The Social Work Interdisciplinary Research Lab (SWIRL) team presented an interactive workshop highlighting the experiences of South Asian immigrant survivors of intimate partner violence at the Florida Undergraduate Research Leadership Summit (FURLS), hosted by Florida International University, from Feb. 13-14.
SWIRL student scholars Sirinandini Amperayani and Sakshi Wagh presented on the distinct and layered barriers survivors face when seeking support, including cultural stigma, financial dependence, immigration-related insecurity, and limited access to culturally responsive services.
The workshop was designed as a replicable leadership model for other institutions and demonstrated how undergraduate students can lead and sustain informed community initiatives through partnerships with local organizations. By the end of the workshop, participants were equipped with a framework for adapting similar undergraduate-led, service-related programs at their own institutions.
This year, 40 students from universities across Florida attended and presented at FURLS, a student-led summit that brings together undergraduate research leaders from institutions statewide to share ideas, build community and strengthen undergraduate research initiatives.