One of the last events of the Borderlands Symposium featured a collection of alumni speakers who had majored in Latin American and Border Studies (LABS). During the panel, the alumni shared their experiences at the university and in LABS, sharing how what they learned impacts their lives outside of the classroom. The panelists were alumni Grace Bonilla, Brandon Gomez, and Emma Grace. Since their time at Southwestern University, all three panelists who spoke have grown and used their liberal arts education to benefit both themselves and the communities around them. Their words during the panelist discussion were meant to encourage students to get the most out of what Southwestern has to offer as a liberal arts and paideia-centered institution. 

All three panelists, having graduated within the past ten years, had much wisdom to offer about the inherent values of the education students at Southwestern are receiving. During the panel discussion, the three elucidated their audience on the importance of developing skills while getting an undergraduate degree and how studying LABS in particular helped set them up to succeed in their workplace today. When asked about their favorite skills cultivated during undergrad and which they wished they had spent more time on, the panelists gave some very thoughtful answers. Grace Bonilla spoke of how being a part of LABS helped to build a foundation of critical thinking which she could use to better see a big picture of the factors at play in her workplace. This larger view of the world was formed into shape here at Southwestern, where she learned how to best understand different cultures, perspectives, and how those interact, better allowing her to connect with people. 

According to Emma Grace, her experience at Southwestern and with LABS similarly encouraged her and helped her pave a path towards a brighter future. She spoke of how she wished her time as an undergraduate student had been spent more on new, unique opportunities like speaking to professors outside of class, finding new ways to engage with the community, and getting involved in lesser-known classes like those featured in LABS. Since graduating, she has worked both at Southwestern’s Student Services, at a nonprofit, and is now enrolled in a PHD program at UT. She attributed this success to on-campus experiences like extracurriculars and student-led organizations, which built upon Southwestern’s paideia framework by drawing from different perspectives to create a fuller picture. She uses what she learned in Southwestern’s LABS program to incorporate parts of SU’s teaching style into her education at UT. She says the elements of the unique style of SU can help create connections between both disciplines and people.

Lastly, Brandon Gomez spoke largely about how his time as a SU student is now bettering the lives of his middle school students. Although middle schools tend to have more restrictions about what they are allowed to speak about to students, Brandon uses what he learned at SU to better converse with students in a way that makes sense. As a current history teacher, he often spoke about how his students learning the past helps them better prepare for the future. After all, as George Santayana wrote in The Life of Reason, “Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.” Remembering our collective history and being able to see the connections between topics and events is especially important in our modern day of turmoil and political activism. 

As one of the last events of the Borderlands Symposium, the Latin American and Border Studies alumni panel left little to be desired. Although some of the speakers graduated as early as a year ago, it was still amazing to see how far alumni can go even in such a short time. The event also draws attention to the Latin American and Border Studies major and minor, both of which utilize Southwestern’s paideia education to its fullest extent. The classes featured in LABS do not just focus on race, culture, or the borders that separate countries, but also draw from philosophy, public speaking, and other classes to expand knowledge and encourage students to go forth and create positive change. To learn more about the major, visit their website.