Why did you choose your major?
When my family moved to the U.S. from Mexico when I was 11, there was no formal teaching for us to learn English. I didn’t know how to speak for myself when I was so young in a new country. I saw it in my parents, too, when our teachers tried to tell them how my brother and I were doing in school. Their faces were just blank, and it was like we were shadow people. You can’t get anywhere without communication.
Why does communication continue to be an area of passion for you?
The main thing that good communication does is work on equity instead of just equality. Good communication helps everyone know what their rights are, and that’s what everyone here deserves.
What motivated you to return to college 20 years after you first attended?
I was a secretary, and my son didn’t understand why I was still doing that kind of work. I told him it was the best I could do since I didn’t have a degree. But then I realized that since most universities were doing virtual school during the pandemic, maybe it was a good time to finally get that degree.
You’ve gotten involved in research, both in the Maternal and Child Health (MCH) Equity Lab and the Physical Activity and Wearable Sensors (PAWS) Lab. What has that been like?
Through MCH, I’ve had the opportunity to connect with people from Colombia and talk about midwifery and how important it is for maternal and child health. In the PAWS Lab, I’m helping to expand their work with cancer survivors to the Hispanic community. Both times, it’s been because a professor asked if I’d be interested in helping. I’ll never say no to someone who needs help with communication, because back when I was a kid, I needed someone to say yes to me.
What's next for you after graduation?
I’d love to help introduce Spanish translation and interpreting as a dual credit option for high school students. That’s my ultimate goal—to bring the education I’m getting now to kids, because that’s where we need it.
