Rethinking the Past, Researching the Future

Trinity University is already known for offering and promoting undergraduate research opportunities. Students collaborate with professors in labs or develop their own projects throughout the year. They participate in the Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship and present their work at the Summer Undergraduate Research and Internships Symposium.

Now, a group of Trinity students is helping the University become a leader in showcasing undergraduate research across Texas through The Undergraduate Journal of Contemporary Affairs ( UJCA ).

At the helm of UJCA is Beyza Yildirim '26, a political science major from Houston, who has participated in research throughout her entire Trinity career. In 2024, Yildirim was inspired to bring more research opportunities for students, not just at Trinity but throughout Texas. Yildirim approached a few of her faculty mentors with the idea of creating an undergraduate journal focused on highlighting research conducted by undergraduates in the social sciences and humanities.

Yildirim believes that undergraduate students have meaningful insights to contribute to ongoing discussions in these fields that shed light on many contemporary global issues. Through this journal, students would have an outlet to discuss and showcase their work on these topics.

"I recognized the importance of research done in classrooms, and not everyone has the opportunity to gain formal research experience outside the classroom," Yildirim says. "So I really wanted students to have an opportunity to use the research they've already done in their classes."

When meeting with multiple faculty members interested in the journal, Yildirim was recommended Trinity students who could serve on UJCA 's editorial board with her. One of these students was political science major Jay Salter '26, who now serves as editor-in-chief alongside Yildirim. Together, they began inter-departmental discussions to secure sponsors and students interested in working with UJCA .

Through this discussion process, eight more Trinity students joined the editorial board. Additionally, the history , economics , political science , sociology and anthropology , modern languages and literature , philosophy , communication , and religion departments sponsored the journal, and professors from these departments formed UJCA 's advisory board.

"(This journal) is about trying to attract students' interest in exploring issues that are very relevant today. Sometimes they fall under the radar for students because they are very preoccupied with grades, schoolwork, classwork, and all that," says international politics professor and advisory board member, Rosa Aloisi, Ph.D . "So we're trying to make sure students can get involved in contemporary affairs that aren't necessarily coming up in class discussions."

Normally, the research students do in class ends up as an essay or presentation that is submitted for a grade. UJCA allows students to present their findings to a wider audience and showcase their commitment to intellectual curiosity and academic excellence while also creating an opportunity for students to gain real-world academic publishing experience. In this way, UJCA provides a new hands-on learning opportunity that validates students' classroom work and allows them to become leaders in sharing it with the academic world.

UJCA published its first issue in the fall of 2025, nearly a year after Yildirim approached her professors with the idea. Now, the journal is optimizing its editorial process and is spreading its reach among undergraduates across Texas.

Each new issue begins with Yildirim and Salter reviewing research submitted by undergraduates across the state. From that pool, research that meets their criteria is passed to other student editors, who provide their own feedback and recommendations.

First, one addresses grammar, flow, and line-by-line edits. They also verify if all research is accurate and that the paper as a whole meets the standards of its respective discipline. After the preliminary edits, submissions are presented to the advisory board, where professors provide feedback and review.

"You are putting your research skills, what you care about on the line, your writing, all of that," says history professor and advisory board member Lauren Turek, Ph.D. "That requires a lot of vulnerability, but it's also an incredible opportunity for growth. So, this journal offers something rare: a place where undergraduates can do that."

Through this peer-review process, the journal can ensure that the research presented is the best possible product. As Yildirim says, "Our priority is always to promote quality over quantity when it comes to the papers we publish."

Through UJCA , Yildirim and Salter hope to establish a space for students across the state to engage in cross-institutional conversations about issues that matter to them. In their first edition, they had research published by a student at the University of the Incarnate Word. In their upcoming Spring 2026 issue, they will feature research submitted by students at several universities in Texas, including Rice University, the University of Texas at Dallas, and St. Edward's University.

"This is something that we want our students to do: have conversations and insights from people at other colleges. It's just going to enrich the conversation," Turek says.

UJCA is currently taking submissions for the Autumn 2026 journal issue. You can submit your paper here to be considered for publication in the upcoming issue.

To read past undergraduate research regarding the modern world, you can go to the UJCA website and explore the research being done around campus and in Texas.