Skip to Site Navigation

29 Aug 2013

by Bana Kaleab

Dr. Vargas' Lecture

The Waves of Change interns and I were priveleged enough to get the chance to meet Dr. Claudina Vargas. Dr. Vargas came in to talk to us about her life story. She grew up in a small barrio in the Dominican Republic and fled her hometown when she was a teenager to study in Spain. There she stayed with a family with whom convent nuns placed her. She strived to be nothing but the best in school and she succeded.

When she moved to America, she pursued her Master's degree in education; however, her true passion lay in engineering. Because she had never studied engineering in the past, she thought it would be impossible to get a degree in it. Fortunately, Dr. Vargas had studied mathematics in the past and because of this, she was able to quickly learn engineering and recieved a PhD.

Meeting Dr. Vargas was very moving and inspirational because she never stopped believing in her dreams. Although she came from a third world country, she knew that in order to progress in life she had to recieve an education. Dr. Vargas was able to survive on her own and make it through the tough times because she knew there was a greater horizon awaiting. She now has moved back to the Dominican Republic and works as an educator for young students.

Throughout her life, Dr. Vargas has worked to better the world's education system so that no child is unable to pursue their dreams.

Bana Kaleab is a dreamer. She plans on being successful so she can give back to communities that helped her. She is motived to break the stereotypes often attributed to African American women. Both her parent are from Eritrea, Africa and she speaks Tigrinya fluently. Bana will be a senior this fall.