DRIVE 2025 Cohort Begins Summer Research Journey

The Stanford Maternal and Child Health Research Institute (MCHRI) welcomed the 2025 cohort of its DRIVE in Research Pathway Program with a morning of mentorship and connection at the annual kickoff event on June 23.

Hosted on the Courtyard Lawn at 800 Welch Road, the event marked the official start of the 10-week summer program for 26 Stanford undergraduate students from first-generation and low-income backgrounds. Throughout the summer, students will work closely with faculty mentors on maternal and child health research projects while participating in weekly sessions focused on career development and research skills.

Now in its fifth year, DRIVE (Diversity, Respect, and Inclusion are Vital for Excellence) continues to expand its impact and reach. With support from the Vice Provost for Undergraduate Education and the Lucile Packard Foundation for Children’s Health Children’s Fund, the program has hosted 111 students since its inception in 2021.

“You belong here."

In her welcome address, Dr. Ndidi Unaka, inaugural Chief Health Equity Officer at Stanford Medicine Children’s Health, shared her journey—from growing up in subsidized housing in Los Angeles to her current leadership role in academic medicine.

She spoke candidly about navigating her experiences in science and medicine, encouraging students to seek mentorship, ask for help, and trust in their own potential:

“When you wake up in the morning and you have doubts about whether or not you should be here, say to yourself: you belong here… Your experiences are ones that people can learn and grow from.

                                                      Dr. Unaka emphasized the value of programs like DRIVE in shaping early career paths, providing students exposure to healthcare and research, and cultivating “diverse thought processes to improve the lives of our community.    

Advice from the DRIVE Community

Following the opening remarks, students joined DRIVE faculty mentors for a mentored conversation on navigating the research experience.

 Dr. Mary Leonard, Director of the MCHRI, spoke about how mentorship can take many forms—encouraging students to seek out mentors aligned with their goals, maintain those relationships over time, and be proactive in shaping the support they need. 

On the topic of work-life balance, the panel emphasized the importance of asking for help, prioritizing physical and mental well-being, and focusing on integration rather than striving for perfection.

When discussing failure, one takeaway was clear: it’s part of the process. Students were reminded that research is a collaborative endeavor, and progress often results from iteration and support from the broader team.

They also spoke about the importance of embracing uncertainty and iteration in the research process. Dr. Jennifer Woo Baidal encouraged students to be honest about their goals, patient with relationship-building, and mindful that progress takes time, especially in collaborative environments. “There’s no ‘I’ in research,” she said, highlighting the importance of teamwork and shared success. She also emphasized the value of “failing fast”—learning from mistakes early, staying flexible, and viewing setbacks as opportunities for insight and growth. 

She later added that students should also make space for slower, reflective parts of the research process 

“A lot of research involves thinking and analyzing, not just doing, so they should embrace any downtime for those activities.

Looking Ahead

The DRIVE 2025 cohort is now in their fourth week of programming, continuing to build the foundation for a successful summer in research. By the end of the summer, students will have developed key skills in networking, literature review, clinical and translational research, science communication, and much more. They’ll explore topics ranging from health equity and community-engaged research to preparing for careers in medicine, academia, and public health.

As the program unfolds, the MCHRI DRIVE team hopes to continue fostering the sense of belonging and purpose that anchored the kickoff.

The DRIVE program brings together the very best that Stanford University has to offer; the broad mix of undergraduate majors combined with the passion and talent of faculty and staff across dozens of disciplines will accelerate our research in maternal and child health in meaningful ways.

- Dr. Mary Leonard, Director of MCHRI