As senior student-coordinator for the Academic and Co-Curricular Excellence (A.C.E.) peer-mentor program, Peer Mentor program, Maria Smith ’22 helps new Dickinson students of color, first-generation students, and international students with the transition to college. She’s also a tour guide, an admissions fellow and honors student who presented original research at the 2022 Northeast Modern Language Association Convention. Below, double major in Spanish & Portuguese and Latin American, Latinx & Caribbean studies discusses those experiences as well as her remote internship, her research on representations on Afro-Spanish and Moroccan women, her study-abroad summer and more.
Hometown:
Carlisle, Pennsylvania.
Majors:
Spanish & Portuguese studies and Latin American, Latinx & Caribbean studies.
Clubs/organizations:
Dickinson Liberty Caps (tour guides), Admissions Fellows, Academic and Co-Curricular Excellence (A.C.E.) Peer Mentor Program (senior coordinator), Anwar Belly Dance (co-president), Dean’s List and Gamma Sigma Alpha.
Favorite movie:
Moana.
Favorite thing about my major:
What I love best is that there are many opportunities to work closely with faculty through independent research and independent study and through being a research assistant! The major is also flexible, with lots of chances to take classes that align with your interests!
Favorite place on campus:
The quiet section of library, in between the book stacks.
Favorite off-campus spot:
Issei Noodle.
On studying abroad:
I studied abroad in Málaga, Spain, during summer 2019. It was an amazing experience, and I improved my Spanish speaking skills by spending some time over there! I loved my host family, and the weekend trips my class took were really fun!
As a kid, I wanted to be …
… a veterinarian.
Post-Dickinson plans:
I plan to move to Spain for a year and teach English. Then I plan to pursue a Ph.D. in Spanish & Portuguese studies (school TBD!).
Favorite Dining Hall Food:
KOVE pasta salad.
About my internship:
I was Dickinson’s advancement intern for the summers of 2020 and 2021. It was remote, but my supervisor, Nicole Simmons, made sure I got experience in a variety of areas. I learned a lot about fundraising in higher education and philanthropy.
About my research:
I wrote an honors Spanish thesis about literary representations of Afro-Spanish and Moroccan women in contemporary Spanish literature. Some major themes I focused on are identity and beauty standards.
Proudest accomplishment so far:
Presenting research from an independent study at the Northeast Modern Language Association Convention in March 2022.
