From working in nursing at Cleveland Clinic to studying the impact of violence among youth, individuals of Hispanic heritage are engaged with countless facets of Case Western Reserve University.
In recognition of Hispanic Heritage Month, which takes place annually from Sept. 15 through Oct. 15, The Daily is celebrating the accomplishments and experiences of four Hispanic members of the CWRU community. Discover more about their experiences at the university—and learn how their heritage has impacted their lives.
Ivette Noriega
Senior research associate at the Begun Center for Violence Prevention Research and Education
Ivette Noriega’s passion in understanding the impact of violence in youth started in 2012 when she was a graduate psychology research assistant in El Paso, Texas, studying the impact of community violence and forced displacement. Today, Noriega continues her work in this area at CWRU—and has also incorporated a focus on public health and substance abuse.
“I am fortunate enough to use my language skills to help translate forms and reach out to underserved Spanish-speaking communities in the northeast Ohio region,” said Noriega, whose family is from present-day New Mexico and Chihuahua and Durango, Mexico.
Hear more from Noriega.
Q: What are some important aspects about your culture? How do you/your family incorporate these things?
A: An important aspect of our culture is education. One of my favorite memories is going to my grandparents’ house and seeing my parents, aunts, and uncles’ diplomas hanging on their living room wall. College and professional degrees from Mexico and other Latin American countries typically have the graduate’s head portrait printed on them, so it was very special seeing all of our family’s educational achievements and faces on that wall. Eventually, my brother and I were able to add our undergraduate and graduate degrees on that wall although those did not have the cool head portrait shot in them.
Q: What does Hispanic Heritage Month mean to you?
A: It is an opportunity to honor and recognize individuals from our culture who have paved the way in our field. It is also a month to celebrate the rich diversity and collective memory in Hispanic and Latin American communities.
Q: What do you think the campus community should know about Hispanic heritage in general?
A: Hispanic heritage is very diverse and rich. We have so many variations in culture, cuisine, language, history, and customs that it would take more than a month to be able to learn from all the diversity that exists within Hispanic culture.
Read about the other Hispanic members of the CWRU community.