Alumni Spotlight: Paloma B.

This month’s spotlight is on Paloma! Recently, Paloma became a published author, and we are ecstatic to have her book added to our collection in the office! We are so proud of all of her hard work, and we cannot wait to see what is up next for her as she pursues her dreams further!

High School Attended: Greeley Central High School Class of 2013
College Attendance:

• University of Colorado Boulder: Double Major in Art History and History with a minor in Italian
• University of New Mexico: Masters of the Arts in Art History, Art of the Americas
• University of Arizona: Working towards a Masters of Library Information Science

What are you up to now that you’ve earned your degree?
I currently work at the University of Northern Colorado for the University Libraries. I am a Library Technician who specializes in course reserves at Michener Library. I also substitute at High Plains Library District as a Librarian. I am also pursuing an online master’s degree in Library and Information Science from the University of Arizona.

What’s the best thing that’s happened to you since being out of school/Dream Team?
The best thing that has happened so far has been traveling to Oaxaca, Mexico on a fully-funded research trip to conduct field research for my master’s thesis on a statue of the Mary the Immaculate Conception called the Virgin of Juquila which is a statue that is the third-largest pilgrimage site in Mexico. I was able to stay at the Sanctuary with the nuns and work with numerous state and local archives.

What is one thing you want to accomplish in the next three years?
I would like to complete my MLIS degree and have a librarian residency at an academic library or an archive.

What aspect of being in the Dream Team has stuck with you?
The constant support I received from my Advisor, Flora Powells. Her dedication to us helped me choose the school of my dreams and she helped me find funding for my exams, applications, and tuition. As someone who has navigated my education without parental help (my parents only provided moral support as they do not have the language capacity or understanding of academic processes), the Dream Team helped me at every step of the way.

What are your goals for the future, and what goals have you achieved?
I hope to become a specialized art librarian working in an archive, academic library, or a museum. So far, I have received my MA degree and passed my thesis defense with distinction. I have been able to work at various art museums around the Southwest part of the United States and have been able to work in both public and academic libraries. I also recently published a book with my friend, Jane Thompson (fellow Wildcat), called Women’s Art Wednesday: A Women Artist for Every Week of the Year. The book is a celebration of our 4 years of having our Women’s Art Wednesday organization that is a collective that celebrates women artists by featuring an artist every Wednesday on Instagram. We have also collaborated with ArtPopTalk podcast, National Museum Women of the Arts, UNM Art Museum, Museum of Contemporary Arts in Denver and we created an art exhibition here in Greeley that featured 30 local women artists.

What is one of your favorite memories of the Dream Team?
Visiting all the universities and colleges around Colorado and Wyoming. I really enjoyed visiting CU-Denver’s Anschutz campus and we learned how to sew a wound on a banana.

What is one piece of advice you would give a Dream Team student who has recently graduated high school?
I would take some time to truly know yourself and think about the kind of experiences you want to have in college as this time is not only for you to work towards your career, but also a time to grow as a person. You don’t realize how much of yourself is influenced by those around you, college is a great time to genuinely know who you are.

Also, STUDY ABROAD. If you are able to, please do so.