JONESBORO, Ark. — When Jayson Smith, a sophomore at Nettleton High School, sought advice on pursuing a career in medicine, he turned to Facebook for guidance—a decision that changed his life.

Smith's post caught the attention of Rebecca Camarata, a former teacher at University Heights Elementary School, whose husband, Dr. Troy Camarata, was on the faculty at the New York Institute of Technology College of Osteopathic Medicine at Arkansas State University (NYITCOM at A-State). Through this connection, Smith was introduced to a new program designed to guide students like him: the Summer Health Academy for Research Exploration (SHARE).

SHARE is an eight-week summer program that partners high school students with research scientists from NYITCOM and A-State. Participants engage in hands-on STEM activities and gain research experience in labs at the Arkansas Biosciences Institute. Over the last seven years, 54 students from Northeast Arkansas have taken part, including 25 from Nettleton and others from schools in Jonesboro, Brookland, Valley View, Marion, and Pocahontas.

Dr. Rajendram Rajnarayanan, NYITCOM at A-State's associate dean of research and the program's founder, emphasized the importance of creating opportunities for students early in their academic journeys. “With so many workforce needs in STEM fields, it is incumbent on us as educators to not just mentor and encourage the Jaysons of the world, but we have to facilitate opportunities for them to get in a lab and gain experiences that will inspire them,” he said.

The program also addresses economic barriers often faced by students. SHARE is funded by a grant from the American Chemical Society, which provides a $4,000 stipend per participant. Dr. Rajnarayanan noted that this financial support allows students to engage in STEM learning without needing to forgo summer income for their families.

SHARE’s curriculum delves into subjects like pharmacology, anatomy, and population health. Students participate in medical simulations and receive admissions guidance from A-State’s undergraduate staff. However, the program's most distinctive element is its focus on research. Participants collaborate with faculty on diverse projects, such as studying cancer treatments developed from peanut hairy roots, investigating genetic relationships between birds and feather lice, and exploring how chemotherapy drugs interact with DNA. Other projects have examined environmental issues, like microplastic filtration, and studied how certain insecticides affect biological processes linked to obesity and diabetes.

“The breadth of what these students took on this summer blew me away,” said Dr. Natarajan Ganesan, assistant director of educational research at NYITCOM and the program’s coordinator. “These are high schoolers doing this work. Before participating in SHARE, they don’t have any idea what they’re capable of. It’s incredible.”

Smith, now a psychology/pre-med major at the University of Central Arkansas, credits SHARE with setting him on his current path. He recently spoke at the graduation for the program's seventh cohort, reflecting on his journey.

The program's impact is evident in its outcomes. Among SHARE alumni, 15 have enrolled at A-State, while others have chosen the University of Central Arkansas or other colleges across the state and region. Dr. Rajnarayanan remains hopeful that some graduates will return to Jonesboro to attend medical school at NYITCOM, further enriching the local community.

“We’re investing in these students, and they’re accomplishing great things,” he said. “Running programs like this requires significant work and collaboration, but it’s worth it when you are able to watch the students grow and flourish.”