Murphy Scholar Gabrielle Lefear ’24, a double major in Study of the Mind/Neuroscience and Spanish, graduated this May magna cum laude with distinction in both majors and Odyssey. She was inducted into the Phi Beta Kappa academic honor society and served as a Spanish Peer Learning Tutor for two academic years.
Passionate about the Spanish language, Lefear used her Murphy Scholar study-travel funds to participate in Hendrix-in-Madrid. This summer language program, which has been supported by the Hendrix-Murphy Foundation since 2007, is a four-week intensive and immersive program in Spanish literature at the prestigious University Complutense de Madrid.
While abroad, Lefear took courses on literature in all genres and from all periods and regions of the Hispanic world, including “Spanish Theater in the Golden Age” and “Rock, Literature, Comics and the art of the ‘Movida’ Movement.”
Outside the classroom, Lefear and other Hendrix students visited castles, monasteries, historic districts, fortresses, and more, enriching their understanding of the Hispanic world and its history and literature.
“I never thought I would study abroad because I would consider myself more of an introvert,” Lefear said. “But Dr. Yuste-Alonzo encouraged me to branch out and really test my Spanish abilities and develop them.”
After graduation, Lefear plans to attend graduate school to pursue a career in the medical field. “My interest in Spanish has opened a door to memorable experiences that catalyze life-long learning.”