Nanci Lopez Flores
Nanci Lopez Flores is an Urban Studies and Political Science double major. She began her time at Trinity College as a student in the Cities Gateway and has enjoyed all the Urban Studies classes she has taken since. In addition to academics, Lopez Flores is a barista at the Underground and an intern for the Career and Life Design Center.
This year Lopez Flores served as the first-year mentor for the Cities Gateway, in addition to being a teacher’s assistant for Professor Chen’s Hartford to World Cities class. Serving as a teacher’s assistant for Hartford to World Cities was a full circle moment for Lopez, as that class, along with Global Cities, were her favorite during her time at Trinity in the Urban Studies department. In these two classes she was able to learn about urban phenomena such as the FIRE economy and deindustrialization. Allowing Lopez Flores to see the connections to her hometown of Chicago.
Another full circle moment for Lopez Flores, as well as one of the most impactful projects she has worked on, was a paper for her final in the Introduction Seminar during her first year. Her paper discussed the housing crisis in Hong Kong. As a senior Lopez Flores is revisiting the subject, hoping to add nuance and develop her writing, demonstrating all she has learned over the course of her four years.
Lopez Flores feels the most impactful part of her experience as an Urban Studies major was the freedom to pursue her interests. Describing her experience, she says that the “Urban Studies department is incredible, I really valued the relationships I got to build there, the research projects that I participated in, and the flexibility that they gave me”. Through her four years, Lopez Flores was able to develop strong relationships with Professors. She cites an experience in her first year when Professor Gamble encouraged Lopez Flores to submit a paper to the Trinity Papers that was ultimately selected and published. A moment that Lopez Flores will never forget, being recognized as a first-year making her family and herself proud.
Next year Lopez Flores will be working in industrial supply chain management. She says, “I am hoping that the skills I learned and the resilience I built here will be applicable”. Using her Liberal Arts education to tackle all the challenges she will face.
Malika Buscaino
Malika Buscaino is an Urban Studies and International Studies double major. She was inspired to become an Urban Studies major in part because of her experience in the Cities Gateway during her first year. Buscaino was fascinated by the process of urbanization and found connections between her majors when studying International urban development. In addition to academics, Buscaino is a Quest Leader on campus and works in the Office of Community Service.
Currently, Buscaino is working on her thesis for Urban Studies which focuses on immigrant interactions in Seine Saint Denis, a suburb of Paris. One of Buscaino’s favorite experiences during her time at Trinity was looking at the subject of immigrant and refugee work through a fellowship with the Hartford Commission on Refugee and Immigrant Affairs (CRIA). During the experience, she, “worked to meet the needs of refugees and immigrants in the Hartford community after the COVID-19 pandemic”. She did this by connecting CRIA with grassroots organizations, helping them better serve the immigrant and refugee community. Buscaino appreciated how CUGS was so engaged with the Hartford community. Supporting her through various projects in the Hartford community.
She is grateful for her experience with the Urban Studies department and has, “learned to really value the education I have received at Trinity”. With supportive advisors and professors helping her to achieve her degree and explore her passions. As well as encouraging involvement in the Hartford community, something that Buscaino values deeply.
Next year Buscaino is hoping to pursue work with a non-profit in Washington D.C.
