What year are you? Where are you from? What is your major?
I am a rising fourth year from Costa Rica, double majoring in Special Education and Anthropology.
What is it like to be a Latin American student in the US? How has being a minority improved your perspective of the world?
Before coming to the US, I honestly was in a bubble. I didn’t know what it actually felt like to be a minority, or having people around me speak other languages, so this has definitely affected my perspective of the world since I’ve learned to appreciate my culture ten times more. I’ve learned it is an asset for me to speak two languages, and I can now understand other cultures as well. Also, I have met people here from various cultures around the world, and this has opened the doors for me to accept different perspectives and cultures, and learn from other people.
Can you describe your transition to UVa?
My transition to UVa was hard. My first year, I probably cried every night for like three months in a row. My first semester, I woke up at night a lot, I would realize I was all by myself, in a totally different country and I knew that if something happened to me my parents would take a long time to get here. So it was pretty hard, but I guess meeting other people from different backgrounds helped me because they understood my struggle. Where I come from, we don’t have Greek life, we don’t have the degree of school spirit we have here (which is great), so it was kind of hard at first for me to adjust to the culture, but now UVa is a part of me and has become my second home!
What is your favorite moment as a UVa first year?
My favorite moment as a first year probably was meeting my current friends for the first time. There were other highlights like putting myself out there, joining the clubs I continue to be involved in and experiencing what it was like to be in a 400-person classroom for the first time. My graduating class was of twenty-four students, so coming to a classroom here was a fun, new experience.
What organizations are you involved in and what is your role in each?
I am involved in the Latino Student Alliance as the Executive Board Social Chair, so I help create events for this organization. I am also involved in the Executive Board of the Hispanic and Latino Peer Mentoring Program, which helps students transition into college. In addition, this year I was involved in Third Year Council, and I am currently going into Trustees, which is the name for the Fourth Year Council. Finally, I am a member of the Fuego Dance team as well.
What is your leadership style?
My leadership style, I would say, excludes being a dictator. I really like for people to just collaborate and go together as a team. I also like to push other people to do their best, as well as push myself. I don’t like to take all the responsibility myself, so I like it when other people collaborate with me to put together events, come up with ideas and more, because its great having people also have a small leadership contribution to the big thing. It is really hard for one person to pull it off alone, and it shouldn’t be that way. It should be people coming together to help each other.
Being in so many leadership positions, do you have any advice for future female leaders?
My advice is don’t take more than you can handle. I am an overachiever, and honestly I’ve gotten involved sometimes in so many things that I haven’t been able to have time for myself, which is really important. Mental and physical health are really important, and you always have to remember that, in life, you always go first. As a future leader, I know you may just want to take over the world, which you can and you will, but take one step at a time and don’t put things on your plate that you can’t handle.
Any recommendations for future female Wahoos?
Future female wahoos, BE YOURSELF! Don’t be afraid of saying no when being pressured. Just be you. Find your own niche, throw yourself out there. While sometimes you’re going to have to leave your comfort zone, it will BE OK! Slowly but surely you will find your way. Just go at your own pace, and don’t let anyone block your way by telling you that you’re wrong because you’re not.