ReSearching for the Common Good: Jenifer Guadalupe Solano Becerra

October 15, 2025

As an interdisciplinary academic institute, the Institute for Social Concerns leverages research to respond to the complex demands of justice and to serve the common good. This series, ReSearching for the Common Good, highlights some of the scholars in our community.

Jenifer Guadalupe Solano Becerra ’27 is a neuroscience and behavior major with a minor in chemistry. A winner of the 2024 Research for the Common Good Award, Jenifer was a summer 2024 NDBridge participant and now serves on the institute’s Genesis team.

What research did you conduct for your NDBridge experience?

Through NDBridge and my experience in Columbus, Ohio, at Accompanying Returning Citizens with Hope (ARCH), I was introduced to the lived realities and moved by the stories and struggles of returning citizens. My previous research focused on the pervasive issue of food insecurity among incarcerated individuals and its detrimental effects on their health and well-being. That project revealed how systemic neglect in basic provisions—such as consistent access to nutritious food—not only worsens physical health outcomes but also deepens the psychosocial vulnerabilities of marginalized populations. It underscored that food insecurity is not merely about hunger; it’s a critical social determinant of health that perpetuates cycles of disadvantage and recidivism. That experience expanded my understanding of what healing truly requires and deepened my commitment to medicine as a vehicle for justice.

What research did you conduct with your Researching for the Common Good Award funding?

Last summer, I focused on how trauma-responsive, bilingual social work interventions impact socioemotional resilience and family stability in immigrant households. Grounded in the Center for Immigration and Refugee Advancement’s three-tiered service model, my research examined how clinical case management and linguistically aligned therapeutic support foster trust, emotional well-being, and long-term engagement among Spanish-speaking families navigating the immigration process.

To deepen this work, I conducted interviews with social workers across Nebraska, whose insights revealed urgent and often overlooked needs. Housing insecurity emerged as a dominant concern—many families arrive without the means to pay rent or deposits, and shelters are often at full capacity. Access to medical and dental care, mental health services, and basic necessities like clothing are frequently limited by documentation requirements, language barriers, and fear tied to legal status. Social workers emphasized the importance of trauma-informed legal advocacy, culturally attuned communication, and transportation support—especially in building trust and independence. They also shared that community engagement efforts like toy drives, summer camps, and family-centered school events are most effective when they’re fun, free, and held in welcoming spaces.

How do you see your research contributing to the common good?

In parallel with my research last summer, I led an eight-week Spanish-language summer learning program for newly arrived immigrant students, running from June through July. I designed and taught curriculum across elementary, middle, and high school levels, focusing on reading, writing, and core subjects to help students maintain continuity in their education. The program was conducted entirely in Spanish to ensure accessibility and comfort for students adjusting to life in the United States, many of whom were navigating significant transitions. This classroom experience allowed me to witness firsthand how trauma-informed teaching can foster confidence, curiosity, and connection—especially when students feel seen and supported in their native language.

This work directly informed my broader outreach initiative, which aims to identify and respond to the evolving needs of immigrant families in the Lincoln community. Rather than relying solely on traditional outcome metrics, I’m piloting multilingual questionnaires and collaborating with local organizations to gather insights rooted in lived experience. Based on these findings, I’m developing accessible materials—including infographics, resource directories, and pamphlets—that amplify community voices and clarify which interventions are most effective in promoting family well-being and long-term stability.

I’m currently developing a Google Site that not only shares trauma-informed, culturally responsive resources for families and service providers but also includes an overview of my summer research and the key insights that shaped this work. The site will highlight the origins of the project—from my time at ARCH to my interviews with social workers—and present findings in a visually accessible format that centers community voices. Through research, education, and outreach, I hope to continue to walk alongside the communities I hope to serve in my future career as a healthcare professional—grounding each step in trust, responsiveness, and care.