Ciana Socias ’25

Clubs, sports, and activities you’d like to mention:
 Squash Team Co-Captain, Voices & Visions Journal Design Editor, Smith College Archives Archival Processing Assistant 

What is one preconception about your major that people often get wrong? 
Something I hear a lot is that people don't realize you can start at the beginner level and still become a Spanish major. You can definitely start at any level and still continue to grow and learn. I think starting a language journey at Smith can and should be joyful for everyone and eventually become a bridge to engaging with other cultures. It was a bit intimidating to start at the beginner level, but also very rewarding—I feel proud of myself, and I hope that everyone who chooses to work on a new language at Smith feels the same way! 

What advice would you give another Smithie? 
It's a bit cliché, but I would suggest trying things that scare you. I'm the type of person who tries to do things that terrify me (even if I stress out about it to my friends and family first!) because I know that the growth in my confidence will be worth the momentary discomfort. I used to be too shy to speak up in classes, but pushing through that fear and surrounding myself with supportive people has allowed me to really find my voice and enjoy life so much more. 

What’s your all-time (big or small) favorite Smith memory? 
The Squash Team at Smith is one of the places where I've found a really kind and compassionate community, so I would have to say our team dinner at our first away game this semester. It was really great to recharge with everyone on the team, and I was especially sentimental because my twin sister had done such a fantastic job leading us as captain and because two friends I studied abroad with in Cuba were able to come watch me play! 

Describe a moment from a class that particularly sticks with you. 
In my advanced poetry workshop, I recently submitted the first poem I've written that uses English and Spanish. Although I still have to make edits, it felt like my classmates connected with my poem, and I was excited to work on it because it was a reflection on both my time abroad in Cuba as well as my Cuban heritage and family. 

Who was your favorite professor and what did you most like about their style of teaching? Marguerite Harrison is a Portuguese professor, and although it's hard to pick a favorite professor here at Smith, she's my choice! She makes learning Portuguese exciting and accessible and is supportive of my dreams and interests. She also did a really fantastic job facilitating the Global Flex Brazil program and I feel inspired by the way she connects her personal experience in Brazil to what we learned. I can only hope I am able to integrate my personal experiences into my academic work with a similar level of sensitivity and nuance. Recently in her Brazilian Poetry class, she revealed “seu signo de zodíaco,” and I was overjoyed because we have the same one! 

What is your proudest accomplishment? 
Winning a Tryon Prize for a poem I wrote in response to an art piece in Smith's collection really affirms my writing‘s possibilities. That poem specifically reflected on my grandmother's story of moving from Cuba to the United States—and mine of visiting Cuba for the first time. I feel like that story is so important to me, and although awards don't mean everything, it helped me see that there is a place for that sort of experience to be told here. The painting I was dialoguing with, “Night Painting (JFM)” by Barbara Takenaga, is also beautifully striking, so I'm happy I go to a school with an art museum that has really engaging pieces like that one. 

What do you wish older alums knew about your class? 
It's relatively obvious, but a marked characteristic of our class is our desire to make real-world changes that positively impact others through and outside of our academics. Our class isn't afraid to make our voices heard on important topics.