From Valley Scholar to national research

For Sana Jaf, college never seemed like a distant aspiration, but rather a future she could imagine for herself from a young age. Through JMU’s Valley Scholars program, she spent her early years visiting campus, meeting faculty and students and learning what higher education could do for her long before she was old enough to apply. 

“I was in seventh grade when I applied [to Valley Scholars],” Jaf said. “From eighth grade through high school, we were coming to campus regularly. We were exposed to all the different colleges and given a real sense of what JMU offers.”

Valley Scholars helps local, talented students become the first in their families to earn a college degree. Between eighth and 12th grade these students are supported through early access, academic enrichment and mentorship, creating a familiarity with higher education and how it fits into their futures. For Jaf, those early experiences played a big role in how she approached college from the start. 

Now a Computer Information Systems major and Writing, Rhetoric and Technical Communications minor, Jaf has turned that foundation into an impressive record of leadership, research achievement and professional readiness. Between involvement with student organizations, undergraduate research and national conferences, she is preparing to graduate a semester early with a full-time position already lined up. 

Research beyond disciplinary boundaries

Jaf hit the ground running her first year at JMU. She knew she wanted to be a business major, but also took interest in non-business topics like literacy, AI adoption and, inspired by her own journey, education. Through the First-Year Research Experience (FYRE) program, she found a research project that matched her interests and a mentor who could support and guide her. 

“I had never really considered doing research before,” Jaf said. “But I saw the topic, and it stood out immediately.” Alongside Dr. Chelsey M. Bahlmann Bollinger, associate professor of Literacy Education, Jaf has been examining how K-12 teachers are using generative AI tools, including ethical considerations, benefits, limitations and gaps in existing research. 

After her first year, and with support from Bahlmann Bollinger, Jaf continued the work through the university’s Research Experience for Undergraduates program and led the development and distribution of a national survey of English language arts teachers' use of generative AI. 

Now, their research has gained national attention. Jaf and Bahlmann Bollinger's co-authored paper was recently accepted for presentation at the American Educational Research Association Annual Meeting, one of the top conferences in education research. Jaf and Bahlman Bollinger will travel to Los Angeles in early April to attend the conference and present their findings.

“When we got the email that we were accepted, I honestly didn’t expect that,” Jaf said. “Especially with me being an undergraduate doing this research, being part of this conference is huge.”

Learning to lead

Beyond research, Jaf is a member of JMU’s Association for Information Systems (AIS) chapter. Every year the AIS holds a Student Chapter Leadership Conference and JMU was selected as the 2026 host school, bringing over 150 students and faculty members from 18 universities to Harrisonburg. Jaf took on the defining role of conference director where she led the conference committee in planning and executing the entire two-day conference. 

“I learned a lot about leadership, especially how to delegate tasks,” she said. “That’s something you don’t really learn in a classroom.”

Over the course of the year, Jaf became more confident in herself and gained a variety of skills. Her role involved collaborating with CIS professors to develop conference prompts, communicating with stakeholders through professional outreach and co-presenting at a virtual conference to promote the event. She led biweekly meetings for both the Association of Information Systems and the conference committee, where she created agendas, facilitated discussions and ensured steady progress across all conference areas. Jaf learned to maintain detailed planning documents and Excel sheets, and ensured meetings were structured and productive. She also worked closely with the CIS Advisory Board to secure funding and coordinated with Hotel Madison to help execute the awards ceremony and formal dinner.

“I was told that at the beginning of planning I was so shy and didn’t know what to say,” she shared. “And then I got out of my bubble. I definitely gained a lot of confidence in myself. I was like, ‘I can do something like this.’ What else can I do?”

Looking ahead

Jaf will graduate in December 2026, a full semester ahead of her initial college plan. She has already accepted a full-time role at Navitus, where she has interned for several summers, as a business intelligence developer. 

As she reflects on her time at JMU, Jaf acknowledges both the challenges she faced and the growth that followed. “It’s been a roller coaster,” she said. “But I’m really proud of everything I’ve done.”

From early campus visits as a Valley Scholar to presenting research at a national conference, Jaf’s path reflects steady growth in all aspects of her life, fueled by support, access and a personal desire to strive for all that she can be.