Student Spotlight: Meet HSOC Fourth-Year Kim Molina-Veronico

Posted March 29, 2022

Name: Kim Molina-Veronico 

Hometown: Commerce, GA (Home of the Leopards!)

Degree program: Fourth-year History, Technology, and Society (HTS) major with minors in Spanish and Technology & Business 

Favorite class: I really enjoyed my research methods class with Dr. Amsterdam. I took it my first year, and I learned a lot about library databases and how to write my papers correctly. The coolest part was being able to hold an actual Academy Award/Oscar. It was donated to the Georgia Tech library by a GT alumna who received the award for their philanthropy efforts. I got to take a picture with it, but we were warned of posting it anywhere because of copyright issues. Some honorable mentions for favorite classes: Social Movements with Dr. Winders and Sociology of Education with Dr. Fong.  

Favorite professor: Dr.Fong! She teaches Sociology of Education, and I get to do research with her this semester. She’s very passionate about the subject and is very considerate of all her students.  

Internships/clubs: Marketing Intern at NCR, Product Marketing Manager Intern at Microsoft, Youth Education Intern at the Latin American Association, Research Assistant for Dr. Fong, HSOC Committee Student Representative, Student Worker at the School of Public Policy, Teach for America Ambassador, First-Gen Mentor, President of the Latin American Student Organization (LASO), Georgia Tech Student Ambassador, Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers, Hispanic Recruitment Team, DEI Fellow 

 

1. Why did you choose Georgia Tech?

I chose Georgia Tech because I knew I wanted to have a technology-focused perspective when it came to studying sociology and history.  

 

2. Who or what inspired you to study history, technology, and society?

I grew up in a small rural town that did not have the resources to really emphasize STEM, and I felt like I had missed out on acquiring a passion for the STEM field through my education. I hope to use my degree to spread STEM education to all students, especially low-income and underrepresented students.  

 

3. What’s the coolest research/project/initiative/event you’ve worked on here?

For one of my seminar classes, a group of students and I created a virtual museum exhibit on Atlanta in the 1960s. We were able to find documents and articles on everything from the Counterculture Movement in Piedmont Park to in-depth information on the Civil Rights Movement in Atlanta.  

 

4. What was the biggest challenge you’ve faced at Georgia Tech, and how did you overcome it?

The biggest challenge I faced at Georgia Tech was acclimating to college during my first year. As a first-gen college student, it was difficult for me to rely on my family for advice.

Fortunately, Georgia Tech provides a lot of resources that include time-management workshops and the GT1000 first-year class. Now, as a first-gen mentor, I get to help other students like myself acclimate to Georgia Tech.  

 

5. What’s your proudest achievement from your time at Georgia Tech so far?

My proudest achievement is creating a new student organization on campus. With the help of two other fellow students, we started the Latin American Student Organization.

We started virtually in 2020 and have since grown to have 197 members in our GroupMe. As the founding President last year, I am so proud to see its growth from the sidelines this year, and it makes me happy that we were able to create a student organization that will make future students feel welcome and accepted at Georgia Tech.  

 

6. What’s the biggest change you see in yourself now from when you arrived?

I am so confident in who I am. I came to Georgia Tech timidly because I did not know what to expect. The experiences and opportunities that Georgia Tech has given me have allowed me to blossom into a confident leader.  

 

7. What’s your #1 piece of advice for incoming students in the School of History and Sociology?

Keep in mind that HTS is a malleable degree that can get you anywhere you want, so use the professors, classes, classmates, and social opportunities to your advantage.  

 

8. What’s your biggest, craziest goal after you graduate (aka how do you want to change the world)?

I would like to start my own non-profit that will partner with Tech companies to give underrepresented communities access to STEM education.  

 

Thank you for sharing your experience, Kim!

Check out more student spotlights with Jensen Fitzgibbon, Micah Maxie, Katie Marchese, and Yihua Xu for insight into what it's like to pursue a degree in the School of History and Sociology. Then, stay tuned on Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram, and Twitter for new student, faculty, and alumni spotlights every month!