Carlos Guadarrama

College of Humanities and Social Sciences

As one of the only Hispanic and Catholic students in my elementary school in Brigham City, I learned that everything I did was more closely examined than other students, which scared me. I often stayed quiet in class, doing what was required to get by, but never exceeding expectations. I won an award for a poem that I wrote in high school and when I learned that I had to read it at a public event, I stopped writing poetry and again, focused on doing what was required, but never exceeding expectations.

During my sophomore year of college, I found the research potential for a project on a Native American boarding school, and gained the confidence to continue my education and pursue a master’s degree focused on that project. As a second-year master’s student, I have become a successful teacher, mentor, and scholar who regularly speaks in front of others in classrooms and academic conferences. I am applying to several PhD programs in North America focused on Folklore and American Studies. While some anxiety remains, I now have an understanding that my research is important to my field and am confident in my ability to pursue educational and professional success.