A Mission of Impact

"Research isn't always about success," undergraduate Marissa McCulloch (BS28) notes. "Sometimes it's about the times you fail and how much that can teach you."

At Eastern New Mexico University, many chemistry undergraduates work alongside faculty from the start, logging hours in the lab and taking responsibility over research early in their academic career. This culture of immersion played a key role in McCulloch's decision to enroll.

Her commitment was solidified during her first visit to ENMU when she met Dr. Juchao Yan, professor of chemistry and chair of physical sciences. "He sat me down in his office for nearly an hour, and told me about all the different opportunities, his research at the time, just walking me through what the program would look like," she said. The personal investment gave McCulloch the confidence to embrace the program's demands and enroll as a chemistry major for the fall 2024 semester.

Beyond the classroom, the transition from Los Alamos to Portales felt natural. The rural landscape and distinct, nostalgic scent of local dairies reminded her of her grandmother's home in Iowa. While this familiarity drew her in, the affordability and safety of ENMU provided the stability she needed. This environment allowed McCulloch to apply a strict discipline to a growing list of responsibilities.

That penchant for structure and diligence stems from her formative years. When she moved to Los Alamos in middle school, she entered a culture that valued high standards and personal responsibility. She embraced this ethos, making it the foundation for her academic path and approach to life outside the classroom.

In high school, McCulloch sought out service roles that allowed her to stay active in the community through volunteer work, establishing the dependability that would follow her into her career. By the summer before her senior year, she leveraged her work ethic to secure a program management internship at Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL). She soon expanded her reach, adding a second role as a technical intern for the National Nuclear Security Administration's Material Control & Accountability program. Today, she maintains both positions, balancing her professional responsibilities alongside a rigorous academic load by leaning on the time-management habits she developed years earlier.

“While her leadership roles and internships rely on coordination and planning, her research at ENMU has encouraged her to embrace the unpredictable.”

At ENMU, McCulloch applies that same disciplined approach to her academic and research pursuits. As an undergraduate research assistant in Dr. Yan's lab, she works on molecular synthesis to improve organic solar cell efficiency. However, her commitment to the University extends beyond the laboratory. Driven by a desire to contribute to the campus community, she serves as the vice president of the ENMU Chemistry Club, a campus tutor, and the chief of staff for the Student Government Association (SGA). "In high school, I'd show up where help was needed," she says, reflecting on her four years in student council. "Here, I get to see what's happening on a broader scale and help address it, too."

Beyond her research and leadership roles, McCulloch's drive is rooted in a personal mission: the example she sets for her younger sister. "She's my main external motivation," she said of their connection, "at the end of the day, I want to succeed so I can support her."

While her leadership roles and internships rely on coordination and planning, her research at ENMU has encouraged her to embrace the unpredictable. "You mix things together, they sit for hours, and sometimes they fail," she said. "At first, I didn't understand: if I did all the steps, why wouldn't it work? But it built my resilience. I've learned it's okay to fail and continue the work anyway."

This persistence continues to be developed by the hands-on opportunities in the lab and has helped clarify McCulloch's vision for the future. Whether she is navigating the inherent complexity of an experiment, or organizing campus events, she knows what kind of impact she wants to make. Knowing that her experiences at ENMU are supporting her future, she remains focused on the long-term goal of her research. "I would love to see the work I'm doing make an impact on real people," she said earnestly, "I want the work I am doing to help."