MAP Fellow gifts ipads to Youth Advisory Council — *MAP Fellow, Erica Middleton (right), gifts iPads to the Youth Advisory Council at UL Research Institutes*

“Different seasons of life bring different answers.”

That’s one of the lessons Erica Middleton is carrying with her halfway through the MAP Fellowship. Through mentorship, collaboration, and new experiences, she’s discovered new ways of thinking about leadership, purpose, and what it means to “lift as you climb.”

She is currently a MAP Fellow for UL Research Institutes—Office of Research Experiences & Education's Youth Advisory Council. We asked Erica to reflect on what’s stood out so far.

What have been your biggest takeaways so far?

UL Research Institutes, especially the Institute for Research Experiences & Education (IREE), has given me space to make my own meaning and connect safety science to my lived experience as a professional traditionally outside of STEM-related fields.

As a history lover, I found myself resonating with Dr. Charles R. Drew, a Howard University luminary, and how his breakthroughs in blood banking impacted my life, as the recipient of life-saving blood transfusions. That connection made safety science feel more personal and gave me an aha moment I didn’t know I needed.

One of the most meaningful parts of this experience was deciding how to use my professional development funding. This fellowship has felt so aligned with the work I care about—and so deeply edifying—that I didn’t feel I personally needed anything else.

Instead, I chose to donate my funding to our six Youth Advisory Council members so we could purchase iPads to support their transformative work. It reflects my belief in “lifting as you climb,” and that’s felt far more meaningful than anything I could have spent on myself.

How has the fellowship impacted you?

The MAP program has expanded my thinking in ways I didn’t expect. From the beginning, I’ve been inspired by the work my cohort members are doing to make waves across different areas of social impact.

I’m grateful to build on that energy and to be part of a community of MAP fellows and alumni who are contributing to a growing legacy.

I’ve learned how exciting it is to see students shaping their lived realities in spaces I didn’t know existed a year ago. Young people bring creativity and honesty that can shift any environment in meaningful ways, so I love the opportunity to actively listen and learn from them. Watching them carry forward a legacy of innovation has been awesome.

What are you learning from your mentor?

My mentor, Nyla McFadden, has helped me think about what it means to be a human “becoming” instead of solely a human “being.” It isn’t tied to the traditional bounds of the project, but her words have deeply shaped how I move through this experience. She’s reminded me to trust that different seasons of life bring different answers. I appreciate her wisdom.

Read more here about the MAP Fellowship and how to apply to be a fellow.