Kim Estrada ’25

Clubs, sports, and activities you’d like to mention: 
I act and work in the technical scene shop for the theatre department.

Describe your major for someone who has never heard of your field before. 
History is the field of storytelling by engaging with primary sources, current events, and by reimagining the past. 

Did you ever have trouble deciding on a major? What, ultimately, helped you decide? 
I fell into the major! Many of the courses I took during my first year at Smith fell under the social science category! Because history is so diverse in temporal and geographic fields, it was easy to find my interest. 

What is one preconception about your major that people often get wrong? 
That we only learn about the past! Historians are trained to question what we consider to be the past by investigating the present and imagining a better future.

What advice would you give another Smithie? 
Have fun! We work so hard and forget to be grateful for the little things! 

What’s your all-time (big or small) favorite Smith memory? 
Even when I say I am going to study alone at the Campus Center, it is always lovely when my friends slowly appear and say, “Hi!” All the spontaneous meals and hangouts together always change the course of my day. 

Describe a moment from a class that particularly sticks with you. 
One of my favorite class moments was sharing final projects in Elizabeth Pryor's "Anatomy of a Slave Revolt" course! People did art displays, poems, skits, etc! 

What’s your Big Dream for your future? 
My big dreams for the future are in no way singular. I imagine myself fighting for the civil liberties of those globally and within this country. I imagine myself working in the education departments of museums, teaching in public schools, making art, etc. The history major has allowed for me to think of my future as one that is huge with possibilities. 

Who was your favorite professor and what did you most like about their style of teaching? 
My favorite professor is Susanna Ferguson! I took her class “Sex and Power in the Middle East” during my first year and was deeply moved by the intersectional subjects taught in class. Professor Ferguson showed me that political theories of power can be fun to dissect within the context of anti-colonial resistance and culture. 

What was most interesting or unique about your house and what will you miss about it? 
Lawrence House is unique because of how cozy and safe it feels. My favorite spot is the little nook under Lawrence's main stairwell or the picnic table near the huge tree outside. 

If you could tell an incoming first-year anything about Smith, what would it be?
Don’t hesitate to throw yourself into the community! Go to events and club meetings! There are so many opportunities and grants here at Smith waiting to be used. 

What is your proudest accomplishment? 
My proudest accomplishment has been the family I have created here at Smith. It has been incredibly powerful to make friends who want to help families impacted by apartheid, who want to advocate on behalf of those who are facing oppression, who value creativity, and who support all of my academic and creative endeavors. 

What do you think has been the most “Smithie” thing you’ve done in life so far? 
Defiantly letting one of my closest friends give me my first Smith chop and hair dye job in the industrial sink of Lawrence House on a random Wednesday night. 

What do you wish older alums knew about your class? 
The class of 2025 is extremely interdisciplinary and eager to change the world for the better. 

Is there anything else we should know about you? 
The history degree has allowed for me to spend a semester in southern Arizona and Mexico to study contemporary justice struggles within the borderlands. I was able to learn through hands-on experiences with grassroots organizations, nonprofits, culture, and my lovely homestay family!