Everyone at Whitman has a story to tell, how they got here and what happened once they did. And every story is different. This is Our Whitman, My Story.
Hi, I am Rosaura Albizo. I'm from Boise, Idaho, and I am anticipating, at least, trying to major in politics and maybe double major in something else.
I chose Whitman because I liked the opportunities they had to offer, the programs they had that piqued my interest, especially with the career path I was interested in. They really were generous with the scholarship I was given as well. And they were interested in my background story and helped make it feasible for me to go to college.
So my background story, it's kind of all over the place. I'm first generation working class. My parents are immigrants. They immigrated to Idaho. I grew up in Idaho, specifically Boise, my entire life, so I've been there for quite a while. I grew up with a big family. I have four siblings, so five of us, and my mom and my dad. I have an older brother and I have three younger siblings. They happen to be triplets. And we grew up in a very mountainous place. Lots of trees, nature. And so, I like to go hiking, which is a reflection of my childhood. Me and my brother would hike for fun, go biking, paddleboarding.
And so that was how my childhood was. And then growing up going into high school, I got more involved with the activism happening in the area, mostly because the legislation being passed impacted my family and my community. And so, although I wanted to pursue something else, that was a passion that grew out of the circumstances we were in and it was a new ambition that I wanted to pursue. And so, that led me to choosing a college that would support that dream.
So I chose politics because growing up, there was a lack of resources. I think politics has a big impact on people's lives, and something I learned was that if I want to fix the system, I have to work within the system. And politics to me was the answer to some of the problems happening back at home, and I want to provide a safer place for people to have those resources. One of my biggest motivators was my younger siblings, and I want them to have those resources. Not just my siblings, but my community as well.
I have a couple places I like to study at. For example, when it's a little warmer, I like to go on Ankeny, or Narnia, as the students call it. Narnia is hidden in a way. It's close to one, I think it's Maxey Hall, and you follow the sidewalk and it's like a little pocket where you walk and go in, and the stream we have on campus runs through there.
And during the spring and the fall, the trees cover it. And it's almost cinematic in a way, because you get to sit down and watch the leaves fall on the grass as you read. But it's like a little mini park. But on Ankeny, you could also just lay out on the grass and go on your computer, study. But if it's a little colder outside, you could go to the library. I will say the library is really, really nice. The school really prioritizes having a quiet place for people to study as well, and the library provides that for us. And so, I like to go to the library and just find a little nook, and sit and read and study there.
Walla Walla is very... It's very small in a way. But small doesn't have to be a negative thing. It's quiet. It's very small town. Something my friends and I just discovered was the Patisserie, which is this little shop Walla Walla has, and it has really, really good French pastries and amazing gelato. We like to go there and study occasionally, or sometimes going to the record shop with me and my friend. We really like music, and so something I found was that they have a really great record and CD collection, and it's better than the record store back at home. And so, that was really surprising to see. And the people are really, really nice when asking about different guitars and when CDs would come in. And so, we like occasionally going to the Patisserie and then going to the record shop.
Some of the activities I'm involved in, it kind of ranges. I'm part of the Whitman debate team, but I'm also part of the crochet club they have here at the school. So it definitely, it ranges from really rigorous activities to just fun and relaxing things to do as well. I'm part of some of the affinity groups on campus, as well. So the Hispanic/Latinx group called Unidos, the Woke V Group, Women of Color Voices. The symposium, which is one of the projects I've been working on with other students. The Power and Privilege Symposium is a day, and we're trying to make it a week now, dedicated to having those really hard conversations we don't really have as much. So we like to assess and analyze the privilege we might have on campus and talk about the experiences people may be going through, not just on an individual or local level, but on a national, worldwide level, as well.
We like to provide insight on certain topics that aren't really talked about or noticed. And so, we provide the platform for students to present on topics that they're passionate about. It doesn't have to relate to their major. It could be about something that piqued their interest throughout their lives. And so, it gives a safe space for people to talk about those really hard conversations revolving around power and privilege. And so, this day's really dedicated to reassessing some of the mindsets we might have, and we've shifted it over to it being a week. And so, we don't just want it to be a day, but we want it to be something we talk about all the time.
So I'm part of the executives team, so I'm the communications and marketing director. I'm in charge of making merch, making posters, designing the Instagram and social media, the website. I'm in charge of connecting people and getting things advertised out to the campus and the Walla Walla community. It did surprise me as a first year that I can do this. Whitman has made it really easy and accessible for me to showcase my passions.
Making friends as a first year, I think it can be really hard at first, especially when you've lived in one area for the majority of your life. But people here are really nice and open to meeting people, as well. I know that people are probably feeling the same way you're feeling about, if you'll make friends or if you'll connect with someone. But the clubs and affinity groups have made it really easy for me to meet like-minded people and people who have similar interests as myself.
I will say that it can be hard as well in a way where going to a PWI, so that would be predominantly white institution, can make it hard for people to connect, especially as a woman of color on campus. But I think you'll definitely find the people that will resonate with you and your personality and identity. I will say, I know that there's some of the sororities on campus have made it a great place as well, and have been wanting to reach out and make it so that you feel comfortable as well. And so that's a great way to connect with wonderful women on campus, too.
I've been thinking about joining a sorority. I live in Prentiss Hall, and so I live above one of the sororities. And so, they've been really nice and inclusive when I've asked about hoping or thinking about joining a sorority. And they've been really nice about giving me information and telling me how that goes. And they've urged me to look for other sororities as well if the one that they're in isn't one that piques my interest. But they've been really inclusive.
The way I would describe my professors, I would describe them as really passionate. And I think that reflects with the way they teach and the work that they have. I look up to all my professors. I think that's one of my favorite things about Whitman is that they choose their professors very carefully. And these are people that not only care about their research and the subject that they're teaching, but they care about their students, as well. They reach out to us if we're sick or miss class, which is really, really nice. And they want to get to know us on a personal level. And so, I've learned to humanize my professors, which is something you don't really get to have at a bigger school. It's very personal here at Whitman with our professors.
I'm Rosaura and this has been Our Whitman, My Story. There are more episodes of Our Whitman, My Story available right now wherever you get your podcasts. Music for this podcast is provided by Big Joe, a band made up of Whitman students. For more information, go to whitman.edu/stories.