Recent Illinois State graduate Kellie Alexa ’16, of New Lenox, double majored in nursing and Spanish as well as minored in Latin American and Latino/a studies (LALS). She was involved in the National Honor Society and the Student Leadership Council at Campus Recreation.
Alexa originally chose Illinois State University because of family history with the University and for its quality as a state school. She ended up really enjoying the community, small class sizes, and, of course, the Quad.
She decided to add the Latin American and Latino/a studies minor to her plan of study because the program complemented her major areas of study: “I also wanted to learn more about the Latino culture in general and how their demographic is growing in the United States. Latino studies has given me the opportunity to learn about a culture that is different from my own in a comfortable and safe environment.”
Not only has Alexa grown personally from her study in the minor, but it has also opened up job opportunities for her in terms of research and program coordinating. The minor provided her with an extensive background in Latino culture, demographic, language, and history, which made her a competitive candidate for the positions she has applied for. Alexa hopes to become an interpreter in the medical field.
