MSU undergraduate Alexa Baker presents her research working with HDFS at UURAF 2025

Alexa Baker (right), shares research poster at UURAF 2025, supported by Francesca Pratt (left) and Dr. Erica Mitchell (middle).

On April 11, 2025, Michigan State University undergraduates presented their research as part of the University Undergraduate Research and Arts Forum at the Breslin Center. UURAF provides Michigan State undergraduate students with an opportunity to showcase their scholarship and creative activity. Held each spring, UURAF brings together an intellectual community of undergraduate students to share their work with faculty, staff, peers, and external audiences. Participants gain experience presenting their research, answering questions about their work from audience members and guests and receiving constructive feedback from judges.

Alexa Baker, a physiology and human biology senior, worked with HDFS Couple and Family Therapy Program doctoral candidate and mentor Francesca Pratt, and supervising faculty Dr. Erica Mitchell, assistant professor and director of the MSU Couple and Family Therapy Clinic. Her research was part of a larger community engagement project working with community partners in Knoxville, Tennessee.

Her research, titled “Perinatal Experiences of Latinx Birthing People: A Qualitative Analysis,” was a thematic analysis from two focus groups that revealed that some of the main barriers these Latinx mothers faced within the system include limits to social support, communication complications in the medical system, cultural differences in the birthing experience, and inadequate pregnancy education. 

“Through this process, I learned more about the prenatal experiences these Latinx mothers had and their interactions within in the healthcare system,” Alexa said. “These issues need to be addressed in the healthcare system to ensure Latinx mothers receive proper care.”

The information from these focus groups was used to create the Cuna pilot program in Tennessee, where they conduct prenatal classes for Latinx mothers.

“I wanted to get involved in this research because of the purpose and goals of the project,” she said. “The aim is to help Latinx pregnant mothers gain education and support they need during the perinatal experience, as well as in the healthcare system. As a Latina woman, I have always wanted to be part of a project that is impactful and connected to my culture. This project gives me that opportunity.  It allows the team and I to address the systemic barriers, and advocate for a meaningful change.” 

This research was an important example of the impact people working together across multiple academic groups can have: undergraduate students, graduate students, and faculty.

“This project has meant a lot to me, because within my own program of research, I am focused on maternal mental health equity, so when I had the opportunity to join on as the graduate research assistant for the external program evaluator, Dr. Mitchell, I felt really grateful that I would be able to do a project that was so related to my passions,” Francesca Pratt said. “In this role, I've also been able to help mentor Alexa, and it has been really rich to be able to learn from Dr. Mitchell, also grow these skills, and be able to support Alexa as she's engaging in qualitative research.”

“This experience has been particularly meaningful to me to be able to work with undergraduate and graduate students in terms of teaching and training and mentorship around community engaged practices and to watch them interact and work alongside our community partners as well,” Dr. Mitchell said. 

During her time at MSU, Alexa has had the opportunity to be involved in both quantitative molecular biology research and qualitative human development research.

“One piece of advice I would give to someone who is interested in research is to get involved and to not be afraid to ask questions,” she said. “Research is all about exploring and learning more. You will get to learn so much throughout the process!”