Riley M. Ward

• Participate actively in regular meetings with fellow researchers to discuss project updates, challenges faced, and lessons learned during ongoing activities.
• Maintain open lines of communication with project leads and team members for effective collaboration on common goals.
• Conducte literature reviews to support hypothesis development and identify gaps in existing knowledge.
• Currently working on a publication where I will be a co-author, which is geared to formative research in Rwanda in regards to antenatal care initiation.

• Firstly participated in my freshman year as a mentee.
• Establish strong relationships with fellow students through consistent communication, empathy, and understanding, fostering trust within the peer community.
• Manage time efficiently while balancing multiple responsibilities as both a Peer Leader and full-time student.
• Serve as a mentor for incoming students, offering personal insights and experiences to help them navigate college life successfully.

Through the University of Florida I was am to engage with those experiencing homelessness in the Gainesville community.

So far, I have spent time sorting donated clothes, folding the clothes, and boxing the clothes up.

• Play games, worked on puzzles, and read books to young children.
• Communicate positively with children and guardians.
• Maintain a clean and organized environment to ensure the well-being of children under care.
• Prepare healthy, age-appropriate snacks and meals.
• Bathe, dress, and help with teeth brushing as part of bedtime preparation.
• Handle conflicts between siblings effectively using conflict resolution techniques resulting in a more peaceful household.
• Create a fun and educational atmosphere by incorporating age-appropriate games and activities that promotes learning while keeping children entertained.
• Build lasting bonds with the families I work with through excellent communication skills creating strong rapport which led me being recommended amongst friends.

Gained valuable experience tabling at local colleges to promote health education.

Flyered throughout Gainesville for outreach events.

Worked Diaper Distributions to serve and educate the underprivileged.

Grant writing and social media posts.

Garbage clean-up on streets on Gainesville.

Presented poster of Spring 2024 semester's work at UF symposium.