Nadia Zarbaugh, a biological sciences major at Youngstown State University, has been selected as an associate editor for UReCA: The National Collegiate Honors Council Journal of Undergraduate Research and Creative Activity. The appointment extends her campus leadership record into a national academic publishing role, adding to a college experience already built around honors coursework, student government and community service.
A New Role in National Academic Publishing
Zarbaugh, who is on the BaccMed track and from Poland, Ohio, is a member of YSU's Sokolov Honors College and serves as a student member of the university's Board of Trustees. Her new position with UReCA, a journal published by the National Collegiate Honors Council, involves reviewing undergraduate scholarship submitted from institutions across the country, completing academic publishing training, and working alongside a team of student editors from other schools. The work spans multiple academic disciplines and creative genres, requiring editors to evaluate submissions outside their own field of study.
Training Combined With Fieldwork in Montana
Zarbaugh's editorial term began with a summer retreat in Montana, where associate editors took part in structured training on manuscript review alongside experiential activities in Glacier National Park. The retreat included a volunteer environmental cleanup project supporting wildlife conservation efforts, followed by a session with park rangers on the park's ecology and history. Zarbaugh said combining service, outdoor learning and professional training pushed participants to step outside familiar academic settings.
Skills Intended to Carry Beyond Campus
According to Zarbaugh, the editorial position has strengthened her communication, critical thinking and scholarly evaluation skills while connecting her with faculty and students beyond YSU. Mollie Hartup, director of the Sokolov Honors College, said the appointment lets Zarbaugh contribute to a national conversation on undergraduate research while building professional skills applicable after graduation. Hartup described the experience as an example of how honors students can extend classroom learning into real-world networks and settings.
University officials frame Zarbaugh's selection as representative of broader opportunities available through the Sokolov Honors College, which connects students to research, leadership and service roles extending past traditional coursework.