Ph.D. Student
I am excited to be working toward my MA and PhD in Spanish and Portuguese here at UC Irvine, after having completed my BA at Fordham University in 2019. There, I studied comparative literature and international political economy, with minors in Spanish and philosophy. As such, it was important to me to continue my studies in a similarly interdisciplinary environment. One of the reasons I chose to attend UC Irvine’s graduate program was that the program structure and faculty attitudes encourage interdisciplinary studies, meaning that I can take courses in any department and pursue a variety of graduate emphases.
The faculty here boasts diverse areas of expertise, and it is great to know that my current interests are well represented but still have room to expand. Further, attending a UC school gives me access to the course offerings and libraries of the entire UC system, providing even more potential for growth. At the moment, my research interests center on the cultural moment in Colombia and Chile following state violence in the late 20th century. I seek to investigate how oppressed groups like queer and indigenous people use narrative, visual art and film to create alternate memories and archives in the wake of the silences and erasures that constitute an inherited legacy of that violence.
Coming from the East Coast, this was a big move to consider. The culture of the Department of Latin American and Iberian Cultures was one of the biggest factors that went into my decision. The faculty are supportive and friendly, and the graduate students uplift each other. So far, I will say that the West Coast does have its perks. On top of continuing to pursue sailing and skiing I will be spending a lot of time reading on the beach, year round.
