Graduating Senior Spotlight: Julianna Anika Jimenez

What brought you to the University of Minnesota and how did you end up choosing your major and minor(s)?

I had my mind set on the University of Wisconsin - Madison for a very long time. I worked very hard so I could be accepted there. To my knowledge, it was the best option, it was the school everyone wanted to go to in Wisconsin. But after experiencing hardship at my high school, I didn't want to be like everyone else. I actually didn't like my high school at all, or anyone in it. I was distraught because everyone was going there. One day, my sister and I were here in Minneapolis. We were getting our hair done and walking around the Twin Cities, and she goes, "What if you go here?" And I immediately looked into it. We toured the campus and I fell in love. I felt more at home compared to Madison. There was more diversity, and as someone who grew up in a very secluded town, that was the most exciting thing ever. 

Which CLA class or professor has had the biggest impact on you? Why?

That is a difficult question because I feel impacted by every single class. Even my data analysis class I didn't really want to take, I ended up with an A, and I feel like I learned so much. Being able to learn so many more things than my high school was willing to teach was outstanding. To learn about the psychological and sociological components of racism... amazing. Personal struggles, the way the system works, and being able to learn what I am interested in have been the best opportunities. 

What course would you recommend for other students in your major? And for students outside of your major, what course would be a good introduction to what you study?

Take a class taught by Michael Walker, or you'll regret it! And for students outside of my major, take a sociology class, even if it is an intro class or doesn't seem important to you. You learn a lot about other people, which is important to live in our society with empathy and understanding.

Tell us about a class you still think a lot about.

I think about my SOC 3211W - Race and Racism in the US class a lot; I really enjoyed those readings. And my law classes have me excited to look into law schools. The classes [where] I have to take the time to personally reflect and integrate my life into them have had the biggest impact on me. Michael Walker teaching SOC 4113 - Sociology of Violence: Bedrooms, Backyards, and Bars was an experience, and I remember never missing a day because I didn't want to miss it. I can't choose a specific class because I chose a major and minors that have me so interested and invested.

What has been your favorite part of your experience with your department(s) and within your major(s) and minor(s)?

I have really enjoyed being a part of the Advocates for Human Rights immigration court observer opportunity this past semester within the sociology department. It has really paved the pathway for my interest in law school and becoming an immigration lawyer. That, and my experience with immigration within my own family. 

What's next for you? What are your post-graduation plans?

I secured a full-time case management position post-graduation already, and I plan to stick with that while studying for the LSAT. I hope to be able to attend law school or graduate school in the future. The beauty of what I've studied is that I have a few options, and I just want some work experience to really know what I want to pursue higher education in.

If you had the world's attention for 30 seconds, what would you say?

My parents had nothing [and] gave me everything, and I have worked hard to be who I am while enduring a lot. Criminalizing immigrants is wrong, and everyone who is filled with hate needs to open their eyes and look at the real world. I am a part of the increase in the percentage of Latinas graduating with a bachelor's degree, and I am proud of myself.