Mount Holyoke Scholar Seeks Out Cross-Cultural Experiences

Arielle Derival, a second-year student at Mount Holyoke College, is majoring in Africana studies and Spanish and pursuing a minor in law, public policy, and human rights. On and off campus, she seeks out cross-cultural experiences and opportunities to engage with different communities.

Last summer, Arielle was an intern with Miami’s Little Haiti Cultural Complex, which showcases and promotes Afro-Caribbean arts and culture. She was eager to be involved with an organization that was so influential in the community where she grew up.

“This was an opportunity to learn more about my culture and be around people who spoke Haitian Creole and French,” says Arielle. “It was a great feeling to have a place where the community could feel at home, eat great food, and enjoy all types of Haitian and Caribbean artists and musicians.”

At Mount Holyoke, Arielle is the copy chief editor for the Mount Holyoke News, an active member of the debate society, and manager of an on-campus dining hall. She is looking forward to bringing her communication and networking skills abroad in the coming years, an experience that she feels will be an important component of her undergraduate experience.

“I am really looking forward to the opportunity to go abroad and experience different cultures,” Arielle says. “I plan on backpacking around South America, specifically in Peru and Chile, to explore history and art while using my immersion experience to perfect my Spanish.”