Alumni and Careers

What have you been up to since graduating from Bowdoin?

I graduated in 2023 with a double major in Africana studies and economics, and a Hispanic studies minor. Shortly after graduation, I moved to Chicago to work at a healthcare consulting and financial advisory firm.

Why Hispanic studies?

Since childhood, I have dreamed of becoming fluent in multiple languages. I began studying Spanish in elementary school, and by high school, I was deeply committed to improving my skills. At Bowdoin, I continued taking courses that expanded my knowledge of the Spanish language and the diverse cultures where it is spoken.

I am especially grateful that the courses challenged us to communicate in Spanish, both orally and in writing, with peers and professors. They not only shaped my Bowdoin experience but also significantly influenced my study-abroad journey and my honors thesis. For these reasons, Hispanic studies holds a very special place in my heart.

Are there any classes, professors, or experiences that had a lasting impact on you?

All of my Hispanic Studies professors left a lasting impact on me. I often reflect on the topics we explored and the skills I developed in those classes. Professors Celis, Boyle, and Sims (who is no longer at Bowdoin) were particularly thoughtful and passionate educators. Their guidance supported my growth in the Hispanic studies minor both inside and outside the classroom.

Professor Celis introduced me to the CET Colombia study-abroad program, which I participated in during my junior year. The program focused on race, ethnicity, and identity, particularly within Afro-Colombian communities, and it was transformative for me. Later, Professor Boyle served as my faculty advisor for the Allen Wells Travel and Research Grant, which allowed me to return to Colombia to further explore historical texts and themes from the program. This research became foundational to my senior thesis in Africana Studies, Ethnicity and Territory: Cultural and Political Autonomy for African Descended Colombians through Law 70. Both professors were pivotal in my growth throughout the Hispanic studies department and beyond.

What advice would you give to current students or recent graduates interested in working in fields connected to language, culture, or global engagement?

Enjoy the experience! Be open-minded and take the time to learn from others. Whenever possible, practice the language with native speakers. It will be challenging but incredibly rewarding. Be mindful of your words and actions, especially in cultural contexts different from your own. Take time to reflect on the distinction between cultural appreciation and cultural appropriation.

What have you been up to since graduating from Bowdoin?

In 2023, I graduated from Bowdoin with majors in Hispanic studies and biochemistry. Over the past two years, I have split my time between teaching English in Spain as a Fulbright scholar and working in a biochemistry research lab at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in Boston. This summer, I will begin medical school at the Yale School of Medicine in its fully funded MD-PhD program.

Why Hispanic studies?

Despite being on the pre-med track at Bowdoin, I have always loved the humanities, particularly reading and writing. As an aspiring physician in the United States, I believe speaking Spanish will be an invaluable skill.

Are there any classes, professors, or experiences that had a lasting impact on you?

In the Hispanic studies department, my advisor, Margaret Boyle, professor of Romance languages and literatures and Latin American, Caribbean, and Latinxs studies, had a lasting impact on me. She oversaw my independent study, guided my work with Multilingual Mainers, and even brought me to Spain during my senior year to participate in a Spanish literature conference. Her course, Spanish Medicine and Literature, inspired my independent study research on the role of Spanish-language literature in medical education. I hope to continue exploring medical humanities and working with Spanish-speaking patients in medical school.

What advice would you give to current students or recent graduates interested in working in fields connected to language, culture, or global engagement?

Travel!! And when you do, lean in. :)

What have you been up to since graduating from Bowdoin?

After graduating from Bowdoin, I completed a Fulbright García-Robles English Teaching Fellowship in Chiapas, Mexico. I then spent a year working on cancer immunotherapy research at the Broad Institute, and I am currently an MD student at the University of Pennsylvania.

Why Hispanic studies?

I was interested in learning a new language in college, and although I had never taken a Spanish class before attending Bowdoin, the welcoming and supportive nature of the Hispanic studies department quickly sparked my interest in literary analysis as a way of acquiring new language skills and learning more about Hispanic cultures.

Are there any classes, professors, or experiences that had a lasting impact on you?

I enjoyed all of my Hispanic studies classes, and it was a privilege to learn from Professors Margaret Boyle, Gustavo Faverón Patriau, Barbara Sawhill, Holly Sims, and Sebastián Urli during my time at Bowdoin. These courses had a lasting impact on me in many ways, including inspiring my extracurricular interest in teaching Spanish through Multilingual Mainers, motivating me to lead an Alternative Spring Break service-learning trip focused on migrant farmworker rights and activism, and leading me to pursue a Fulbright scholarship in Mexico. The interdisciplinary education I received at Bowdoin, along with the extracurricular and post-graduate opportunities it provided, helped me integrate my academic interests with public service, ultimately leading me to a career in medicine.