Student Spotlight: Meet Natalia Rodriguez-Felipe

We have another Women’s and Gender Studies student to introduce you to! Her name is Natalia Rodriquez-Felipe (she/her/hers). Last year Natalia was our WGS Outreach Intern and we were very impressed with her work. Learn more about her background, future goals, and how WGS is influencing them below.

Where are you from?

I am originally from Caguas, Puerto Rico, which is 20 minutes away from San Juan, the capital of Puerto Rico. 

What year are you at ISU and what is your major and minor?

My major is in English with a minor in Women’s and Gender Studies. As I am in my senior year, I am taking a graduate class (ENGL 5060) with Professor Dr. Jessica Jorgenson Borchert, and I am currently writing a research-level paper on female rage in female-led horror movies using actor-network theory.

Tell us about your journey to get to ISU.

My journey to ISU was interesting. After graduating in 2022, had taken a gap year to focus on my mental health and wellbeing. Prior to coming to ISU, I had credits from college courses I had taken during high school that had transferred over. When I arrived to ISU in 2023, I was admitted as a sophomore. By far, being in ISU is truly one of the best experiences I’ve had. I met my best friends here and I’ve made so many memories here.

Why did you choose WGS as a minor?

I chose Women’s and Gender Studies as a minor because the courses intrigued me, and I wanted to seek more courses that helped me understand the world. As a bonus, the Women’s and Gender Studies community was extremely welcoming towards me. I saw how the course material meshed well with my major and it was through my classes that I deeply fell in love with the art of rhetoric, but more specifically feminist rhetoric in media.

You previously worked in the WGS program. Can you tell us more about your experience?

Last school year, I served as the WGS Outreach Intern, where I conducted interviews with students and faculty to highlight their experiences with the Women’s and Gender Studies program. My favorite part of the internship was meeting guests, such as Sally Kohn and Amanda Montell, as well as forming connections with my professors.

At the moment, I am the social media intern in the Department of English, as well as the U.S. Latino Studies Ambassador for the Department of World Languages & Cultures.

What are your future career goals and how will your WGS minor help you?

I plan to attend graduate school and earn my master’s degree in communications, which will enable me to become a technical writer.

The Women’s and Gender Studies minor helped me find my interest in feminist rhetoric, and it helped fueled my passion to apply for graduate school to become either a technical writer or a professor. The minor truly opened my eyes to see how Women’s and Gender Studies is applied everywhere; from technical writing in journals to the movies we watch.

We’d love to hear about your hobbies and interests.

I love reading and writing, and on a good day, I enjoy snuggling up with a good book and a cup of coffee.

Bonus: What’s your favorite movie?

I love so many movies, and there are too many to list. However, I must say that my top three favorite movies are Howl’s Moving Castle, Moonrise Kingdom, and She’s All That.

We love our WGS students! If you’d like to be included in a feature or social media post, we’d love to get to know you better! Please reach out to Katrina at kksmith@iastate.edu.