Rickey Frierson, assistant vice president for Strategic Student Success Initiatives, said MURALS creates a unique chance for CSU students of all backgrounds to gain research skills. Students learn from faculty, staff and graduate students with research experience, all of whom may serve as mentors throughout the research process and will provide feedback to students the day of the symposium. Beyond the research, Foster said the community created by MURALS is what drives the program forward. Through their research, Domenech identified patterns in how television portrayed autistic characters and how those portrayals differed based on race and gender. “MURALS doesn’t just teach students how to conduct research; it helps them discover that their voices, experiences and ideas belong in research.”