Jess Semblante ’21
Hometown: Grants Pass, OR
Major: Educational Studies
Minor: Rhetoric, Writing, and Media Studies
Extracurricular Involvement: Writing Associate, Vice President H2OPE TC, Student Worker for Math Teachers' Circle 4 Social Justice
Email: [email protected]
Why did you join the Multicultural Recruitment Team?
Coming onto campus, I was hoping to see a variety of students with backgrounds and experiences similar to my own. I wanted to encounter other low-income students, students from mixed race households, and students from outside of the Northeast. When I arrived on campus and realized there was work to be done in these areas, I was eager to join a team that worked to improve diversity. I myself attended a program during my senior year of high school that the Multicultural Recruitment Team (MRT) runs called Passport to Trinity, so I knew of the work that MRT did. When I received an invitation to apply, I knew this was the perfect way for me to get plugged in and actively help make the campus more closely resemble the one I had hoped to see when I stepped foot at Trinity!
What is the biggest lesson you learned from your first semester on campus?
The biggest lesson I learned my first semester on campus was time management and how to breathe a little by making time for myself. Adjusting to the academic coursework was a steep learning curve for me, but once I realized that I didn’t need to spend every second doing homework and every second in-between homework hanging out with friends, things felt a lot lighter. It’s easy to get overwhelmed by classes or wrapped up with investing in new friendships. Making time for myself quickly proved to be my most valuable lesson.
How has a liberal arts education fostered your thinking? What class impacted you the most?
A liberal arts education has blessed me with the ability to meet everything I see and read with questions. It’s given me the skills to think critically about the social structures behind all of the things we so easily take for granted and think of as natural, and to question the context behind whatever argument someone is making or whatever “fact” is being presented as truth. The class that has impacted me the most while at Trinity is Professor Daniel Douglas’ Sociology of Education because it combined two topics I am most passionate about: education and systemic injustices. It did so in a way that shed light on the structural framework behind the disparities we see in schools and student outcomes across the country, thus fostering my passions and encouraging me to potentially pursue them in a research and writing career focused on Educational practices.
What legacy do you hope to leave?
Through my involvement as a founding member of H2OPE TC, an organization that fundraises and builds freshwater wells in Ethiopian villages, I hope to leave a legacy of students who care and actively spread awareness to the Trinity and Hartford communities about the water crisis that countless people are experiencing abroad. H2OPE TC has made incredible headway and is scheduled to finish construction on our first well in June. I therefore hope to leave the club to students who will continue to not just discuss the issue but to use the privileges and platforms that they have to actively make a difference in real people’s lives.
How has the city of Hartford impacted your college experience?
Since my first semester on campus, Hartford has been an integral part of my college experience. Several of my classes have placed me into Hartford schools where I was able to observe and even teach lessons to Hartford students. The city has also opened several professional doors for me, including exposing me to employment through AmeriCorps in Hartford, Hartford Mentorship programs, and opportunities to conduct research for the Hartford Foundation for Public Giving. In addition to all the community building and professional development opportunities that Hartford has tied into my college experience, it’s also a place where I’m surrounded by incredible food from my culture and countless others, so that when I get a little homesick I can always count on walking just off campus and feeding myself a little bit of home!
If you were an animal what kind of animal would you be?
An elephant! These creatures are the definition of a gentle giant and while I certainly can’t live up to their size, I’ve always resonated with their kind spirits. They’re compassionate, thoughtful, and intelligent, and their ability to feel in a way that no other animal can makes them stand out to me as a unique force that should not be underestimated.
What areas of campus makes you feel at home?
The Underground Coffeehouse makes me feel the most at home. The cozy couches, dim lighting, and abundance of friendly faces can always make me relax and enjoy myself. It’s an intimate, snug place to cuddle up and do work, and the people who both work and study there are a close-knit community—whether it’s great conversations or tasty coffee, the Underground is where I like to be.
What is your favorite event on campus?
The International Hip Hop Festival is my favorite event on campus. The Temple of Hip Hop spearheads this event, and artists from Hartford and all over the world are brought to Trinity for a weekend full of dance, poetry slams, concerts, panels, and so much more. My first year I was amazed at how extensive the programming for this event was and how many people swarmed to Trinity’s campus for the weekend; ever since then I look forward to this spring event every year. It’s a time where I always learn more about the rich history of Hip-Hop and get to see countless people doing what they love.
