Courtesy of Connecticut College Department of Communications
On April 12, 2024, the College announced that Giana De La Cruz was selected to serve as the student commencement speaker for Connecticut College’s 106th Commencement ceremony on Sunday, May 19. The Boston, Massachusetts native was selected as the commencement speaker following a selection process overseen by the selection committee of students, staff, and faculty. Recently, The College Voice caught up with De La Cruz to learn more about her journey in life, how her experience abroad impacted her, and why she wanted to become the student commencement speaker.
Could you please introduce yourself?
My name is Giana De La Cruz, I’m a senior originally from Boston, Massachusetts. I’m a psychology major, an economics minor, and in the public health pathway. On campus, I work at the office of student engagement as a social media program assistant. This year for the POCA fashion show I was the head of public relations and I’m also a Genesis big sib on campus.
How did you come to choose Connecticut College?
I always knew I wanted to go to a small school and I really liked that the ratio of students to teachers was small. I also came for a weekend adventures program and they were super nice and that [experience] sealed the deal for me. Everyone was super nice and inclusive and I kept hearing that teachers really care about you and your future which was really important to me as a first generation college student. I found it really important to be at a space where people cared about my future and cared to make me feel included which I feel like Connecticut College did a great job in. I really wanted to stay close to home and it’s only an hour and a half away which I thought was really nice as well.
What has your journey in life been like and how has this led to where you are today?
I came here when I was about 5 or 6 years old and I was born in New York but raised in the Dominican Republic so I had to learn English when I got here. I lived here with just my mom but when I went to school, school has always been a place for me to socialize and find community. My middle school experience was really good and my middle school mentor believed in me and always pushed me to be a better person and through this experience I was able to be accepted into Noble and Greenough School and that changed my life and trajectory for the better. I learned about new things, had new experiences, and studied abroad in the Bahamas in 2018. My world view and perspective opened up not only for me but also for my family. We saw that coming to this country has had so many values and possibilities to us. This led me to Connecticut College which has opened so many doors and mentorship even more than it could’ve after high school. I would simplify my life journey by trying to get and be open to as many opportunities and to be open to new experiences. These experiences have led me to where I am now.
Where did you study abroad, what was this experience like and how did it impact you?
I studied abroad my junior year in London which is the best experience I [have] ever had in my life. I studied at Queen Mary University through the IES Abroad program. I was focusing on community and public health in London. In Queen Mary University I was learning about the environment, ecology of the world, and public policy within London, the US, and Jamaica. Through this program, I actually went to Jamaica after my time in the program ended to look at different communities and volunteered there in different places. I loved [my study abroad experience] a lot and it was really nice to be at a new place for three months and learn about their public health system and compare it to not only the US but also to Jamaica which is more impoverished.
What internships or experiences have you done?
I worked two summers ago at Sociedad Latina, a program in Boston which helps students of color in high school and middle school. It’s a STEM focused summer program and teaches these students about STEM during the whole summer and gives them opportunities after the program to continue their journey in STEM. It was a mentorship program for students and I was helping students there think about their careers after high school. I was also helping administrative work and helping come up with ideas for the summer program. I currently do an internship for eight hours a week as an intern at New London High School. I’ve been helping in the career center at the high school and helping students think of what they want to do after high school which has been really fun because I’ve been able to get to know these kids and build connections with them. This summer after I graduated, I got a position at the Mass General Hospital as the administration manager for their summer program Aspire which helps students on the spectrum have a good summer and socialize with other students.
What classes or professors did you enjoy or impacted you the most in your academic journey here at Conn?
I would say Professor Singer has been one of the most impactful professors. He is so insightful and patient and you can tell that he really cares about his students. Last semester, I took families and couples therapy with him which opened me up because it showed me this is what I really want to do. Sometimes we get into a routine of taking requirements and making sure that classes tick off our boxes to graduate but this was one of those classes that I really enjoyed going to class every day. This semester, I’m taking Practicum Clinical/Community Psychology which is connected to my internship in New London and I think it’s amazing because we’re getting real life experience through this course. Though it’s a three hour long course it feels like it flies by because we have such interesting conversations and are actually making a real impact in that class.
What are some of your most memorable experiences here at Conn?
I would say my most memorable experiences have been little moments that I’ve had with my friends. Every spring we try to sit down in Tempel Green and look at the stars. I also really enjoyed giving my talk for the All-College Symposium. My parents came and watched me talk. I really appreciate the connections program which does a great job of making sure we connect our majors and minors. I feel like the symposium just showed my college career to my peers because my pathway connected everything and it was a culminating moment which made me feel very proud.
Did you always sort of plan on trying to become the commencement speaker or did something compel you to apply?
Honestly, I kind of always knew I always wanted to do that. It felt like it would be the cherry on top for my college career. My parents are always my biggest motivators so I just thought this was a great way to show them that I’m so proud of the sacrifices they have made for me. This speech is also definitely for the whole student body because I’m still thankful for Connecticut College and what it’s done for me.
Tell me about the process of applying for and becoming commencement speaker?
It was pretty easy honestly. They sent out an email and I kind of didn’t tell anyone [I was applying] at first. I wrote a speech and sent it to them and they would send me updates during the process. Before spring break they sent an email to a couple of individuals offering the opportunity to edit some speeches and gave feedback. I took that feedback and edited my speech and it helped transform my speech. During spring break I was able to marinate in my thoughts and think about what I really wanted to say. The last process was saying the speech in front of the committee and then they chose after that.
What topics or themes are you hoping to touch on during your speech?
The speech is about our connection with the campus and our experience here. I tried to take a big picture of our experience here and am just kind of speaking on our whole four years here and how our connection to this campus and this experience can help us take it, learn from it, and maybe even replicate it in our future.
Any inspiration words or words of encouragement you have for the next generation of Camels?
I would say that I hope that the next generation of camels takes this place and juices all it can from it. These four years pass by as if you’re in a marathon race so I would just say to reach out to people, ask for help, make new friends, and get out of your comfort zone to even feel foolish and crazy. Take advantage of everything and take the time to sit back and realize. I would also say something I always do is ask myself in a third person point of view to come outside of my view and ask myself what am I actually stressed about. College is obviously very stressful sometimes and we’re always doing work but I like to look outside of myself and ask what am I actually stressed about. Most of the time I see more positivity than negativity which puts me in a better perspective.
