Information gathered by Edith Reyes Contreras ’25
Kaysha Neville, ’24
American Studies major, Educational Studies minor (She/her)
Kaysha Neville is currently pursuing a master’s degree in teaching and special education at American University. At the same time, she’s working in the Dallas Independent School District as a 5th-grade math teacher and will be moving up with her students to teach 6th-grade math in the 2025–2026 academic year.
She attributes much of her success to the guidance and support she received at Carleton. She says: I not only had a network of unwavering support, but also a village of love amongst the TRIO staff. I have an immense level of gratitude for Kim and Rosie, and a special thank you to Trey Williams for all of the encouragement throughout my years and even after graduation. My TRIO advisors played an instrumental role in me finding my passions and figuring out my way around Carleton. I will forever be grateful for their continued support and care!
Ahtziry Tinajero ’24
Spanish major, Educational Studies minor (She/They)
Ahtziry Tinajero is obtaining her teaching license to become a bilingual elementary school teacher. After graduating, she continued collaborating with her former Educational Studies professor, Anita Chikkatur, on the Participatory Action Research Project. Ahtziry’s role involved working with a translator to add a Hmong page to the website and training the new research assistants who will continue sharing research produced by community partners.
During that time, she also networked with individuals involved in community-based work in her hometown of Dallas, Texas, in hopes of finding the right career path. After numerous conversations, she realized that teaching would allow her to give back to her community. She then decided to enroll in a teaching certification program with other aspiring educators to one day inspire the next generation of students.
Ahtziry is very thankful for the discussions she had with her TRIO advisor and the support she received in covering the costs of books while participating in culturally enriching activities offered by TRIO. Her advice to current TRIO students is that even if life after graduation may not unfold as they expect, they should trust that they will be guided in the right direction. If they stick to their values and goals, they will eventually find the right path. It took many conversations for Ahtziry to understand that being an educator was the right path for her, and she hopes that others will continue to surround themselves with people who can help them navigate their aspirations. She looks forward to updating TRIO on her teaching journey and sharing anecdotes about her future students!
Amira Adeyemi Aladetan ’24
Biology major, Africana Studies minor (She/Her)
Just two days after graduating from Carleton, I began my full-time position as a medical assistant at Tareen Dermatology. In this role, I support patient care through surgical assistance, intake procedures, and post-operative education. Alongside this position, I participated in two virtual fellowship programs with the Student National Medical Association (SNMA).
My first fellowship, the National Future Leadership Project (FLP), is an initiative that recruits and mentors future SNMA leaders. Throughout this year-long program, we worked on leadership projects to support SNMA at the national or regional level and attended webinars and networking opportunities that prepared us for leadership roles in the future. The second fellowship was the SNMA Global Health Fellowship (GHF). As a GH Fellow, I deepened my understanding of global health equities and learned how to apply that knowledge in my professional career. I conducted a systematic review addressing challenges in substance abuse among pregnant women in South Africa.
This time off from school reaffirmed my passion for healthcare and medicine, leading me to apply for medical school this upcoming cycle with a strong interest in becoming a dermatologist.
Reflecting on my time at Carleton, TRIO significantly impacted my academic and personal journey. When I first joined TRIO, my advisor, Karina Sierra, and now Dean Williams, encouraged me to take breaks and understand when rest is necessary. I always believed I had to do everything to feel productive. Learning to take a step back over time at Carleton not only improved my mental well-being but also my academic performance. On a personal level, I will always be grateful to TRIO for fostering a community where I felt comfortable. Knowing I had peers who shared similar identities as people of color and first-generation college students made my experience at Carleton exponentially better.
Crystal Wu ’24
Geology major (she/they)
Right after graduation, I worked at Carleton’s Summer Liberal Arts Institute as a Program and Community Assistant. The team and the high school students were awesome. I love and miss the Carleton community and was grateful to work at Carleton one last summer before spending a gap year traveling. My parents took me back to China for 3 months during October to revisit their hometown and to hang out with my grandparents. This trip was super important to me because the last time I’d seen my grandparents from my dad’s side was over 8 years ago. Now with a more developed brain and more lived experiences, I was able to sit down with my grandparents to learn more about their life stories. One highlight from my stay was going to the market with my grandmother every morning, helping with food prep, and learning how to cook her food. Now I am back in Chicago hanging out with my parents and grandparents while looking at positions in geology and environmental fields.
Elena Ea ‘24
Statistics Major (she/her)
I currently work as a Catastrophe and Risk Analyst at Howden Re, a reinsurance broker company. In this position, I get to analyze data to look at the financial impact insurance companies may face due to natural disasters. I have worked here for nearly a year now. I enjoy analyzing data and presenting results and outcomes to my clients. I have also learned a lot about natural disasters, such as hurricanes and earthquakes, which has been very interesting to me.
TRIO helped me immensely during my time at Carleton. I found the informational sessions helpful, such as the money and budgeting session and sessions on how to study and take notes. The lending library was also a very helpful resource for me, as it took away the stress of finding and paying for books. I also really enjoyed the events and field trips. I went to many Comfort Food Fridays with my friends, and it was nice to just hang out at the TRIO house after a long week. I’m so grateful for the TRIO community and especially my advisor, Rosie, who has always been so kind and supportive to me.