies for expanding community access to fresh food in the area.
“I’m trying to understand what factors may prevent community members from accessing these resources and what local organizations can do to make fresh food resources more accessible,” said Crisostomo-Rickman, a fourth-year geography student.
Crisostomo-Rickman said she has connected with her community through her research and through the relationships and collaborations she has formed along the way. She is a recipient of the Undergraduate Research Scholars Program scholarship, which is awarded to students who have a strong commitment to research and are completing an independent research project with a faculty mentor.
“Research and the URSP program have allowed me to immerse myself within my community at UCLA and the greater Los Angeles Area. Through research, I’ve been able to draw on UCLA’s large network and form impactful relationships with my faculty mentor, local nonprofits, and undergraduate peers. When I first came to UCLA, I had little knowledge of what undergraduate research even entailed. As I took more and more courses across disciplines, I became equipped with a range of research skills to the point that I now spearhead an independent project of my own,” Crisostomo-Rickman said.
Being able to participate in research while an undergraduate student has taught Tori how to use her education to make a tangible, lasting change in the world.
“Undergraduate research has deeply impacted my life both as an academic and as a human. Oftentimes, academic learning can feel detached from the material world but through research, I’ve been able to really transform my learning into action plans on the ground,” Crisostomo-Rickman said. “Outside of the academic scope, undergraduate research has given me a strong network of mentors and friends that have provided me with so much support as I have learned to navigate life as a student and soon, as a post-graduate. I would not be the person I am today if it weren’t for the many community connections I formed through undergraduate research.”
Tori’s experience was made possible through philanthropic support to the Undergraduate Research Centers.
“When you donate to the URCs, you are helping to enliven the imaginative ideas of a community that is committed to building a better world. UCLA’s undergraduate community is truly filled with some of the brightest and most dedicated leaders of tomorrow. That said, many of us often do not have the economic or structural resources to take what we learn in the classroom to build the change-making solutions we want to see. By donating to URC, you are investing in minds and programs that will build a more sustainable and just future.”
