Laura Gomez, '27

Hometown: Queens, NY
Languages: English, Spanish
Major: American Studies, concentration in Politics, Activism, and Civic Formation
Minor: Political Science
Main extracurricular activities: MCAB (Middlebury College Activities Board), Omega Alpha Social House

What’s your favorite study spot on campus? Crossroads Cafe in the spring, easily. I love grabbing a drink and sitting by the windows when the sun is out. It’s such a cheerful spot, and I almost always end up running into someone I know.

Favorite food in the dining hall? The Caesar salad at Proctor.

Favorite Vermont spot? Favorite Middlebury location? Otter Creek. I love walking into town and stopping by the water for a little while to relax my mind.

Did you study abroad? I was originally planning to study abroad in Florence, but I ended up staying at Middlebury. I still hear such great things about the program, so Florence is absolutely somewhere I’d love to experience in the future.

What has been the best, most interesting, or most thought-provoking class you’ve taken at Middlebury? Vermont Government and Politics was one of my absolute favorites. We took it with former Governor Jim Douglas ‘72, which was such a unique experience. As a Political Science minor, I loved hearing about Vermont politics from someone who had actually been at the center of it.

Now that you’re a senior, what advice would you give your younger self about college admissions or the transition into college? I would tell myself to trust that I would find my people and my place. As a first-generation student, I came in with a lot of questions and definitely worried about whether I was doing college “right.” Middlebury ended up giving me such a strong sense of community, and I wish I had let myself enjoy that sooner.

Why did you choose to attend Middlebury? I chose Middlebury because it felt like an exciting challenge. Coming from New York City, Vermont was completely different from what I knew, and I loved the idea of pushing myself somewhere new. What really sold me was the community. Middlebury felt like a place where people actually cared about being here, and that has absolutely been true for me.