Majors: Global Studies and Spanish
What is your current position/career?
I am currently an independent curator and a PhD student in Art History at the University of Illinois at Chicago.
How did Cal Lutheran and/or your Global Studies program set you up for success in this position/career?
I was fortunate enough to work as a Department Assistant for the Languages and Cultures Department where I assisted professors with their research. This is where I learned about how research was conducted in the humanities. In addition to receiving the Pearson Scholarship for Leadership and Engagement in Global Society (under the guidance of Dr. Fiore Urízar) where I led my own study that intersected Literature, Art, and Sociology, I gathered the experience that has led me to excel in graduate school, publish academic articles, and work in art museums.
What skills or proficiencies did you acquire at Cal Lutheran, through your studies or other activities, that you now use in your current position/career?
I would say specifically the research experience I garnered through my work with Dr. Fiore Urízar, and my classes in Spanish have been the strongest skills to guide me into my career. These skills have allowed me to write and translate museum labels, conduct interviews in Spanish, and be considered for more projects and opportunities.
What were some of your favorite aspects of the Spanish program? Such as research, classes, professors, etc.
One of my favorite aspects of the Spanish major program is the faculty. Their support, care, and direction have gotten me to where I am today. I would not be the scholar or educator I am without them. They were (and continue to be) my inspiration. And of course their classes, I still think about texts and films that were discussed in their courses.