MALAS GRADUATE STUDENT BIOGRAPHIES |
CHRIS
ALVARADO
 My name is Chris Alvarado. I am part of the Kumeyaay Nation that resides in San Diego, California. The village I am from is called San Pasqual or Amulkulkul in our language Ipai Aa, “Language of the People." The name of our clan is called Waipuk, which means “kingsnake” in our language. Our village was located originally in the San Pasqual Valley. The parking lot of the San Diego Zoo Safari is exactly where my great great grandfather’s village was located. Within the last 100 years, our stories, songs, traditions, and language have been documented by many scholars but for generations our own people have passed this knowledge down traditionally through oral traditions. I am a product of their knowledge. I am also business man. I graduated from University of Phoenix with Bachelor of Science in Business Administration. During my business career, I have been involved at the Executive level for 18 years. This involved the financial and gaming regulations of casinos. My experience involved implementing Marketing Analysis, Table Games Analysis, Slot Analysis, Direct Mail Analysis, Player Tracking Software, and most of all, casino design and slot layout. I have overseen a $2 Billion dollar revenue department that comprises 95% of the company’s revenue. In my recent adventures, I have been part of the operations team for the past 5 years overseeing Transportation, Security, Risk Management, Compliance for the State, Luxury Line Buses, our Players Club Card Program, and Valet. My first year of MALAS started in Fall of 2017 and I was able to test the program out for 2 semesters. I fell in love with MALAS because it is going to allow me to broaden my view on how we take our Kumeyaay Nation forward using education that is infused with our culture, language, and our stories. LEENA ALI  Hala hala! My name is Leena Ali.
This Fall 2018 marks the beginning of my MALAS
journey! I am new to San Diego, after making a
coast-to-coast road trip from Savannah, Georgia. I
received my B.A. in gender studies with a minor in
sociology from the previously known Armstrong State
University (now Georgia Southern University) in
Savannah. Thus far, I have lived in Savannah and Ramallah, Palestine. These two places and the people I have met have done so much in teaching me and building my understanding of life. I am excited to take in all that San Diego will give me--when not researching or going to classes, I enjoy nature, music and keeping up with local and global grassroots activism. When searching for a grad school to study cultural studies, I magically and thankfully found MALAS! Some of my areas of study are feminist theory, transnational feminism, post-colonial theory, decolonizing studies, queer theory and sexuality studies. I am also interested in researching/communicating issues and injustices of poverty and violence within the Global South and the Global North. I focus on Palestine, Israel, the USA, as well as similar nation-states. I am thrilled to be with MALAS for this continuation of researching, learning and engaging! JWESLEY BASSARD  I
started as a Gelfling at Azusa Pacific. Then I found
what I thought was my stride with Integrated
Marketing and Communications at WVU.
Let’s get ready to
poke them with the pointy end because winter is
always coming. KIRA CARREON  “The
purpose of anthropology is to make the world safe
for human differences.”
-Ruth Benedict Hello everyone! My name is Kira Carreon and Fall 2018 marks the beginning to my MALAS adventure. Born and raised in San Diego, it was difficult to imagine earning an education anywhere else. I received my BA in Anthropology from SDSU in Fall 2017. During undergrad, I worked at Grossmont College as an English teacher's assistant and reading and writing tutor.  Also, I was an intern at the
San Diego Museum of Man in the Cultural Resources
Department. This semester I have the great
opportunity to be a Graduate Assistant for the
History Department. When I’m not immersed in academics, you’ll catch me teaching swim lessons and lifeguarding at the local YMCA. MALAS was my top choice because I am able to integrate my skills and knowledge in English, anthropology, and history as well as explore other disciplines. My areas of interest include political violence, terrorism, and human rights. DANIEL DAWSON  Hi There! My name is Daniel and I am a first-year MALAS student. Having received my Bachelor’s Degree in Art History from Humboldt State University in 2001 and a Masters of Divinity from United Theological Seminary in 2005, I have spent the past 15 years or so in a religious profession, and have had the pleasure of spending six years living in and exploring various parts of Japan. I’ve entered the MALAS program to fully give myself over to my intellectual curiosity about the intersections of spirituality/religion and music festivals, environmental ethics, and justice-driven, ethics-based social movements. In my spare time I enjoy running, hiking, spending time on the water in my kayak, and listening to live music. JENNIFER DAWSON  Hello! Fall of 2017 marks my first semester in the MALAS program. I graduated from Humboldt State in 1999 with a BA in English (emphasis in teacher prep) and through an odd twist of fate, spent the last 18 years as a professional bellydancer instead.  After
living and teaching dance in Japan for the last six
years, I’ve decided to hang up my spangles in favor
of more academic pursuits. I’ve come to the MALAS
program with a burning curiosity about how hate
groups construct ethnicity identity, using dance as
a mode of storytelling, as well as an interest in
religion (specifically Judaism) and am currently
being seduced by Japanese ceramics. I’m also
interested in Freirean critical pedagogy and LGBTQIA
issues. I still dance on occasion and can sometimes
be spotted in the wild spinning poi, playing with
fire, roller skating (I’m a recovering derby girl),
paddle boarding, or cruising through campus
splattered with mud from sitting at the pottery
wheel.
IVAN
FERNANDEZ GABE GARCIA   A San Diego native, Gabe is very excited to enter the MALAS program at San Diego State University. He is most interested in pursuing further study in the areas of literature and theatre, with a specific focus on the works of William Shakespeare. Gabe has spent nearly his entire adult life working for theatres in various capacities, most recently spending six years with the nonprofit Cygnet Theatre Company as development associate and grant writer.  Believing in the power of nonprofit
organizations to transform lives, Gabe has also
volunteered his time with various community service
organizations. Some issues near to Gabe’s heart
include Black Lives Matter, Democratic Socialism,
ratification of the Equal Rights Amendment, MeToo,
welcoming all immigrants, healthcare for all, free
college education, gun control, criminal justice
reform, and environmental protection, to name a few.
His other interests include reading, video games,
politics, baseball, craft beer, science fiction,
theatre, vegetarianism, hiking, and writing. Gabe graduated cum laude from the University of Washington with a B.A. in Arts, Media and Culture and a minor in Nonprofit Management. A proud queer, Gabe married his partner in June of 2018. They live with their cat in a sustainable, one car household in Lemon Grove.  DECLAN HALLORANHello, my name is Declan Halloran. I am fortunate enough to call San Diego my hometown. I attended SDSU as an undergrad, and graduated in 2016 with a BA in Sociology. The highlight of my undergrad career would have to be my Cuba study abroad trip at the end of my last semester--it was a true test, and perfect platform to apply all the theories that I had studied, into real life. I have been playing drums since I was a wee lad, and have kept it up for the past 15 years of my life. Since I graduated from school, I have been playing drums for numerous projects around town. Music is my true passion.  I
also have a job as a rigger for numerous
venues and companies around San Diego, and
have had the pleasure of helping put on some
amazing concerts. Prof. Choi of the Sociology department at SDSU, highly recommended the MALAS program, and I can not wait to get started with new experiences, expand my mind, and meet some amazing people. Besides music, my passion is learning. I have an epistemological curiosity that leaves me with a thirst for knowledge. I’m really looking forward to making education and higher learning apart of my life again. “I have never let my schooling interfere with my education.” Mark
Twain
JACOB JIMENEZ  Howdy
everyone! My name is Jacob Jimenez and Fall 2019
will mark be the beginning of my MALAS journey. I
was born and raised in Round Rock, Texas, and
attended Pflugerville High School. My high school
was also made famous by a popular television show
named Friday
Night Lights!  Following
high school, I was offered a full football
scholarship at Brigham Young University (BYU)
where I graduated with a BA in History. In
addition to graduating, I managed to finish before
exhausting my football eligibility--in this way, I
was able to transfer schools to extend my
education as well as finish my athletic
eligibility. With that, I am pleased to announce
that I will be finishing my football career here
as a San Diego State Aztec this 2019-2020 football
season! When I am not immersed in my studies, or locked in on the gridiron, I enjoy giving back to area neighborhoods through community service projects. If I am not doing either of those things, then you will most likely find me trying to learn songs on my guitar. I have too many interests to list, but that is what made the MALAS program so appealing to me. I am thankful for the opportunity to create a schedule that will let me explore my passions in depth. I cannot wait to start working with you guys! JULIE KITTERMAN  Hmmm… The
story of MALAS and Me. Though it has barely
begun, it appears to have the potential of a perfect
match. I was sure that I wanted to go to grad
school, but there was a bit of an unresolved
issue--how can I mesh my inspirations, experience, and
former studies together so that they coalesce into a
credentialed, progressive and
cutting-edge degree? This task seemed certain to
be a huge challenge, until I stumbled upon the
glorious MALAS website and …behold!  I
now feel confident that I have an excellent
opportunity to combine my Fine Arts degree, my
Chicano/a Studies degree, and my twenty years
experience in Sustainability and Conservation and take
things to the next level. I look forward to the
plethora of seminars to choose from and hope to come
out of MALAS as an expert, an artist, a scholar….and a
trailblazer of some sort...
PABLO MARTIN
 I love to read
(when I have time) and watch films/mini-series. A
few of my current media favorites are Black Panther,
Stranger Things, Blade Runner, and The Matrix;
zombie films (although I admit that I’m not a fan of
Walking Dead!); for music I like classic rock (Led
Zeppelin, The Beatles) and alternative (Pearl Jam,
Arcade Fire); I just read Overstory (about trees and
the world we share with them) and am really enjoying
The Fifth Season by three time Hugo Award winner
N.K. Jemisin (she’s amazing!). In general, I like
media that is both entertaining and offers food for
thought in the form of social or philosophical
analysis.KATELYN MAY   Ahoy! My name is Katie May, a first
semester MALAS student, Fall 2018. Born and raised in
San Diego, I completed my BA in English at SDSU in
2017. In my year off, I worked as an English tutor for
K-12 students, in which time I came to realize working
with kids wasn’t for me. I’m
still open to the possibility of becoming a professor,
and I believe MALAS is a fantastic stepping stone to a
PhD program. Still, truth be told, I don’t know what
sort of career I’ll end up in. That’s
actually the biggest reason I chose MALAS over SDSU’s
English MA program: I wanted the flexibility to
conduct research in multiple fields. At the moment, I
plan to focus my research around some key questions:
what can be classified as literature? and how do we
read different literature as it bounces between
various media? I’d like to focus specifically on the
way women are portrayed/read in film, possibly
comparing print sources to their film adaptations.  Now
that we’ve gotten the scholarly side out of the way, a
little bit more about me outside of the classroom! I’m
an artist at heart. I’ve been playing saxophone for 13
years, including 4 years as a Marching Aztec at SDSU
and 3 years in our Pep Band. I also had the amazing
opportunity to perform at Carnegie Hall in New York
during my senior year of high school. I’ve also been
in various choir programs since I was 9. I’ve always
had a passion for writing, and hope to show my
unfinished screenplay some love someday soon. This
past summer I’ve spent a decent amount of time sailing
out at sea, learning the ropes (pun intended) and
competing in races. When not on the water, you can
catch me jetting off to cities across the country on
weekend trips; recently I’ve made it to Palm Springs,
Pittsburgh, Seattle, Denver, and Chicago. But the
wanderlust bug I caught years ago is consistently
pointing me back to Europe. In 2016, I spent a summer
studying in London with a fantastic group of people (a
few of which I’m lucky enough to now call good
friends) and one pretty cool Professor (who may or may
not be the MALAS director). I’d love to study
abroad again during MALAS, but if not, you can bet
I’ll be on the first plane to Heathrow once I get that
degree! JOHN McEVOY  I
am a lawyer who retired from practice in December
2014. MALAS works for me as a retired professional
seeking the challenges of a graduate program at a
major university. For some years, I was an American
Bar Association liaison in Eastern Europe. I set up
an office in Bratislava not long after
Czechoslovakia overthrew its Communist government
(the Velvet Revolution) and, soon thereafter, broke
up into two nations, the Czech Republic and Slovakia
(the Velvet Divorce). I worked with the Slovak
government as it replaced its Communist legal system
with a western system, and prepared itself for entry
into the European Union.The experience helped to
develop a deep interest in the way that a legal
system can advance (or impede) the progress that a
society makes towards achieving its goals. Now that
I am free of the need to practice law on a daily
basis, I want to continue to study in the general
area of law and society. It would be difficult to
fit my proposed area of study into a single
discipline (philosophy, history, political science,
etc.?) So, when I learned of the MALAS
program, I felt that it was designed to give me
freedom to experiment. The MALAS graduate emphases
in Social Justice, American Studies and Intellectual
History provide a perfect framework for the graduate
curriculum that I want to pursue.RACHEL NORTON  Hello all! My name is Rae Norton, and Fall 2019 will be the start of my MALAS journey. For as long as I can remember, I’ve had too many interests to count. My curiosity has always been one of the biggest parts of who I am, which may be responsible for my constant major changes while at community college. I graduated from Mount San Jacinto College, where I completed their Honors Enrichment Program and earned two AA degrees: Arts, Humanities, and Communications and Social and Behavioral Sciences. From MSJC, I transferred to the University of California, Santa Barbara, where I majored in Feminist Studies and was given the opportunity to be a member of the Feminist Studies department’s Senior  Thesis Honors program
and Feminist Studies Undergraduate Research
Community. Through these programs, I was able to conduct year-long, original research in which I explored how music is used as a way for queer people to express and build their queer identities. I graduated from UCSB in June 2019 with a BA in Feminist Studies with distinction in the major, and I am now embarking on this new chapter of my academic career with the MALAS program. I am excited to expand my knowledge through working with my peers in MALAS and being able to take classes in different disciplines! DAVID ORNELAS  Hello! My name is David Ornelas Jr. This Fall will be my first semester in the MALAS program. I graduated from SDSU in May 2017 with a BA in Rhetoric & Writing Studies. I enjoy going to the bookstore with my sister and just checking out different books. In my free time, I like to play basketball, go on long walks and listening to newly released music of all genres. After graduation I wanted to explore my future in the Rhetoric Writing Studies Master’s program at SDSU. With the recommendations from both past and present MALAS students, I couldn’t pass the opportunity up to apply to the MALAS program.  The MALAS program gives
students the opportunity to explore other areas of
study versus focusing on just one. You get to meet new
people and professors that are welcoming and opening
to helping you out with not only school work but real
life situations/problems. Talking to the Director, Dr.
William Nericcio (aka Bill) about my future in the
MALAS program has me not only excited but ready to
take on any obstacle that I face. If you ever have
questions about the program or any question in
general, don’t be afraid to email Bill. He welcomes
emails and will reply within 24hrs!LORA SHERICE PAZ  My name is Lora Sherice Paz and I am Ysleta Del Sur Pueblo by way of my paternal grandfather. I graduated from SDSU in 2015 with my Bachelors of Arts in English & Comparative Literature and American Indian Studies. I began graduate school in 2016 and have had many bumps along the road, but I can finally see the light at the end of the tunnel as I am finishing my thesis from beautiful Northern Idaho in Nez Perce territory. My thesis is a case study of Ysleta Del Sur Pueblo--specifically pertaining to the history of the tribe; the federal recognition process; and the enrollment procedure. DEE EDWIN REED  ¡Hola, MALAS! Es genial estar aquí! ¡Tengo la identificación! I am totally “ecstatic” to be in the MALAS graduate program. After shuffling around SDSU for years, a professor friend introduced me to the MALAS Program. MALAS is exactly what I have been looking for as a graduate: So much electricity, so much energy, so much excitement! In 1979, I graduated from SDSU with a BA degree in Liberal Arts and Sciences. I have 23 years of city government experience working in city planning. Now officially retired, I still work with CEQA as a student intern in Facilities Planning SDSU Administration. I will graduate this year with a second Bachelor’s degree as an Art Education major and Art History minor. My artistic interests are painting, ceramics and furniture. I even made my own paper out of lint from my clothes dryer!  My new interest is
Latin America: history, politics, culture, art,
language, customs, family and food. Did I mention
food? I want it all. By merging my art experience
with a working knowledge of Latin America, my goal
is to advise potential art students, from across the
border, not only in the different disciplines of
art, but in the incredible amount of art content
they bring with their heritage. My hobbies are
travel, travel and more travel, Europe (three
times), Australia, New Zealand, Fiji and Hawaii.
Favorite places: Edinburgh’s Military Tattoo, the
Blue Grotto Isle of Capri, bicycling the Danube,
Beach Pub in Sidney, and Kalalua trail on Kauai. As
a grad student, I believe that we will only get out
of MALAS what we put into it, so let’s go for
it! ¡Buene
suerte MALAS estudentiantes de postrado!JILLIAN ROSA  Hi
Everyone, my name is Jillian Rosa. I am first-year
master's program student who is excited to join
the MALAS Program and the rest of you on this
intellectual journey known as graduate
school. I am an SDSU alumnist--class of
2017--with a major in Gender Studies and minor in
Sociology who graduate with honors (cum laude). I
am a first-generation college student and daughter
of immigrant parents who came to the United States
as a very young child. My parents are of
Portuguese descent and working-class who didn't
have much education -- I think my father had a
high school diploma, and mother, perhaps middle
school at best (this is what education looks like
in a second-order public education system within a
first-world nation like Portugal -- where a K-12
education is not guaranteed without personal
resources). I work full-time and love my job
because it is very flexible with a generous
employer who allows me to engage in personal
pursuits without much hindrance to educational
goals and life ambitions. I live in
the charming seaside community of Ocean Beach -- a
true oasis in a sea of conservatism known as San
Diego. This charming little town has its
unique character and eclectic flavor reflected in
diverse cultural and community membership.
Born from the turbulent sixties as a bastion of
the counterculture milieu AKA, the Haight-Ashbury
of southern California, it quickly gained
notoriety as the center of anti-war protests that
characterized this period. I have been
living in OB for my entire adult life, and have no
plans to leave anytime soon. Being a
"transgender woman," I see no reason to abandon a
town or community that has provided a safe haven
for individuals seeking a tolerant and diverse
community of likemindedness. My goals are to obtain a master's degree and continue my education (lifelong learner and academic who would like to continue along the credentialing path of higher ed. if possible) and become a professor at the community college level; I hope to obtain a position at San Diego City College: my alma mater. It has always been my personal dream to obtain the education my parents never had, and give back to the community (meaning community-college system in San Diego), which provided the primary, indispensable platform, for launching my academic career, undergirding "real" opportunities for advancement in life I would otherwise never have. To put it another way, I truly owe a debt of gratitude to higher to education that I feel must be repaid in some form. I look forward to this academic year and meeting new classmates to establish relationships and learn from one another. So, please feel free to reach to me either in-class or online as I am always inclined to meet new people and make friends wherever possible. BRETT SEEBERGER   Hi everyone! My name is Brett
Seeburger, I’m originally from Oceanside, CA, in
north county of San Diego. I attended Vista high
school before accepting an athletic scholarship to
play baseball at San Diego State. I played four
years as a pitcher for the Aztecs, while winning
three Mountain West Championship during my tenure
here. Following my senior season in 2017, I was
drafted by the St. Louis Cardinals. I played two
season with their organization before ending my
playing career due to a lingering shoulder
problem. I am now returning to Montezuma Mesa to
begin my coaching career as a Graduate Assistant
for Aztecs'
baseball. I am extremely excited to become
part of the MALAS family. The freedom that Dr.
Nericcio allows us to have when structuring our
masters is a privilege not many students can say
they have. I want to say thank you to faculty and
my fellow students, can’t wait to begin working
with each everyone of you.  DANIEL AUSTIN WARRENWhen not immersed in his work as a new first-year graduate student in the cultural studies MALAS program, Daniel Austin Warren is a performance artist whose ongoing work explores endurance, time, and memory. His previous experiences include copywriting for a division of Electronic Arts, ghostwriting for a libertarian doctor aghast with "Obamacare," and serving as an editor for Flaunt Magazine, Los Angeles's only international arts and culture publication. With MALAS, he is "circumscribing a transborder poetic in both performative and critical capacities."*  Having graduated from
SDSU in 2009 with an interdisciplinary degree
in Physics, English and Economics, Daniel has
now decided to embark on the Ph.D path, with
the ultimate goal of integrating the
neurobiology of trauma and the poetic praxis
to motivate new therapeutic possibilities: in
short, the dual (dueling?) function of memory
— a deeply implicit phenomenon that can both
exacerbate, and surmount, experienced trauma —
is a problematic that spans disciplines and
crosses class consciousnesses. Everything
Daniel does, if examined carefully, traces
back to this difficult, essential mystery. In this spirit, Daniel is currently memorizing a selection of 141 Emily Dickinson poems, surveying death; Shakespeare’s 156 love sonnets, implying creation and queerness; as well as Pablo Neruda’s love poems, in English and Spanish. With devotion to the philosophical contributions of Simone Weil, Daniel’s culminating performance will serve as a sublime ideological critique of Western consciousness’ latest shift — begging the question: has ideology shifted from the external control of eye, to the internal control of memory? *Graduate Student speak for "he will both 'read' and 'enact' performances/presentations concerned with the writings of Shakespeare, Emily Dickinson, Pablo Neruda, and more, whilst becoming bilingual."
|
| Our Amazing MALAS Alumni |
| RECENT
GRADUATES |
PAUL WENTURA Hello,
my
name is Paul Wentura and I am a MALAS graduate
student. Growing up in San Diego, I have been
fortunate with regard to the ocean’s proximity to my
home. For the last 15 years, I have been surfing and
spending time in the water and I see an opportunity
to explore my passion for surfing--both literally,
in San Diego's amazing surf sites, and
academically, through the diverse channels of
investigation afforded by our interdisciplinary
MALAS program. I completed my undergraduate work at
San Diego State University in philosophy with a
minor in history. I intend to continue research in
these fields with a plan to investigate the history,
philosophy, and science of surfing. With the support
of MALAS, I hope to learn more about the influential
moments, people, and technologies associated with
the surfboard industry and ultimately survey the
impact it has on cultures external to its own.
 |
|
HAYLEY KASDEN
 I have earned a job as a technical writer at Illumina, a
biotechnology company studying the human genome. Here,
I get to continue on my interdisciplinary path as I
use my writing and design skills to craft technical
documents for scientific research. MALAS was the best experience
I’ve had in academia as it allowed me to discover my
passions and then gave me the tools to excel in them.
Faculty, staff, and colleagues in this program are all
on your side, wanting you to succeed just as much as
you do. MALAS is a family and we support each other
even past graduation. I will be forever grateful! |
STEWART
PARKER Stewart Reid Parker grew up surrounded by the dusty plains of West Texas, in the town of Odessa, one of the United States's most prolific producers of natural gas and oil. Having grown up an only child with an interest in creating music, film and art in a predominantly conservative, blue-collar community, Stewart headed for the cultural mecca that is Austin, Texas, after high school graduation in 2002. Stewart spent 10 formative years in Austin, Building his identity of creative curiosity that eventually lead him back to the classroom in 2010. After studying film, literature, and art at Austin Community College, Stewart graduated from the University of Texas of the Permian Basin with a BA in Studio Art and a minor in English. From there, he entered the Ceramic Art program at San Diego State University's School of Art + Design in 2016. Stewart's curiosity lead him into a number of diverse classes at SDSU and he realized his passion for writing and research had been too long on the backburner. Trading his pottery wheel for a pencil and paper, he is now happily under the tutelage of the MALAS program, and through its guidance has hopes of continuing his career in academia at the Ph.D level. ISMAEL POHLERT   Hi! My name is Ismael Pohlert and I
am a First-Year MALAS student. I graduated
from SDSU in May 2018 with a BA in
Sociology—that same summer, I studied abroad
in London and immersed myself in the
culture. I enjoy cooking, reading, playing
sports, listening to music, and eating food;
in addition, I relish writing yelp reviews
and collecting shoes. I chose the MALAS
program so I can be flexible and find ways
to incorporate my hobbies into my
schoolwork. Creativity is one of the most
important outlets for humans because it
allows us to expand our mind and make our
dreams become reality. I am excited for the
school year and look forward to continue my
collegiate career as a graduate student. I
am constantly looking for new people to meet
and would love to connect with past,
present, and future MALAS students, as well
as anyone reading this. Send me a message on
Instagram @ice_24 or on Facebook at Ismael
Pohlert.JOHN RUBIO  John Rubio is a first year MALAS graduate student at San Diego State University. He is pursuing work in literature and cultural studies. John received his bachelor’s degree in the Philosophy of Education from the Johnston Center for Integrative Studies at the University of Redlands. He is a twenty year veteran of high school teaching, having taught classes in English, creative writing, film studies, speech and debate, and self-defense/physical education. John is an active member of the San Diego writing community, having worked as a film reviewer for The San Diego Reader and appearing/featuring at many San Diego area events. He is currently a regional editor for The San Diego Poetry Annual. |
CHRISTIAN BENAVIDES “Caminante, no hay puentes, se hace puentes al andar.” - Gloria
Anzaldua
Saludos! Fall 2015 marks the beginning of a new journey for me and I have MALAS to thank for that. In Spring 2015, I became the first person in my family to graduate from a 4-year university. After many last minute changes, I ended up graduating with a BA in English and a minor in Television, Film, and New Media. The past 5 years contained very difficult times but also some of the most beautiful experiences of my life. For many of the beautiful experiences, I have MEChA (Movimiento Estudiantil Chican@ de Aztlan) at SDSU to thank. MEChA has been more than an organization but my guiding spirit as it helped me shape who I was, gave me motivation, inspired me, and gave me a purpose. I’m a Chicano now and forever. And being a Chicano comes with a responsibility to always be a part of your community and help improve it so that social equality can be made possible.  Besides activism, my passion also lies in literature. I come from a working-class family so my experiences are limited. By that, I mean that my parents were working all the time and I spent many many many days home alone. Plus, I grew up in San Marcos, CA, which didn’t really give me much to work with. Drawing, films, and especially fiction was how I traveled and saw new places. And when when my quiet high school senior self needed a way to let out all the thoughts and feelings I’d bottled up, creative writing became the voice I needed. I  ’m
excited to join MALAS because it is the perfect
program for me to explore multiple different subjects
I am passionate about on and off campus. That list
would include: Chicanismo, literature, creative
writing, social justice, anthropology, immigration,
and latin american art/culture. It is safe to say that
my future plans are still under construction but I
know I’ll be sticking to academia until my PhD is
hanging on a wall. In the meantime, besides studying,
you’ll catch me scribbling in a journal trying to
channel Ray Bradbury, hiking somewhere, playing
soccer, joining a rally, or just binge-watching anime.
 GABRIELA
BORTOLUZZIOlá! My name is Gabriela Bortoluzzi and I am originally from Brazil. I am a current graduate student in the MALAS program and the Administrative Coordinator for the Program on Brazil at San Diego State University. After receiving my B.S. in Business Administration/Management at SDSU, I learned about the MALAS program and realized that it would be a great fit to continue learning about the world around me. The Program has been crucial deepening my expertise and broadening my perspectives of diverse topics. When I am not working or studying, you will find exploring San Diego with my golden retriever puppy.  ALEIAH
BRANDONHey there! My name is Aleiah Brandon and I am a first year MALAS graduate student from Corona, California. I completed my undergrad here at SDSU as well. I majored in Business Administration with a specialization in Entrepreneurship and minored in Communications. I am also a member of the SDSU women's basketball team, GO AZTECS! In my free time I enjoy spending time with family and friends and watching movies. I am so blessed to be apart of this very special graduate program and I am looking forward to making the best of this wonderful opportunity!
CASEY HANDS
 KARESHMEH KABIRI Hi everyone, my name is Kareshmeh Kabiri. I was born and raised in San Diego and attended SDSU as an undergrad and receiving my degree in Biology. I wasn’t really sure what I wanted to do with that so I thought I should try MALAS out to explore my options and so far I love it. I have worked everywhere from managing a restaurant to working in a biotech company. My parents are from Iran so I visit there often and other countries as well. I absolutely love traveling and aim to visit one new country a year. My hobbies include dancing and figure skating. I used to be a competitive figure skater and now I am hoping to coach ice skating. XINYI LU, aka HAZEL
ANDREW MARTINEZ  My
name is Andrew Martinez and I am a resident of San
Diego, both born and raised. I received my undergraduate
degree in Sociology from the University of California,
Irvine, in late 2016 and was a member of their baseball
program for all four years. My last year of athletic
eligibility put me in particular situation where I could
transfer, play, and begin a Masters program at any other
Division 1 establishment. I could not think of a better
location to spend the last year of my academic and
athletic career than here at home. I was blessed with
this opportunity and was welcomed with open arms into
the MALAS program as a late addition. With a background
in Sociology and interests in Homeland
Security/Criminology, the MALAS program fit perfectly to
accommodate my interests and goals as a student. Not
only was the program accommodating, the professors were
extremely helpful in their flexibility working with my
baseball and work schedules. What separates MALAS from
any other graduate program is its diversity,
specifically the students themselves, the classes
offered, and options to graduate. I am beyond lucky to
be apart of the MALAS community and look forward to
graduating at the end of this semester. Cheers!MARLENE MOORE  Hi there! I’m Marlene, native San Diegan, middle sister, super-mom, university employee, lover of all things Italian, oh, and most notably, a MALAS student! I graduated from SDSU in 2010 with a BA in English and am excited to be returning to begin my graduate studies in the multi-disciplinary realm that MALAS offers. I actually began my pursuit of higher education some time ago but got mildly distracted by life! I took a big break from school, worked for many years in the world of the 'corporate American cubicle,' had four kids (several of them SDSU graduates), went back to SDSU, and completed my degree, then jumped back into the working world the past five years, all the while planning my return to my favorite university to begin work on a graduate degree. For anyone out there who may think it’s too late to begin pursuing the dreams and goals you may have lost along the road of life, take it from me - it is NEVER too late! I got braces on my teeth, graduated from college, and accepted to grad school way beyond the typical and predictable timeline of life. The MALAS program was designed for someone just like me - a lifelong learner! And did I mention that my daughter is already in the MALAS program and we will be attending classes together? It doesn’t get much better than this! Ciao! THOMAS MURPHY   Hello, my name is Thomas Murphy, I’m originally from northern Indiana but I did my undergrad work in Albuquerque, NM. At the University of New Mexico I received Bachelor’s degrees in English (Creative writing), as well as Religious studies/History. Traveling is one of my strongest passions and I have spent time in 22 countries throughout Europe, North Africa, the Middle East and the Caribbean. I was born in America but hold dual citizenship in The EU/Ireland through my father’s side of the family and love every opportunity I get to roam the countryside there. I don’t know if my love for traveling or my love for history came first, but they are irrevocably intertwined. I travel to the places I study, to experience them for myself, and along the way I expand my studies into the people/places/cultures I continually encounter. Like many of my fellow MALAS students I often have a hard time explaining to people “what I study.” My other academic interests include areas of art history, architecture, religion, theology, philosophy, mythology, geography, and literature. I am excited to continue exploring the world and pursuing knowledge within the MALAS program at SDSU! DAMIEN ROSALES  Hello all, I’m Damien Rosales and I am
excited to begin the next chapter in my life as a
MALAS graduate student this fall 2015! I’m
interested in the MALAS program because of it’s
flexibility to create a master’s program based on
coursework that I can select myself. When
researching appropriate graduate programs, I had a
hard time deciding on one single program because my
interests vary substantially. When I discovered the
MALAS program I knew this is the program I was
destined to be a part of! When I first began school
at the community college level, I was attending
Cuyamaca College working towards a graphic design
degree. I eventually transferred to San Diego State
University and earned my B.A. in Multimedia Design
in 2009. After SDSU, I went back to Cuyamaca College
and have been working towards earning multiple A.A.
degrees in Ornamental Horticulture. My focus is in
Sustainable Urban Landscapes, Landscape Technology,
and Nursery Technology. I should be earning my
degrees at Cuyamaca soon! I am interested in
ecology, geography, geology, photography and
sustainability. I plan to focus my MALAS studies in
these areas. I dream to one day work in a field that
helps to protect and preserve the environment. I
currently work at Cuyamaca College and SDSU. At
Cuyamaca I work in the Ornamental Horticulture
Department as the Plumeria Production Assistant and
at SDSU, I am the Department Coordinator of
Aerospace Engineering! MAURA WALTERS  Hi! My name is Maura Walters. I
graduated from Centre College in Danville, Kentucky
with a BA in Art and English. I never planned to
work in art libraries, but luckily for me that is
the way things turned out. After a brief stint at
the Huntington Library outside Pasadena I was hired
by the Athenaeum Music & Arts Library in
La Jolla, where I have happily worked since 2005. I
am looking forward to learning about curating and
organizing quality arts programming. SDSU's MALAS
program appealed to me for the flexible schedule and
wide range of subjects available. |
| PAST
GRADUATES |
JINANE ABBADI Hi,
I am Jinane Abbadi, and I have been enjoying the
diversity, and the multiple possibilities of MALAS☺. The
interdisciplinary concept became very appealing to me when
I was looking to enroll in a graduate program. I received
my Bachelors degree in fine Art from San Diego State
University, and I have been working in the areas of
painting, printmaking, and bookmaking since. I love making
artists books that deal with different topics such as
culture, diversity, and identity. Here is a page
from my thesis/project: I grew up in Morocco, and I have a special interest in race, identity, and the many constituents of history, politics, and economics, which have affected the culture of the people in that area. My thesis project is an artist book entitled “Speaking Subaltern” that discusses the traces of orientalism and colonialism in the shaping of my personhood as a postcolonial artist. THIAGO A. ARELLANO Não sou nada
Nunca serei nada, Não posso querer ser nada, À parte isso, tenho em mim todos os sonhos do mundo’ Álvaros
de Campos – Fernando Pessoa
 Dreamer on board! Originally from
Brazil and a Literature major at the University the
São Paulo (USP), I had the pleasure of joining the
MALAS Family in 2015. Certainly, it has been an
amazing experience. MALAS Classes are extremely
interesting and relevant, and I have been learning
so much since the moment I joined. If you are a
dreamer and you are more worried about enhancing
your cultural background than anything else, this is
your place to be! Another great experience out of
the MALAS program was having the opportunity to
teach Portuguese at San Diego State University
(SDSU) during the ProjectGo summer program--an
inspiring experience that I will carry with me the
rest of life. More
about me? Ok, I moved to the U.S because the love of
my life happened to be a handsome Mexican-American
living in California. I am extremely passionate
about Latin America, Brazilian and Portuguese
Literature and, as a writer-to-be, I try to travel
as much as I can and go to my native Brazil and also
any place south of the American border as often as
possible in an attempt to experience and miss less,
the Latin America vibes I love so much. Also, I
believe that, now more than ever, it is time to
dream of a better world: a world made from all of us
and for all of us! Silly dreamers are still here! We
will resist! (=STEPHANIE AWALT 
Hi there! I am a San Diego native who attended
UCSD for my undergraduate studies--my BA is in Sociology
with a minor in Critical Gender Studies.I am currently a
second year SDSU graduate student in the MALAS program
and couldn’t be happier! I also work full time as
an adolescent substance abuse counselor,  so
the MALAS program allows me the freedom to choose
courses that both fit my hectic schedule and eclectic
academic interests.In my free time, I enjoy attending
shows, being artsy-craftsy, and occasionally sleeping.
My thesis topic is still in the works, but will most
likely focus on media representations and socialization
of adolescent marijuana use.VINCE BIONDO  {From his bio page at CSU
FRESNO, where he serves as Associate Professor
and Chair, Department of Philosophy, Religious
Studies, and Pre-Law and Middle East Studies
Program} " In 1963 the Supreme Court of the United States in Abington v. Schempp recognized that understanding the world’s cultures and the role of religion in them is vital to national interests. Justices Goldberg and Harlan clarified how this would occur when they wrote that there is a clear difference between teaching religion and teaching about religion. As a professor of Western Religions at a public university I am committed to increasing knowledge and understanding about Judaism, Christianity, and Islam without indoctrinating students into a particular faith or ideology. I do this using a History of Religions methodology that is comparative and multidisciplinary and examines how religious phenomena interact with their historical and political contexts. Mircea Eliade popularized this approach in the United States and influenced a generation of scholars including my teacher at the University of California, Santa Barbara (1999-2005), Richard D. Hecht. Another important scholar in this field was Ninian Smart who argued that scholarship pursued with empathy and epoché, or bracketing one’s own judgment, makes it possible to apply the leading social scientific methods of the twentieth century to increasing our understanding and appreciation of religion and its role in the world. At the undergraduate level, an exploration of the richness and complexities of the world’s religions effectively sharpens critical thinking and communication skills." Ph.D. Religious Studies, University of California, Santa Barbara (2005) (With Critical Theory coursework at UC Irvine and Intensive Arabic at The American University in Cairo) M.A. Liberal Arts and Sciences, MALAS, San Diego State University (1998) (Also enrolled in Teaching Credential Program) B.A. Religious Studies, University of California, San Diego (1995) (With Pre-Med, Buddhism, and Economics coursework at UC Davis and University of London, SOAS STEPHANIE BOBP  Hi! My my
name is Stephanie Bobp and I received my BA from SDSU in
Religious Studies department, 2008. I am a
first-year MALAS student with interests in
globalization, poverty, urban renewal, culture,
population issues, religion, equal rights, and so much
more! When I am not working or attending school you will
find me somewhere abroad. I live to travel and it is  my
number one passion. I have traveled to thirty-nine
different countries and cannot wait to see the rest of
the world! In the MALAS program I aim to focus my study
analyzing our many worlds’ problems in hopes of finding
sustainable solutions! JENNIFER CARTER  I'm a writer, poet, and German-English translator from the San Francisco Bay Area. My passion for academia stems from the interconnection between my many studies, my inherent love of reading, and culminated in the founding of The California Journal of Women Writers in September 2012. My work has appeared in The New Union, the UC Berkeley Comparative Literature Undergraduate Journal and is forthcoming in Pomona Valley Review and various other capacities. My research has been presented, or is forthcoming, in a published collection on Jane Austen, and at conferences by CSULA and Ryerson University. I have a BA in English, with an emphasis in Women’s Studies, and an MA in Liberal Arts & Sciences, with emphases in Literature, Ethnic and Women’s Studies, and Media and Popular Culture. I'm truly bicultural and divide my time between my homes in California and Germany. My love affair with words has given me the fuel to publish and submit my work, long after graduating from MALAS. I have the incredible program and its dedicated professors to thank for my continued success. MARIO CHAVARRIA  Hello there. I received
my BA in the fall of 2006, and studied abroad in Europe
for a year, one of my best experiences ever. Some of the
things that I enjoy doing are reading at the beach,
surfing, exploring new places, road trips, and I like
meeting people from all over the world. One of the
craziest things that I do is to constantly train for 5K,
10K, and full marathons. I love to sing all kinds of
music, especially rock and gospel music. One of my
favorite books is The
Structure of Scientific Revolutions (1962) by
Thomas Kuhn, and two topics that I’m very passionate
about are globalization and nanotechnology. I’m
currently serving as the Vice President of University
Affairs for the Graduate Student Association, and the
main reason  I was drawn to
the MALAS program is because of its flexibility and the
wide range opportunities it presents after graduation.
And since I didn’t want to be limited to just one area
of study, the MALAS program was a perfect fit for
me. The topic for my thesis is still developing and
taking shape, but it could possibly be “the impact and
the relationship of nanotechnology with the
environment.” One last note to prospective graduate
students: once you join our program, you’ll soon find
out that it has the coolest students and most awesome
professors at SDSU. Cheers!NATALIA CLINGAN   Hey! I'm
Natalia Joanna Clingan and I have a B.A. in Comparative
Literature, where I focused on British Literature. I
studied at Oxford University for a wee bit and could
easily pick up and move there at any moment. I hope to
journey into the book publishing world after I complete
the MALAS program. I was drawn to MALAS because although
I'm a nutty Anglophile, I do enjoy dabbling in a wide
range of topics. So this is obviously a perfect fit!INEZ COQUEREAU   As you get to know me,
you’ll find that I am full of random facts. I’ve
been known to drop little nuggets of
information, like “Lions can’t purr,” casually into
conversation. I am a collector of unusual tidbits
of information, but I’m not a hoarder--I share what I
learn. This strength is good for two
things. One, I make an excellent party
guest. Two, it makes me a perfect fit for
MALAS! I have always been naturally curious and I
am so excited to be in a program that values this
Rainman-esque quality in me. Definitely. I did my undergraduate
work at California State University, Long Beach, where I
received my B.A. in Liberal Studies with a concentration
in Bilingual Education. Today my
passion/focus is on sustainability, the creative
process, design, alternative economies, the power of
women, and much more. I love group collaborations,
making connections, and I have lots-a-ideas. In my
spare time I like to find adventures, which means
pushing me out of my comfort zone (locally or on
travel). I train in Muay Thai and I love to
hike. Now, let’s mix it up and see what happens,
MALAS!
 Hello MALAS.
My name is Victor Fabian Delgadillo and I too am a San
Diego native. I studied briefly at Southwestern College
where I received an AA in photography. I then went on to
study film and cinematography at UNLV where I eventually
received a BA.  My interests revolve mostly around
technology, although I do also enjoy fine dining,
classical music, and nature, particularly Baja
California. I dabble in graphic and web design as well
as video production. I am intrigued by the technological
evolution of photography and the influence the digital
age has placed upon it. Having said all that I found the
multidisciplinary diversity of MALAS to be an ideal
match for my interests.
ANNALISA
DUARTE - Marcel
Proust
“So what do you study?” It’s a very common question, but I’ve been trying to come up with a concise answer to it for quite some time now. “Life, the Universe and Everything” seems like a bit of a cop-out as answers go, after all. Another answer is that I am interested in understanding the connections and liminal spaces between areas of knowledge than in one particular field or discipline. Of course, I am ravenously curious about anything and everything, which I am happy to say is par for the course around here! I would also say that I am engaged in a sort of “epistemological archaeology”, digging through the massive mounds of information and knowledge that have been discarded, discounted, or simply ignored by the academic mainstream. Dumpster diving behind and between the Ivory Towers. I’ve spent some time inside those towers, too. I’ve acquired a Bachelor’s degree from Swarthmore College, with a major in Theater and a minor in Environmental studies, which ought to give you a sense of the range of my interests. I’m still working on a way to connect the two together in an artistically interesting and politically relevant way. I’ve worked a variety of jobs from food service to summer camp counseling, but am currently employed as a G.A. in the Education department. And just before school starts this semester, I’ll be attending Burning Man, an amazing art-explosion, festival, and temporary city constructed in the Black Rock Desert. But enough about me, my fellow linguistically-enabled ape; I want to know about you!
RITA
ENDERS
KENNY ENG
LETICIA GOMEZ FRANCO  Hello everyone! I was
born and raised in Los Angeles (Pico Union). I
received a B.A. from UC Berkeley, where I double majored
in Chicana/o Studies and English (class of '04), I
actually started working on my Masters in 2005 as part
of the first cohort of the new Chicano Studies graduate
program... after a year of being in the program, I
decided to take a one year leave to birth other
projects...its been 5 years. I have an awesome little
boy who will soon be 5 and have also spent the last 5
years working in the border community of San Ysidro as
the Director of Arts & Culture for Casa
Familiar. I run THE  FRONT
art gallery (we got named best Community Cultural Space
by the Citybeat Best of 2010! ;-0), our new art space, el salon, and am
also the organizer and co-mother of the Annual Dia de la Mujer
Celebration--now in its 4th year. I've always been
fascinated by sexuality and its many manifestations, and
so I plan to focus my research on sexuality, visual
representations/art, and space. That's pretty much
it--I'm a very open minded person, who has created her
own identity by taking bits and pieces of what thrills
her about everyone else's... I'm a little bit of a lot
of things: a xicana
xingona, sexual activist, Macondo-residing poeta (moonlighting
as an arts director) and am very excited to be joining
the MALAS team this year!  CHRISTOPHER
GONZALES ‘Hi,
hello,
how are you? Well I guess I’m doing fine.’ I got my AA
in Liberal Arts from Ohlone college in Fremont CA, then
transferred to San Diego State, where I got my BA in
English literature. Best decision of my life! After
graduating I moved back home and promptly realized how
much I loved San Diego, SDSU, and learning. Other than
being a rock star, education is the only career I’ve
ever been interested in, and MALAS gives me the
opportunity to explore the broader issues, and ask the
tough questions, about politics, the increasing role of
government in our lives, and the repercussions of
technological development. Though I still haven’t quite
given up on the former, as I love all sorts of music and
playing guitar. Some other hobbies include classic cars,
camping, and traveling. And I will be studying abroad
next semester in Estonia and backpacking all over
Europe. Cheers! UPDATE: Mr. Gonzales is well on his way
to becoming Dr. Gonzales; he is presently in the
American Studies doctoral degree program at Charles
University, Prague.MALI HINESLEY  As our globe becomes smaller and our knowledge expands, information constantly intersects and this is why I love the MALAS program. The interdisciplinary freedom allows me to satiate my curiosity through multiple departments, broadening not only my awareness but imagination as well. After receiving my B.A. in English Literature from U.C. Berkeley and living in Mexico for four years, I’m back in my native San Diego to research deconstructing literature from a Buddhist perspective. ALEXANDRA HUNT  Hi!
I’m
Alexandra.
I’m happy to be living back home in San Diego after
living in Orange County for my undergraduate work at UC
Irvine. I majored in Global Cultures, an
interdisciplinary program that is structured similarly
to MALAS. I’m very happy with the freedom and creativity
this type of program provides. For example, this
semester I am taking a Geography class on human
geography of urban areas and an Education class on
curriculum development for urban schools. The content of
both classes inform each other and are  leading
me in the right direction for my thesis. I would like my
thesis to address issues of language, power, and
bilingual education. I spend most of my time on research
and reading, but I’ve always loved sailing and have
recently been getting into running. PATRICE JACKSON  Hey all! My name is Patrice Jackson and I received my BA in Economics in 2013 from SDSU and did not want to leave. I wanted to further my education, but didn't want to limit myself into one topic. The MALAS program was perfect for me--I could still further my education while getting to meet other amazing classmates and expanding my horizon about the way people think. I want to eventually start my own business and I believe in order to do that I need to learn and understand the way we as humans think and view certain things. This can lead to larger conversations that I am eager to learn about and I know that MALAS will certainly teach me! SOPHIA JACOUB  I grew up in San Diego and began
my higher education at SDSU for a B.A. in English,
followed by a teaching credential in 2007. I currently
teach high school English in El Cajon and love every
aspect of my job that doesn’t involve administrative
politics, state testing, or budget cuts. I decided to
return to State for a MALAS degree because it was the
most appealing and eclectic program I could find.  A
part-time masters program and full time career is
definitely challenging, but how else could I avoid a
social life? I’m uncertain as to what I want to “focus”
on in the program. Right now, I’m just sponging up all
that the liberal arts have to offer. When I’m not neck
deep in learning and teaching, I dabble in photography
and write comedy sketches for my school’s Faculty
Follies in which I make a complete fool of myself.
DANIELLE JOHNSON  I grew up in south Orange County and
began to pursue a bachelor’s degree in Liberal Studies
at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo in 2004. During the first
few weeks of class, I realized that I didn’t want to
become an elementary school teacher after all, and spent
the next two years trying to find my “perfect fit”
major. The university approved a new degree in
Comparative Ethnic Studies at the end of my sophomore
year, and after taking a few of the department’s courses
I fell in love with the field. I switched majors and
took a leave of absence to work for a year with a
college-based nonprofit in China. Once I returned
from China to my studies at Cal Poly, I graduated Magna
cum laude with a B.A. in Comparative Ethnic Studies and
a minor in Spanish. I planned to begin a doctoral
program in Afro-American Studies that fall, but after
much soul-searching I decided to turn down the
fellowship offered to me because of uncertainty over
whether my passions truly existed within academia. I
considered various other career avenues, including
photography, divinity school, and opening a
bakery-bookstore. However, I became increasingly aware
that my passions were teaching and fighting against
issues of social injustice.After a few years of what I call my “quarter-life crisis,” I started working for a local school district with at-risk middle and high school students, many of whom were enrolled in special education programs.  During
that time my passions merged: I had the opportunity to
work with students of color, support the needs and goals
of individuals facing disenfranchisement and
discrimination, and teach. I plan to become a special
educator and advocate for students of color who are
over-represented in special education programs. I always
knew I would eventually end up in graduate school, and I
joined the MALAS program once I realized that my diverse
interests couldn’t and wouldn’t be sufficiently
accommodated in a more traditional program. Through
MALAS, I am able to pursue my ever-evolving interests in
Ethnic, Sex/Gender, Religious, and Disability Studies,
and find my own niche within academia. When I’m not
reading scholarly works or writing academic papers, I
enjoy taking photos of and writing haikus about my
miniature schnauzer. PATRICK JOHNSON   After
receiving my BS at Ithaca College in Television-Radio
with a minor in Scriptwriting, I moved to Los Angeles to
work in the film industry. After having several jobs at
talent agencies and on reality television shows, I
worked as a researcher on documentaries for Discovery
Channel and History. In 2008, I returned to school
to get my masters, originally in Television and Film,
but ultimately switched to MALAS @ SDSU, where my
current research is mainly focused on how media
influences culture. UPDATE: Patrick Johnson begins his
Ph.D. program in media studies Fall 2014 at the
University of Colorado, Boulder.
STELLA KARL
MARLA LAGUARDIA  Greetings!
My name is Marla Laguardia and I graduated from San
Diego State University in 2009, receiving a B.A. in
Communication with an emphasis in Media Studies and
minor in Sociology. I love and enjoy working for the
community and hold a strong interest in social
justice movements. I’m currently a part of AF3IRM, a
transnational women’s movement.  I’m also a
member of the Organizing Committee of the
Filipino-American Arts and Culture Festival, also
known as FilAmFest,
held in National City annually. The diversity of the
MALAS program is giving me a chance to continue
exploring the many interests that I have, including
race and gender issues and how they are perceived in
the mainstream media.
ANDERS
LARSSON
ASHLEY LAZARE
VICKI
LINDEM
ILIMA-LEI
MACFARLANE
FRANCISCO
MIRAMONTES
PAUL PITTS
ALLIE SCHULZ
JENNY WEISENBORN
KELCEY WILSON
NORMA
WITZEL  Hi there, my name is Norma
Witzel and I am a new MALAS graduate student. I
received my BA in SociologyPolitical
Science with a minor in History
from the University of California San Diego in
2010. I have always loved school and learning, and
I have a special love for all things related to
liberal arts and humanities. After undergraduate
school I took a few course at community college
just for fun, but I always knew I would eventually
want to get my masters. When the time felt right
to go back, I began to look into graduate
programs, but I was beginning to feel defeated
since I did not want to commit myself entirely to
one field. This is when I stumbled upon the MALAS
website. After reading the description I instantly
knew that this was the right program for me.
Through MALAS I will be able to pursue my academic
interests without being held within the confines
of one subject. I have not yet definitively
decided whether I will be taking the comprehensive
exam or the thesis, as that decision is a year
away for me at the moment, but there are definite
pros and cons to both routes. If I do pursue a
thesis I am interested in the idea of social
deviance and how that idea has developed and
changed throughout history. I am excited to begin
this new chapter in my life and the embark upon
the journey that is the MALAS program.
JANEAN THURBER YINGLING |
  the master of arts in liberal arts & sciences at san diego state university |
| MALAS is the Master of Arts in Liberal Arts & Sciences, an interdisciplinary/cultural studies graduate program in the College of Arts and Letters @ San Diego State University • office mothership: Arts and Letters, 226B • phone: (619) 594.1516 • fax: (619) 594.4998 • mail: 5500 Campanile Drive, mailcode: 6020, San Diego, CA 92182-6020 • Director and Graduate Advisor: Dr. William A. Nericcio • Administrative Coordinator/Guru: Katie Waltman |
KIM ELLISON
Hello all! I hail originally
from Los Angeles, where I grew up doing Junior
Lifeguards each summer until I overcame my utter lack
of coordination and became a proficient
surfer. With my umbilical cord still attached to
the Pacific I moved to San Diego to study Anthropology
at UCSD and further delve into the Ocean’s bounty by
gorging myself on the meaty peaks at Black’s beach.
Early travel to far flung regions such as Micronesia,
Mexico, and Greece had opened my eyes to the
adaptability of humans and inspired a fascination with
the interaction between culture and
environment. I am excited to be at MALAS as it
seems an ideal place to further my grand ambition to
promote the positive cultural exchange tourism makes
possible. I aim to create a thesis
that looks into how positive potentials can be
maximized by empowering local cultures in the process
of development. As a pragmatist with a radical bent
towards equality and cooperation (!Freedom throughout
the Universe!) I see advancing technology and a
growing understanding of the potentials and pitfalls
of tourism combining to lead a revolution in how
tourism is both developed and received.
Hello
MALAS people! My name is Xinyi Lu (Hazel). I am an
international student from China and have been in
the United States since 2010. First, I studied at
Syracuse University and then transferred to
Australia to complete my B.A. in Media,
Communication and Culture. I joined MALAS in SDSU
because I love the arts. I enjoy all forms of arts,
including photography, music, cinema, and books. I
go to cities just to see all the art museums, and
NYC is my mecca. I am also obsessed with film and
music (I think they literally better my life). And
MALAS is the program that gives me the access to all
my interests. This program is really fun, and
learning what I am interested in with MALAS makes
the entire process more enjoyable. I had seminars
focusing on women’s studies/ gender, race, and
social justice. I genuinely like all the courses
that I have encountered. 
Learning
through watching films and reading books is such a
pleasant experience that keeps me being engrossed in
the content. It's a pleasure-filled process that
helps me gradually uncover what I truly like, and
what I want to do in the future. What’s fascinating
is that I can fuse different fields together and in
the process, I get myself focused better for my
research. For example, I have learned to analyze
contemporary cinema focused on racial issues even as
I was learning how to curate art galleries
focusing on themes of female empowerment. And we
have a lot of cool professors!!!
Mucho
gusto… me llamo Yadira Diaz. I was born and
raised in San Diego.
I have a
special interest in working with the undocumented
community because they are my community.
Hi, I'm Rita Enders, a returning MALAS
student. I earned my BA in Sociology with a
minor in Women's Studies at SDSU. Living with a
passion for travel and academics I found a niche with
Semester at Sea, currently having sailed 14 voyages in
the past 8 years. I work as a freelance computer
technician and voyage administrator, which allows me
to travel the world and ardently practice being a part
of one race, the human race. Look for me at the
beginning of the lineup for a "World Passport" when
that queue forms. MALAS is providing the opportunity
to make my Master's degree dream a reality. 
The flexible format offers the perfect
opportunity to further my interests in the lives of
women worldwide … how they reinvent themselves to
achieve self-sufficiency and survival for themselves
and their families. My love for cooking, growing
anything with roots and good conversation finds me in
kitchens, gardens and often unusual educational
environments. By choice I practice and
appreciate learning from personal experience and close
observation so live without TV or movies. Real
life situations are my preferred reference points so I
plan to incorporate these in my MALAS work. I'm
very excited to be back!
Hi! I was born
and raised in San Diego, and in June 2010, I completed
my undergraduate work at UCSD where I majored in
History with an emphasis in the Middle East. I
like to travel to faraway places, experience other
cultures, and eat 
good food! I am
interested in history, religious studies,
gender/sexuality, and all things ancient and Near
Eastern, so my planned thesis will attempt to
undertake an investigation of some sort of mixture of
that. The MALAS program saved me from studying
something restrictive, so to all you present and
future graduate students reading this who are looking
for a fun program full of variety, come join us!
Hi, I'm Vicki and I am
just starting my journey as an MALAS student this
year. I was born and raised in San Diego and
attended Cal Poly in San Luis Obispo for my
undergraduate degree. I started in Computer
Science and then switched to Liberal Arts and
Engineering Studies, a major which gets a "huh?"
response from most people. How can you study
liberal arts AND engineering? Well you just do.
Meanwhile I traveled, worked on a reality TV show,
and got to go stormchasing! All of which I never
could have done in a traditional major. After
graduating I was faced with the prospect of
getting a "real job" which I did for a 
GUADALUPE MEDINA
¿
I joined MALAS to diversify my intellect,
and in hopes of using my degree to become a professor
of either/both Film and Chicano Studies, as both
subjects fascinate me very much. Other miscellaneous
items of note include my love of/indulgence in fine
dining and my work as a professional
beatboxer/musician; lastly, I have been known to
occasionally 
Hello! First off, let me introduce
myself. I am a lover of music, film, and art! I was
born and raised here in San Diego and received my BA
at SDSU in Television, Film, and New Media. A year or
so later after graduating, I had the desire to go back
to school. I felt like there was still so much more to
accomplish. There were still so many areas that I
wanted discover and grow in. In the 2-3
years I’ve been with MALAS, I have uncovered and
explored topics on economics, philosophy, ethics,
globalization, religion--courses on religion and
violence, future technology, poetry, art, and even,
the history of rock and roll! It’s an excellent and
outstanding interdisciplinary program. I am sad that I
will be graduating soon because the classes get more
and more interesting each semester. During this
journey I am thankful to have had some of the most
incredible and influential teachers in all my
education; Professor Choi and Professor Jeroen
Pinckaers. After reading “Mountains beyond Mountains”
and after taking an “Ethics and Globalization” course,
I felt compelled to write my thesis on the subject of
Poverty. Specifically: ‘Neo-Liberalism and its impact
of Poverty.’ It is currently a work in progress and
has been quite challenging and much harder than I had
anticipated! I have been so lucky as to have worked at
several incredible places. Last year I had the
opportunity to work at Legend 3D, a company
specializing in the newest cutting edge of 3D
filmmaking. Before that I was the Site Manager at High
Tech High International. I have been fortunate enough
to meet some of the most amazing and extraordinary
friends. 
As a roaming
artist and student I have seen much of the beautiful
American west. I now work as a technology
instructor, but my favorite part about life is the
great outdoors. I completed my undergraduate work at
Oregon State University where I focused on the study
of global social and economic inequalities,
environmental sociology, and our modern interactions
with technology. With the help of MALAS I hope to
continue to creatively express my knowledge while
making an impact on some of the world's most
pressing social and environmental injustices.
Upon hearing that the MALAS program
allows individuals the freedom to form a Masters
degree that fits their interests, I knew it was
perfect for me. While I do not know what challenges
this life has in store for me, I am ready to take
them head on. There will always be people telling
you that you're not good enough. But all that
matters is what you think of yourself. Go after our
dreams because, "Whether you think you can or think
you can't, you're right."
CARLOS B. SOLORIO
CALEB RAINEY
Hello, My name is Thupten Tashi. I
was born to a Tibetan family in India. I did my
high school and undergraduate studies in India,
and move to the USA in 1998. While in India, I
also studied Buddhist Philosophy from a private
institute for seven years. I was in the
MALAS program in 2008, and I had to discontinue
for a while. I am glad to be studying in the MALAS
program again.
I joined the MALAS
Program because it provided me the space to focus on
comic books as academic literature.With Cultural
Studies and Media Studies a core focuses of MALAS, I
knew that this was a program where I could get the
support and guidance as a graduate student with
non-traditional interests. I am currently
planning to write a thesis revolving around the Asian
American as a superhero and exploring both the
rhetorical nature artwork and story and how the writer
and artist construct superheroes of color as well as
how comic book readers receive them. Besides having my
nose stuck in a book or comic, I am a community
organizer primarily working with the Filipino American
community where I currently serve as a mentor in the 
I’m what you call a “TCK”- a
third culture kid. My parents come from two different
cultures and I’ve spent my whole life living in
various places around the world. I’m truly an
international citizen, from both nowhere and
everywhere, and I’m thankful that I’ve had an unusual
and diverse lifestyle. Since graduating from
UCLA, where I focused on biogeography, I’ve continued
on the path of adventure, which has included attending
foreign universities, years of experience teaching
English as a second language abroad, and of course,
traveling! The more off the beaten path, the better. 
Photography
is one of my main hobbies and I enjoy doing
exhibitions. I’m also interested in various global
issues, such as conservation. Through the flexibility
and creativity of the MALAS program, I’m curious about
ways I can combine my passions to create fun,
meaningful, and inspiring work. I’m looking forward to
another new adventure! 
chasing the
Kerouacian charm of our national highway system,
tasting and collecting excellent examples of America's
booming craft beer industry, and wandering the CA
coast to contemplate the
abyss. Academically, I'm putting together a
study of apocalyptic theory by contemplating late 20th
century literature, contemporary philosophy, and
psychoanalytic reasoning for repression of
memories. The MALAS program is flexible enough
to allow me to pursue this widely interdisciplinary
study and eventually receive a degree for it.
The best of both worlds! 
I love the game of baseball
and was able to go to Europe to coach. I’ve been
known to watch a good movie and even a bad movie on
occasion. A member of 
Born in Pasadena, California,
Kelcey Wilson studied philosophy at Boston College,
where he received his Bachelor of Arts, cum laude, in
1998. Kelcey has had an eclectic work history,
including jobs such as motorcycle courier, U.S. Navy
Radioman, production manager for a toy company,
Production Editor for Harvard Business School’s
Business History Review, and, most recently, owner of
a coffee shop. Observing the role media played in
encouraging the unprovoked 2003 invasion of Iraq, he
became interested in the relationship between media
and politics, 
and enrolled in the Mass Communication
and Media Studies program at SDSU in 2004, but quickly
found the program limiting and transferred into MALAS.
Kelcey has spent his time at State developing
strategies for improving government, particularly
through Internet-based transparency and campaign
innovations. He is currently working on his thesis
project, which is mainly a multimedia documentary of
his glorious if not entirely successful 2008 campaign
for President of the United States of America.
My long list of interests
includes wanting to know more about human brain
function, the workings of the cosmos, animal
evolution, and (finally!) how to play Chopin’s
“Black Keys” etude. I tear up when I see a da
Vinci painting and sigh at hearing
Rachmaninoff. I want to understand the
thoughts of the great thinkers, work towards women’s
equality, hone my debating skills, open educators’
eyes to the power of science and rationality, and
help the world’s children to go to bed with full
stomachs.