Caroline King didn't expect to get involved in research when she arrived at The University of Texas at Arlington. But after joining the Honors College and taking a job with the Center for Rural Health and Nursing, she found herself diving into a literature review on midwifery in rural Texas.
Two and a half years later, King is a published author in the Online Journal of Rural Nursing and Health Care. While publication is a milestone for any academic, it's a rare achievement for an undergraduate.
"It's an honor. It's a wonderful feeling," said King, who participated in The University of Texas System's prestigious Archer Fellowship Program and is on track to graduate in December 2025. "Honestly, sometimes I still can't believe it. I think, 'Oh, wow, I actually did that.'"
Her article explored the benefits of midwifery for women with low-risk pregnancies. Studies show that midwife-assisted births can lead to earlier initiation of breastfeeding and offer a more economical alternative to traditional hospital deliveries.
"There's a lot of different factors but, boiling it down, having a midwife-led birth is safe and cost-effective," King said. "It could be a viable health care option that more people in the U.S. should consider if their pregnancy is low risk."
Aspen Drude, manager of UTA's Center for Rural Health and Nursing, hired King after recognizing her drive and passion.
"I'm incredibly proud to see Caroline's dedication and hard work recognized through publication—what an exciting milestone," Drude said. "This is just the beginning for Caroline. I can't wait to see what she tackles next."
For her research, King analyzed 15 articles published between 2017 and 2022 that presented data on births in the United States. The process was long and time-intensive—something that few outside of academia can fully comprehend.
"Whenever I explain it to my family, especially my grandparents, they'll be like, 'You're still doing that research?'" King said. "I'm like, 'Yes, it takes a while to do research.' Just explaining the time commitment of researching databases and reading articles and ensuring the validity and the rigor of different types of experiments—it's a lot."
About The University of Texas at Arlington (UTA)
Celebrating its 130th anniversary in 2025, The University of Texas at Arlington is a growing public research university in the heart of the thriving Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex. With a student body of over 41,000, UTA is the second-largest institution in the University of Texas System, offering more than 180 undergraduate and graduate degree programs. Recognized as a Carnegie R-1 university, UTA stands among the nation's top 5% of institutions for research activity. UTA and its 280,000 alumni generate an annual economic impact of $28.8 billion for the state. The University has received the Innovation and Economic Prosperity designation from the Association of Public and Land Grant Universities and has earned recognition for its focus on student access and success, considered key drivers to economic growth and social progress for North Texas and beyond.
