Hello! My name is Megan Heim and I will be a senior this year, majoring in Spanish. I currently minor in Neuroscience with a certificate in Human and Social Justice and the Conceptual Foundations of Medicine. Over the summer, I’ll be continuing my research of the Latin American author Ramón Gómez de la Serna. Over 60,000 of his manuscripts and personal papers are found in the Archives & Special Collections in the Hillman Library. My research mentor is Professor Daniel Balderston, who has taught me the methods of genetic criticism, which I will use to evaluate the manuscripts and compare different editions of his writing. Gómez de la Serna was one of the most important writers of the Latin American avant-garde movement of the 20th century. He brought together authors from around the world by hosting literary groups in Spain and Latin America. He also created his famous “greguerías,” a form of short poetry consisting of witty one-liners commenting on life around him. By evaluating his manuscripts, one can understand his writing on a deeper level and meaning, along with the specific creative process Gómez de la Serna underwent whilst writing his globally influential works. Likewise, such research has never been done on the manuscripts found in the Hillman library before, which consists of handwritten notes, journals, clippings, photographs, and first editions.
My current professional goal is to apply for the Fullbright scholarship to continue my studies in Spain. Specifically, I want to pursue a master’s degree in public and international relations. By studying Spanish with a focus in social justice, I want to help bridge people of different cultures as a public relations specialist for the United Nations. My goal is to help immigrants in understanding their rights by crossing language and cultural barriers. I hope the Fulbright program can act as a stepping stone to ultimately continue working in the European Union and eventually with the United Nation to assist immigrants with issues of social justice. With the Brackenridge fellowship, I intend on continuing my research to continue learning about different cultures and research techniques, along with finalizing my Fullbright application by the end of the summer.
On a different note, a fun fact about me is that I love Formula 1 and racing. I hope to eventually live in Spain and be able to attend many of the European races one day. I would love to one day have a career in Formula 1 as well, specifically working for the International Automobile Federation (FIA) which is the governing body for many auto racing events, including Formula 1. I think working for them in the area of public affairs and ethics could be very interesting and would definitely be a dream of mine.
I can’t wait to work with everyone and see what this summer holds, ¡hasta pronto!
