Maria, known for asking Bill Gates a question on Zoom, talks about privilege, imposter syndrome, and raspberry cookies at Hungarian.

Name, School, Major, Hometown: Maria Castillo, School of Engineering and Applied Science, Earth and Environmental Engineering, Laredo, Texas

Claim to fame: Asking Bill Gates a question on Zoom

Where are you going? Denver!

What are 3 things you learned at Columbia and would like to share with the Class of 2025?

Three lessons: Find a way to deal with your impostor syndrome asap, do not normalize the amount of wealth people have here (it is not normal in any way), don’t convince yourself that you have to work hard all the time to “catch up” to more privileged students – you truly never will and your time is better spent cultivating your passions at your own pace.

“Back in my day…” Hamilton Deli was open until 3 am

Favorite Columbia controversy? People being upset over the multicultural graduations. There are literally 3 latinx students on campus. Let us have our little graduation. 

What was your favorite class at Columbia? Survey of Latin American Literature by Gustavo Perez-Firmat changed my life. Not only is he one of the most brilliant people I’ve ever met, but the romanticism, fatalism, mourning, pain and yearning that travelled through all the pieces that we read was so moving to encounter. “God’s Brown Daughters” by Judith Ortiz Cofer exemplifies the pain that is innate to the Latina experience in ways I would’ve read when I was younger, and I am so grateful for the way this class pointed me to the majesty of works written by Latinos and Latin Americans

Would you rather give up oral sex or cheese? Cheese

Whom would you like to thank? Aside from my family members, friends, and boyfriend, I want to thank the Dining Hall Staff at Columbia. I literally would have dropped out my freshman year without them. I was in such a dark place my freshman year and was seriously considering transferring to a college that would have more people that looked like me or at least attempted to understand my life experience. So many of them, especially Tomas, took the time to ask me about my classes and family and encouraged me to keep going when I really really really didn’t want to. They were my family here, since mine were so far away, and I will forever be indebted for taking me in and reminding me that I belonged here. 

One thing to do before graduating: Get a raspberry cookie from Hungarian. Literally the best dessert in the whole world and will give you a will to live (at least for 10 minutes!)

Any regrets? Believing that everyone I would meet here deserved to be here