Natti Martinez, '28

Hometown: Los Angeles, CA
Languages: English, Spanish, Portuguese
High School: Francisco Bravo Medical Magnet
Major (intended): International Global Studies with a focus on global migration and diaspora
Minor (intended): Linguistics
Main Extracurricular Activities: SJP, MJ@Midd

Hey there, I’m Natti! I’m currently a sophomore at Midd thinking of majoring in International Global Studies with a focus on global migration and diaspora. Coming from Los Angeles, one of my biggest worries was what the shift from urban to rural would look like and especially what the community building would be like here since I knew no one from Midd nor were any classmates from my school headed here. However I made use of the Anderson Freeman Center offer to attend the F@Midd pre-orientation which is a great opportunity that allowed me to create connections and build a support group with other bi-poc students that I know I can rely on. I love getting involved with different communities here at Midd and would like to get involved some more into some art based clubs here apart from my more academically/legally involved ones, so I’m super interested in starting that for spring semester.

Where did you study abroad/where would you study abroad if you could?

I plan on taking advantage of the language department for both my major and study abroad programs. Currently, I’m planning on studying abroad in Brazil and Chile my junior year!

What were you doing prior to applying to college?

Prior to applying to Midd I was focused on trying to find schools that offered need based financial aid and had a good variety of non-academic and academic clubs to choose from. I personally love dancing folklorico and painting in my free time and I was very involved in my high school dance and art clubs which I hoped to be something available to me here at Midd. Fortunately they were and from what I’ve learned when there are clubs you want, but don’t exist, you can always create one with friends. 

Why did you choose to attend Middlebury?: 

The need-based focus for students and its large language department plus the opportunities that it offers ultimately convinced me to come to Midd. Being a low-income w.o.c, the need-based help was something that I felt most of the colleges I applied to in my hometown were limited in. Upon learning about the large language department and the study abroad opportunities I was convinced that it was the school for me because of the blend between my interests (policy, sociology, and language) and my hope to study abroad at some point during my studies.