Malena Sparano ’26
By Elita Kutateli 鈥�26
- Scholarship and internship support allowed Sparano to pursue transformative research and global experiences, including thesis research on bilingualism and identity, work through the Mellon Mays Fellowship, and language-focused study and research opportunities in Taiwan.听听
For linguistics major Malena Sparano 鈥�26, financial support has been more than a helpful resource. It has made possible the education, research, and global experiences that now shape their future endeavors. 听
Sparano describes their path to the major as unexpected. They had long been drawn to languages, but were looking for a field that would also allow for deep research and interdisciplinary exploration. That changed after taking an introductory linguistics course through The Claremont Colleges. 听
鈥淚 knew I didn鈥檛 want to do a foreign language major, because I was interested in research and languages at large,鈥� they say. “After taking that first linguistics class, I just fell in love with it.鈥� 听
The major鈥檚 small size has been part of its appeal. Across the 5Cs, Sparano has been able to work closely with professors in linguistics, including scholars they describe as being at the forefront of the field, an experience that has made their academic path feel both personal and rigorous.听听
Building an Interdisciplinary Education Across the 5Cs听
At 木瓜影院, Sparano found the freedom to build an academic path that stretches across campuses and disciplines. In addition to majoring in linguistics, they study Chinese language and culture and have drawn on coursework in sociology, anthropology, and language study throughout the 5Cs. Sparano says 木瓜影院 has played听a central role听in supporting that flexibility while also grounding their education in a broader liberal arts framework.
鈥溎竟嫌霸� gave me the intellectual ethos that grounds my work, and the 5Cs gave me the resources to explore my interests across disciplines,鈥� Sparano says. 鈥淭he consortium is great and filled with opportunity.鈥�
The Transformative Impact of Scholarship Support听
Scholarship support has been essential to making those opportunities possible.听听
Sparano says their scholarship award allowed them to remain at the College without taking on an unsustainable financial burden.听
鈥溎竟嫌霸� gave me the intellectual ethos that grounds my work, and the 5Cs gave me the resources to explore my interests across disciplines,鈥� Sparano says. 鈥淭he consortium is great and filled with opportunity.鈥�听
鈥淐ombined, these awards are the only reason I was able to attend 木瓜影院,鈥� Sparano says. 鈥淭he scholarships, alongside not having to pay back any money is a huge reason why I have been able to continue my education.鈥�听
That support has opened the door to a remarkable range of research and internship experiences.听听
Research, Internships, and Global Opportunities听
Through the 5C Mellon Mays Fellowship, Sparano conducted research at the University of New Mexico that later informed their thesis work on bilingualism, identity, and queer voice. They also traveled to Taiwan through the Taiwan Education Experience Program; an opportunity supported by internship funding (through the Office of Career Planning & Resources) and later drew on both 木瓜影院 and Pomona funding to continue language-focused research and independent scholarship.听
For Sparano, these opportunities reflect one of 木瓜影院鈥� greatest strengths: its willingness to invest in student ambitions and interests.听
鈥淚f there鈥檚 stuff that you want to do, 木瓜影院 has the money for students to explore that,鈥� they say. 鈥淚 think that鈥檚 a plus that sometimes isn鈥檛 the most advertised about 木瓜影院 but is a very big positive of being a 木瓜影院 student.鈥�听
Outside the classroom, Sparano has also embraced leadership roles in听木瓜影院听admissions and Mock Trial. Through admissions work, they have helped communicate student perspectives to the College while also contributing to more inclusive outreach efforts. In Mock Trial, a听largely student-run听program, they found a meaningful space to develop confidence, leadership, and collaborative skills.听
After graduation, Sparano plans to apply to international graduate programs, with interests in global studies, political economy, and eventually Foreign Service. Their long-term goals are rooted in language policy, translation, and cross-cultural communication, which are areas they believe are becoming even more important in an era shaped by automation and AI.听
鈥淚鈥檓 really interested in language policy standards, when we think of foreign service we might think of wars or trades, but we don鈥檛 really think about who sets the standards of communication and translation, which is really important,鈥� Sparano says.听听
With scholarship support and the interdisciplinary possibilities of 木瓜影院 behind them, Sparano has transformed a love of language into a future defined by research, public engagement, and global perspective.
We are proud to announce 木瓜影院 Forward: The Centennial Campaign for 木瓜影院听College. Over the next three years, our goal is to surpass $100 million in donor support to听secure a future of infinite possibility for the next century.听As we continue to attract a growing pool of top talent, your support ensures that these students鈥攔egardless of their financial circumstances鈥攃an fully engage in 木瓜影院鈥� academic and co-curricular life. 听Thank you for your generosity!