6 weeks ago, I arrived in Mexico City to begin my LiA. At the beginning, I felt a mix of emotions: excitement, nerves, curiosity. I had traveled before through my university, so I wasn't nervous about the actual traveling component of my LiA. However, I was extremely nervous about implementing my project with Las Sabinas. This experience definitely took me out of my comfort zone, especially as I was working on a project that largely revolved around creating puppets and games. And in being taken outside of my comfort zone, I have seen myself grow in myriad ways. I've gained the confidence not only to navigate new places, but to lead and execute projects. I've learned that connections can be cultivated anywhere, and, upon reflection, I understand how these skills have been cultivated over these past two summers.
When I first applied to Laidlaw, I was mostly enticed by the opportunity to conduct research. In the future, I want to attend grad school, and many of those programs require robust research experience. I knew about the leadership components and was excited about the opportunity to complete my Leadership in Action project, but at the time I applied, I didn’t know what exactly this entire experience would entail. Initially, my Laidlaw experience was an independent one. For my research summer, I spent many days working on my project, talking with my PI, and exploring DC. Honestly, I didn’t take advantage of spending time with the rest of the cohort, as many of my friends were in the DC area last summer. I finished my project without interacting with them much, and then that fall, I studied abroad in England. My time in England, however, allowed me to gain a deeper appreciation and community within Laidlaw.
In Fall 2025, I attended the UK Laidlaw Conference. I was extremely nervous, as I knew no one going into it. But it was one of the highlights of my time spent abroad. I met so many new people, learned about their research, and walked away with a greater sense of what I wanted my LiA to look like. Most of all, I could see myself gaining confidence to interact with people from all over the world and to feel confident talking about my research. Before that, I always shied away from discussing my research, as I felt that people wouldn’t care. However, at the conference, I found that people were not only excited to share their research, but to hear about mine. I loved getting to talk with others, and most importantly, I saw how gratifying and important the exchange of knowledge between others is. Before this, I just saw Laidlaw as a research opportunity, but after the conference, it solidified for me how much more this program is. With this realization, I feel that I have been able to utilize the leadership training and apply it to my own life and context. I’ve become more intentional about recognizing traits within myself and others, and knowing where I want to grow.
Now, back to this summer. For my LiA, I decided to do a Central Project through Make_Sense Americas in Mexico City. One of the projects focused on Gender-Based Violence, a subject area I am deeply passionate about and directly relates to my research project. I worked with Las Sabinas, an organization that supports survivors of sexual violence, to expand their child sexual violence prevention program by creating puppets and games for them to use to educate children. Working with this organization and with Make_Sense was one of the most meaningful experiences of my life. I met so many wonderful people and had the opportunity to explore a place I had never been before, and contributed to a project that I genuinely feel proud of. In leaving this experience, and the Laidlaw program in general, I hope to keep in touch with Las Sabinas. Moreover, I am reminded of the power of solidarity building. Now, I can recognize the struggles of my own country and see how they connect to issues in another. Moreover, I can understand how solutions can be intersectional and require multiple perspectives and understanding. With this new understanding, I hope to bring it into my future career and into my life in general. This program is more than just conducting research, and I’m so appreciative of the leadership capacities I have grown. It’s strange to think that my time as a Laidlaw Scholar is coming to an end, but I feel so grateful for all of the opportunities this program has afforded me.