Hi! My name is Vanessa and I'm a current student at Brown University. I'm interested in politics, advocacy, literature, and economics. I'm engaged in multiple student organizations at Brown and I love getting involved in different groups, from volunteering to political reviews to music groups. I'm excited to show off my favorite parts about Brown and our campus! I can also talk about my personal application process, experience with classes, social life, and much more!

Hometown

Denver, Colorado, United States

Major(s)

International and Public Affairs, Economics

Minor(s)

Considering: Literature, English, History, Sociology, Anthropology, Computer Science

Clubs, organizations & involvement

Brown Political Review, Copyeditor Brown Undergraduate Law Review, Copyeditor Brown Motion Pictures, Assistant Camera Housing Opportunities for People Everywhere, Advocacy Committee Refugee Dream Center, Mentor Poets Anonymous, Writer​/​Member Brown Democrats, Reproductive Justice Caucus Youth Council for Mental Health, Youth Advisor Rhizome, Community Organizer

Describe your college experience

Brown has been an absolute adventure! Every day feels like an opportunity to learn, grow, and create unforgettable memories. From late-night brainstorming sessions with friends to joining clubs that fuel my passions, I’ve discovered so much about myself and the world around me. It’s been a great mix of challenges that push me (my first Econ midterm was not great) and creating unforgettable memories, like exploring study spots with friends and even seeing JoJo Siwa talk at Brown. Transitioning to college was a lot to deal with at once, but I immediately found great friends and a supportive community here. Honestly, it’s been even better than I imagined!

Tip for future students

Some tips I've realized - Don't be afraid to screw up and make mistakes! In a lot of ways, college is a lot more carefree even if you don't think it is. It's the perfect time to explore who you are and what you want to do. Setbacks are learning opportunities. - Go to as many events as you can, even if you don't think you'll be interested. You never know what you'll be surprised by! - Even if you're more introverted, try to talk to lots of people in your first few weeks. It helps you form a good network and feel like you're part of the school. - The Brown bubble is definitely real--take advantage of our location and go to Boston​/​NYC as much as you can. - Go to office hours and talk to professors! The faculty here is incredible and all of them are super supportive. - Take full advantage of the open curriculum and take random classes! S​/​NC (pass fail) is always an option and it's great to learn about a topic you've always been interested in.

Favorite class

So You Want to Change the World with Professor Daniel Smith. It's such a fun class--it's a 2.5 hour long discussion about our reading each week. Each week, we read a book (usually an ethnography or other form of anthropological work) and the author comes in during our discussion to answer questions. We have some papers that help facilitate discussion and we talk a lot about interesting anthropological and developmental issues in different countries.

Career goals

I hope to go to either Yale or Stanford Law School, to go into corporate law, diplomacy, civil rights law, international law, or international development. Anything in these areas would be really interesting to me!

Ideal way to spend a free night

Hang out with my friends, explore Providence restaurants, watch a movie, do some hobbies, read a book, go out to a club​/​bar

High school or secondary school

Columbine High School, Littleton Colorado, United States.

Previous college

N​/​A