Presidential Research Fellow Sophia Nacua ‘27 Shares Her Journey from the Philippines to Pennsylvania
Three years after being offered a life-changing fellowship, Sophia Nacua ‘27 has been thriving and taking opportunities to expand her education and reach new heights.
Biochemistry major Sophia Nacua ‘27 grew up in Cebu, Philippines, spending nearly two decades of her life with a strong passion for science. As she neared the end of her high school education, Sophia began looking for ways to study abroad at a small school, hoping to find strong mentorship and connections from professors and peers.
During her search, she discovered that York College of Pennsylvania was offering a unique opportunity: join the Presidential Research Fellowship Program and receive a four-year full tuition scholarship, as well as support for research at the College.
Now, after being accepted and named a Presidential Scholarship recipient, Sophia has become fully invested in YCP life and has been thriving both in and out of the classroom.
Presidential Research Fellowship
The Presidential Research Fellowship, made possible in part by a substantial gift from the Walter Williams Foundation, is a program that gives exceptional students the opportunity to do impact research at York College. Not only do fellows receive a full four-year tuition scholarship, but they also become part of the York College Honors Program and can submit research to journals and present at conferences.
“The Presidential Research Program provides ambitious, motivated young students with the opportunity to study at York College and engage in a single work of independent research under the mentorship of one of our dedicated faculty,” said Dr. Travis Kurowski, one of the co-directors of the fellowship program. “It's really such a great program for YCP, as it combines the opportunity to bring some of the world's best students to our campus with our incredible teaching-focused faculty.”
Currently, the program has 17 students across various majors, ranging from Film & Media Studies to Nursing to Electrical Engineering. Annual grant funding is provided to the fellows, and they have recently begun offering summer housing on campus to support fellows doing research-focused internships and co-ops.
“Sophia was part of the first group of international students we recruited for the Presidential Research Fellows program – it was impossible to pass up such a driven, brilliant, and professional young person who was excited to come study at York College,” Dr. Kurowski said.
Sophia is currently involved in several research projects and is still deciding on her original research project. Her top contender is one she is currently working on with Dr. Sean Georgi, an Assistant Professor of Biology. Together, they are exploring circular RNA research and its potential applications in cancer research.
“Right now, we’re looking at whether levels of this specific circular RNA would change across stages of development, and whether we can link that to cancer because cancer is abnormal cell development,” Sophia said. “If we can troubleshoot what went wrong, and if that is linked to the circular RNA that we are studying, then hopefully, we can make more bounds in that regard [and] add on to the literature there.”
“I look forward to seeing her present her research this April at the annual meeting of the Pennsylvania Academy of Science,” Dr. Georgi said. “Many scientists still haven't heard of circular RNAs, and this will be a great opportunity for her to teach others about them through the perspective of her own research.”
The fellowship helped expose Sophia to a variety of meaningful experiences. Towards the end of her first year at York College, Sophia received a grant to fly to Columbia for a 10-day study abroad experience. While there, she and her fellow students participated in service-learning activities and collaborated with local organizations to support women in the community.
“We got to volunteer with women empowerment organizations, especially those that try to help low-income women rise up from poverty and domestic violence,” Sophia said. “So we volunteered with Mi Barrio Mi Sueño, which taught women how to box and how to make manillas. It’s a type of bracelet that they could sell and have their own source of [income].”
Connections through Chemistry
Sophia also had many opportunities to work in the classroom with her professors. One such was Dr. Kathleen Halligan, an Associate Professor of Chemistry and Faculty Supervisor for the Chemistry Society. Sophia enjoyed her organic chemistry class and how it laid the foundation for the topic in her continued educational path and future research ventures.
"What impresses me most about Sophia is her scientific curiosity, ability to see the big picture, and ask high-level questions,” Dr. Halligan said. “She wants to understand how and why certain organic chemistry synthetic routes are more efficient than others, how material from earlier chapters connects to topics in later chapters, and how material from this class connects to other science disciplines."
Sophia especially appreciated that she and her classmates were given the space to have practical labs to learn and practice techniques and skills needed for the sessions, allowing them to make mistakes and hone their skills. The lessons themselves engaged the students and provided them with various ways to apply the knowledge they had gained, such as synthesizing biodiesel and extracting essential oils from spices.
The experiences in the classroom not only strengthened students' confidence but also brought them closer together. Even outside the classroom, students and professors still found ways to collaborate and continue learning from each other while fostering new research and relationships.
“The Chemistry Department itself is pretty small, but we were also a very close-knit class,” Sophia said.
Knowledge From the Classroom to the Workplace
As a result of the knowledge she gained in her classes, Sophia had the opportunity to intern at Adhesives Research, a company in the local Pennsylvania area known for hiring York College students after graduation. They recently attended the 2025 Fall CIAC Meeting, where three of their alumni shared their stories and discussed their current roles at the company.
Sophia started interning there in the summer of 2025 and was then offered to stay until the end of the Fall Semester. She recently signed a contract to continue working in the spring and summer of 2026 and hopes to remain there until she graduates the following year.
“They brought me in because, at the time, they needed help for a project involving mass spectrometry, and that was something that we had covered in our organic chem 1 and 2 classes,” Sophia said. “So I was really glad that I could help them out concretely in my internship.”
The inspiration to intern came from speaking with York College alumni at chemistry networking events. Recent graduates encouraged her to apply, and now Sophia gets to work with them, along with a host of other amazing people.
“I think for many people, including me, it’s kind of comforting to know that there are people who can get jobs right after graduation or maybe before graduation because that’s the point of a college degree, right? To help you get a job,” she said.
Moving from the Philippines to the United States
Moving from the Philippines to the United States was a challenge Sophia had to face as well. However, it wasn’t one she had to face alone.
Thanks to support from the Student Culture and Belonging Office, Sophia was able to make the transition. A particularly valuable source of support came from Ines M. Ramirez, MBA, the Assistant Director of Student Culture and Belonging and International Student Support. She has been known to provide international students with plenty of support and ensure that Sophia and other international students are well-settled and have everything they need for their stay.
This includes acquiring important essentials, such as a bank account, driver’s license, phone number, and Social Security number.
“Working with international students like Sophia is one of the highlights of my job at York College,” Ramirez said. “As a former international student myself, I know how important it is to have a strong support system during your studies. For most of them, this is the first time they are traveling to the United States. They leave their family and friends behind to pursue their goals, and they place their trust in us to guide them through their journey. Welcoming international students on campus brings new perspectives to the classroom, promotes global understanding on campus, and I would like to believe that it increases the cultural competency of our entire college community.”
“I think without her, transitioning into a different country would be very different,” Sophia said. “Maybe a little bit challenging without her help.”
Growth and Future Plans
When asked, Sophia shared that she has greatly enjoyed her time at York College, especially when it came to gaining skills and experience that have been vital to building her character and professional knowledge for her future career plans.
“It has been a great experience working with Sophia over the past year,” Dr. Georgi said. “She has shown great growth in her independence in the laboratory and has been able to learn a wide variety of techniques that will serve her well in her future career.”
Studying biochemistry requires technical experience. York College’s Chemistry department offers many hands-on activities, instrumentation labs, and professors who maintain close ties with alumni and industry professionals. They have allowed students to gain the experience they need at a level that even some larger universities don’t offer.
“I think getting hands-on experience with those techniques really gave me confidence in the work I was doing, that I am capable of collecting data like that, or producing research like that,” Sophia said.
"In addition to being an excellent student, Sophia has emerged as a natural leader among her peers, generously assists the department as a lab assistant, helps engage prospective students at nearly every Open House, and serves as the President of our Student Affiliate American Chemical Society Chapter,” Dr. Halligan said.
Regarding her plans after graduation, Sophia is not quite sure if she’ll be returning to the Philippines just yet.
“I want to do something related to or within the field of biochemistry, and the U.S. is a hub for biochemistry,” she said. “So either I would stay in the U.S. or possibly explore opportunities in Europe. But I’m really open to anything.”
She has shared that she also hopes, if the opportunity arises, to continue working at Adhesives Research full-time.
“After graduation, I’m hoping to pursue a Ph.D., but I would definitely not be opposed to working at Adhesive Research,” Sophia said. “They’re really great.”
When asked about her favorite part of being at York College, Sophia said that it was the friends she made along the way, as well as the faculty who have fostered a positive mentorship with her. She also loves lab time, even when the lab sessions are three hours long; to her, it is work she enjoys and thrives in.
As for advice for other students, Sophia recommends students get as much hands-on experience as possible. Especially for material-heavy subjects in the science departments, learning is very important, and having that knowledge database is vital to success.
“Chemistry can be very theoretical, and while learning the theory is good, it’s not as useful if you don’t apply it to a real-life problem,” Sophia said. “Because whether you go to academia or somewhere in industry, you will be expected to apply your skills. So if you just keep it all in your head or keep it all in thinking, it may not have as much of an impact as you’d expect.”
She also encourages students to have fun with their major. They shouldn’t pick something just because they feel it will get them a job. Some of their inspiration for learning should come from a passion or love of the subject.
For Sophia, because she chose to pursue what she loves, she was given many wonderful opportunities to grow and become an expert in her field. With a great support system and an education that has supported her, Sophia is thriving and excited for what the future holds for her.
“Pick something you love, and you won’t feel like you’re working,” she said.
