Alondra Velazquez
<i>"Hello" in your host country's language:</i> Hola!
<i>Home Institution (your U.S. University/College):</i> Lake Forest College
<i>Expected graduation year:</i> 2023
<i>Destination city & country:</i> San Jose, Costa Rica
<i>Program provider:</i> AIFS
<i>Major/minor:</i> Biology & Scientific Visual Communication / Spanish
<i>Demographics:</i> First-generation Mexican American
<i>Future career aspirations:</i> I am interested in pursuing a career where there is an intersectionality between biology (conservation ecology), art, and education. With that in mind, possible careers that I can see in my future include working at wildlife conservation
education centers, accredited zoos, or creating visual teaching content for existing biomedical illustration companies. I would also like to continue providing help to people and giving back to my communities such as in Little Village, Chicago, so careers in education access and preparation or translation/interpretation services are also of interest to me.
<i>Top 3 goals for your time abroad:</i> 1. Explore new environments and immerse myself in a completely new culture, meeting new people and seeing awesome tropical animals and plants in the process.
2. Conduct laboratory research for conservation biology.
3. Improve my Spanish interpretation and translation skills.
