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My name is Fernanda Porras, and I am majoring in Women’s Studies and minoring in Political Science with a concentration in public administration and service. I am a 21-year-old El Pasoan, born and raised between the west side of town and Juarez. When I began college back in the fall of 2019, I was majoring in political science with a concentration in law and politics and minoring in women studies. Only after taking Introduction to Women’s Studies with Professor Naomi Fertman and completing a community project assignment did, I realize that Women and Gender Studies was the ideal path for me. My future career interests are influenced by my growing fondness for nonprofit organizations and higher education. I would truly enjoy being a professor and working in an educational setting as well as dedicating my time to supporting a nonprofit organization that advocates for women’s rights, safety, and security.

I am currently an employee at the Student Engagement and Leadership Center where I serve as a Programming Board Intern. This internship entails creating meaningful experiences designed to enhance campus engagement and develop inclusive leadership skills. As of fall 2021, I have been involved in the programming and playing out of events such as Minerpalooza, Texas Wester Gold Rush, Up All Night, and many others. This semester I will be interning with the El Paso Fighting Hunger Food Bank, where I will be assisting the Fund Development Division. My tasks involve gathering client stories from those who come to the facility for food distribution, managing and updating social media posts, newsletters, and brochures, and assisting in grant research, and portfolio organization.

Finally, after completing the Gallup StrengthsFinder Assessment, I found out that my strengths are Input, Learner, Intellection, Discipline, and Focus. Unsurprisingly, my strengths fall under the strategic thinking and executing domains. This means that when working in a team, my goal is to gather and analyze information that leads to better decisions, and greater outcomes. If I had to pick a favorite strength of mine, my answer would be Learner, because I have a continuous desire to gain more knowledge and improve. I believe that the only way to truly live your life to the fullest is by growing, learning, and inspiring.