One thing that UVU does really well is providing opportunities for students. I think that if students don't take advantage of that, then they will miss out on a lot that UVU has to offer.
I feel very privileged to be in higher education because I know a lot of people would love to be in my place. When it becomes really hard with classes or exams, I just always have to remind myself there are some people, especially women around the world, who would kill to be where I am right now. Higher education is a privilege that I want to take advantage of but also spread to other people who deserve to be where I am.
I was a fellow at the Center for Social Impact, working in community organizing and activism. Last year, I coordinated the Clothesline Project; it's an event that displays T-shirts from victims of sexual assault and domestic abuse. I put special emphasis on sexual abuse at the border to Mexico and on Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women.
I was kind of nervous because I didn't know how people would react by talking about those specifically, but I wanted to put that emphasis on abuse at the border to women and children and Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women because those two issues are very close to my heart.
I'm a first-generation Mexican Dominican, so the issue of women getting raped at the border or even past the border here in the states or children being separated from their families is something that really hits home for me.
And Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women is an issue that doesn't really get brought up, especially when we talk about domestic abuse and violence. They are a demographic that doesn't really get the light shone on them as much.
So that's what kind of motivated me to talk about those two groups and create awareness for the UVU community. I'm glad my advisors at the Center for Social Impact and the other fellows were supportive.
When I was a senior in high school, I had two universities in mind to go to, and I had a hard time choosing. Then I talked to Marissa King, the director of Student Leadership and Involvement. She asked me about college stuff, and I was like, “I don't know where I'm gonna go.” And she's said, “Oh, come to UVU! I have a job opening at my office. You should apply for it.” So then I applied for UVU, the job, and started working at the UVU Student Association (UVUSA) office. That's ultimately why I came to UVU. I don't regret it at all.
UVU has been my place for the past four years, and this is all I've ever known. It's all I've ever worked at after high school. All of my education is here, most of my friends are here, and most of my communities are here at UVU. But thinking about graduating makes me excited because I know that I need to move on at some point.
I hope after graduation I will still be doing some sort of diversity, inclusion, and equity work. Looking back at being a fellow at the Center for Social Impact and being a presidential intern this year in diversity and inclusion, that's where I found that I'm most happy and fulfilled doing that work and being in those spaces.
My advice to UVU students is to get involved, whether by applying for student leadership positions, joining a club, or just going to activities. The reason why I look back at my time at UVU so fondly is because of my decision to get involved in different kinds of spaces. One thing that UVU does really well is providing opportunities for students. I think that if students don't take advantage of that, then they will miss out on a lot that UVU has to offer.
Links:
Center for Social Impact
Clothesline Project
Student Leadership and Involvement
UVUSA
