María Márquez Álvarez
M.A. Student
LALS
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About
As a nontraditional, first-generation student raised in Southern California, María began her post-secondary journey at a local community college, attaining three associate degrees in History, Arts & Human Expression, and Social Science. After transferring from community college, María attained a B.A. in History and Gender Studies from the University of California, Los Angeles. For the past decade, María has worked in the field of education, both at the K-12 and post-secondary levels, in various roles, both in Los Angeles and Chicago. While her professional focus has been on secondary and post-secondary education, her curiosity and interests in transnational migration, transborder violence, religion, and mourning rituals have led her to pursue a master’s in Latin American and Latino Studies (LALS) at the University of Illinois Chicago. In her spare time, María enjoys bird watching and tending to her plants.