Madison Borer '28
Preferred pronouns: she/her
Hometown: Hillsborough, NJ
Extracurriculars: Challah for Hunger, Club Softball, Alpha Phi Omega, Liberty Cap Society, SPY Tutor
Favorite Spanish Professor: Professor Jorge Sagastume
Favorite Spanish class: Spanish 299 Read & Think About Texts was my favorite Spanish class, since it gave me a space to practice expressing myself creatively in both Spanish and English.
Study abroad location: Málaga, Spain
Favorite memory from study abroad: Getting this time to travel freely across both Spain and Europe has been such a fulfilling way to spend my study abroad experience! Also, any time spent with my host mom who is one of the funniest people I know.
Plans after Dickinson: Attend law school
Advice to prospective students: Get involved in anything that calls to you, finding and following your passions is why you're here.
Naomi Fernandez '27
Preferred Pronouns: She/Her/Hers
Hometown: San Pedro, California
Extracurriculars: Trout Gallery Language Education Intern, Latina Discussion Group Facilitator, Global Ambassador, POSSE Scholar
Favorite Spanish Professor: Professor Copeland
Favorite Spanish Class: My favorite Spanish class has been Spanish 380, Lxs Otrxs: Reading the “Other” with Professor Copeland. We were able to engage with various moving autobiographical and literary texts regarding the construction of belonging for migrants in Spain, allowing me to gain a greater understanding of how migration, identity, and belonging intersect in various Spanish-speaking countries and providing me a space to reflect as a person coming from a multicultural city myself where I am surrounded by a diversity of cultures and customs.
Study Abroad Location: Argentina and Chile, Spain
Favorite study abroad memory: Visiting Bariloche, a city in the Patagonia region of Argentina, and walking through the woods to witness a hidden, small waterfall
Plans after Dickinson: I hope to do teaching work of some kind with Spanish-speaking communities in South America.
Advice to prospective students: Use what you learn in the department beyond the classroom and find ways to make an impact in your communities, whether that be your student communities, your personal communities, or even your academic communities! I’ve learned that what I’ve been given through language learning and application has given me the cultural knowledge and confidence to explore new opportunities and perspectives, even abroad as I interned for the first time as a teacher’s assistant in Argentina, researched gypsy communities and flamenco in Spain, etc.
Ella Sizemore '28
Preferred pronouns: she/her
Hometown: Cincinnati, OH
Extracurriculars: Spanish Club, The Dickinsonian, Kappa Alpha Theta, Multilingual Writing Center Tutor, Student Library Supervisor, Alexander Hamilton Society
Favorite Spanish Professor: Professor Jorge Sagastume
Favorite Spanish class: My favorite Spanish class has been Mexican Women in Drug Trafficking. As a writing in the discipline class, it helped me grow not only as a Spanish speaker, but as a writer. The class encourages students to rethink stereotypes about Mexican women and pushes them to think critically about how Latina women are portrayed in news and media.
Study abroad location: Málaga, Spain and Mendoza, Argentina
Favorite memory from study abroad: Getting to teach middle school and high school English in Argentina! Being able to give back to my abroad community means so much!
Plans after Dickinson: Hopefully spending more time teaching English in South America through Fulbright or serving in the Peace Corps!
Advice to prospective students: Let your interests lead you to your major, and don’t be afraid to change your plan because the best things can be the most unexpected!
Zahavah Sterling '27
Preferred pronouns: She/Her
Hometown: Fairfax, Virginia
Extracurriculars: Jewish Life, Adamah on Campus, Dickinson Cheerleading, Eco-Reps, International Studies Majors Committee
Favorite Spanish Professor: Profesora Arnedo
Favorite Spanish class: Spanish 231- Gastronomía y salud en el País Vasco (Gastronomy and Health in the Basque Country)
Study abroad location: Málaga, Spain and Mendoza, Argentina
Favorite memory from study abroad: Helping teach English at a local school in Mendoza.
Plans after Dickinson: Doing a 1-2 year fellowship program before graduate school in International Affairs and working in cultural diplomacy.
Advice to perspective students: Take advantage of the small class sizes and get to know your professors! They are there to help you! Also, study abroad!!
Ava Webb '27
Preferred pronouns: she/her
Hometown: Huntington, WV
Extracurriculars: Delta Nu, Dance Theatre Group, Hypnotic Dance Club, Spanish Club
Favorite Spanish Professor: Professor Arnedo
Favorite Spanish class: My favorite Spanish class was Spanish in the Health Professions with Professor Sagastume. This class requires students to volunteer at a local clinic in Harrisburg where we helped with translation for the patients. My favorite part was being able to work in the food pantry and connect with the patients. Professor Sagastume organizes the class so that we reflect on our experiences and learn a lot. This class really helped me to improve my Spanish and made me feel better prepared to study abroad the following semester.
Study abroad location: One semester in Málaga, Spain and one semester in Mendoza, Argentina.
Favorite memory from study abroad: My favorite memory from Spain was every moment with my host mother and her dog. She made Spain feel like home and felt like a mother to me. My favorite memory from Argentina was spending my birthday/first day in Mendoza with my tutor and all her friends who made sure my day was very special even though they had just met me.
Plans after Dickinson: After graduating I want to teach English in a Hispanic country. I hope to obtain a master's in dietetics and use my Spanish fluency to work in food security efforts.
Advice to perspective students: Take every class that interests you! Dickinson is designed so that you can explore every field of study it has to offer. The professors here are the best of the best and want to see every student succeed, so don't be scared to talk to them after class or attend office hours. And get involved, Dickinson has so much to offer and so many amazing students for you to meet.