23岁的Sofia de la Grana认为教育和学习是将人们聚集在一起的一种方式. 她主修公共关系和公民与公民参与，并喜欢担任国际生活学习社区的常驻顾问.
23岁的Sofia de la Grana喜欢与其他学生合作并帮助他们取得成功. As a resident advisor (RA) for the International Living Learning Community at 锡拉丘兹 University, she values sharing experiences, building relationships, exploring cultures and creating inclusive communities. 她认为教育是将人们聚集在一起相互学习和增进理解的途径. “Education is at the forefront of what I want to do,德拉格拉纳说, who’s majoring in 公共关系 at the S.I. Newhouse School of Public 通信 and in citizenship and civic engagement at the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs.
I really wanted to meet new students outside of my own little bubble. 我想建立这些全球联系，我学到了很多不同的文化.
—Sofia de la Grana ’23
德拉格拉娜在迈阿密附近一个以西班牙裔为主的社区长大，她获得了波塞基金会(Posse Foundation)的奖学金，这不仅使她得以进入雪城大学, but also provided her with a support system that she considers invaluable. As an incoming student, she chose to live in the International Living Learning Community, where she was paired with a roommate from Kenya, 米歇尔·奥西亚，23岁, who became a good friend, and got to know students from around the globe and across the U.S. 她说:“我真的很想在自己的小圈子之外结识新同学。. “我想建立这些全球联系，我学到了很多不同的文化.”
De la Grana(左)与来自迈阿密地区就读雪城大学的Posse基金会学者一起. 她认为基金会的奖学金和支持系统帮助她成为了今天在校园里的人.
这段经历激励她在去年成为一名注册会计师，这一职位使她能够与国际社会保持联系, create programming and help other students continue to grow as she has. And while campus living during the pandemic was “unconventional,她说。 she approached it with a positive mindset. 她感谢分享更多的一对一时刻，并与大家分享了在大流行期间适应生活的经历. 今年秋天，她期待着去年无法实现的大型活动和其他活动. “I loved seeing students grow from the first day—not knowing anyone, not knowing campus—and being the person who helped them connect to others,德拉格拉纳说, 的成员 Office of Student Living’s RA Advisory Board. “最后，我为他们感到骄傲，他们能够展现自己，有一段很棒的经历.”
Engaging Conversations
Beyond her RA duties, de la Grana served as a Newhouse peer advisor, 在学校的第一年研讨会上担任助教，并与新生分享她对课程和资源的见解. 她也是一个 New Student Experience 类主持人, engaging students in discussions about race, 身份, equity and inclusion, and leading them in activities. “我真的很喜欢和学生们谈论我们的身份，”她说. “我一直在学习不同人的文化，并分享澳门线上赌场我自己的对话. I think creating relationships with people is such an important part of it.”
As de la Grana has broadened her worldview, 她还调整了自己的学术道路，以反映她对教育非营利组织和社区工作的兴趣. As a high school student, she was active in community theater and service projects, and she carried that with her to 锡拉丘兹. Passionate about film, she was originally a television, radio and film major, but shifted to 公共关系 因为这里有大量的就业机会，而且她对分享别人的故事很感兴趣. “我以为 PR would be perfect for that,她说。. As a complement to those interests, she was drawn to citizenship and civic engagement because of the course offerings and emphasis on experiential learning, 其中包括与组织合作并制定行动计划以将倡议付诸实践. “我以为, ‘哇, this allows me to start building on what I know, creating something out of that and having people who will support the project,’”她说。. “I really like that this is a major I can create with my own work.”
I really enjoyed having those conversations with students about our 身份. 我一直在学习不同民族的文化，并分享澳门线上赌场我自己的对话. I think creating relationships with people is such an important part of it.
—Sofia de la Grana ’23
De la Grana describes herself as a “huge history buff,” which led her to add an interdisciplinary minor in atrocity studies and the practices of social justice 通过 教育学院. “这与我想通过我的教育工作教给孩子们的暴行和种族灭绝有关, or at least through film and the arts,她说。. “那门辅修课扩大了我对世界的了解，也激励我尝试把我不知道的东西教给别人.她特别喜欢的一门虚拟课程是《澳门线上赌场》, 悲伤和抗议, taught by Professor Maggie Scull of the 锡拉丘兹 Abroad London Center. 她说:“我喜欢对话驱动的课程，在那里我们都在彼此分享想法。.
Putting Knowledge to Work
De la Grana(右)和其他学生领袖Buddy Murphy(左)在一起。, Zoe Selesi ’22 and Enrique Ramon Prejula ’23.
This summer, de la Grana joined the University’s Mary Ann Shaw Center for Public and Community Service 作为一名公关实习生——这个职位可以让她把在纽豪斯学到的东西与她的奉献精神结合起来，帮助一个有教育使命的组织. She worked on a video for Orange Central, 采访肖中心的校友，了解公民参与在他们生活中的重要性, as well as Mary Ann Shaw about her vision for the center. 她还在改进该中心的网站，并希望花时间在社区记录该中心在扫盲等领域对学童的倡议, finance and nutrition. “I love being involved in working with other people, 尤其是以社区为基础的工作，在那里我可以创造真正影响和帮助人们的倡议,她说。.
De la Grana has also put her communication skills to work for Best Buddies International at 锡拉丘兹 University, 全球非营利组织的地方分会，致力于为智力和发育障碍人士扩大机会. She has been involved with research, advocacy and social media messaging, 其中包括支持无障碍投票，突出黑人残疾活动家作为“黑人的命也是命”运动的一部分.
I love being involved in working with other people, 尤其是以社区为基础的工作，在那里我可以创造真正影响和帮助人们的倡议.
—Sofia de la Grana ’23
所有这些经历都帮助de la Grana成长为一个人，并专注于对她重要的事情. 她有许多人生目标，包括为和平队工作和在国外教书，这些目标将使她沉浸在新的文化中，使她既能教学生，又能向他们学习. As she enters her junior year, 她希望雪城大学的一年级学生知道，校园里每个人都有机会, and she encourages them to be patient, explore and not get overwhelmed. “There are so many resources and so much support. 人们愿意帮助你成长，支持你学习你想学的东西，”她说. “It’s been such an enriching experience. I just love my classes—I really do. 我爱学习.”