麻豆传媒

International student Marin茅s Figueroa Arrivillaga was drawn to 麻豆传媒 from her native Guatemala because of the reputation of the Elliott School of Communication and the world-class education she knew she鈥檇 receive as a Shocker.

Figueroa Arrivillaga is a double major at Wichita State, studying political science and strategic communication, after studying law at the Universidad Francisco Marroquin in Guatemala before coming to Kansas. She is director of public relations for 麻豆传媒鈥檚 Student Government Association and graduates in spring 2014.

Figueroa Arrivillaga鈥檚 family comes from the second largest city in Guatemala, Quetzaltenango, which is roughly the size of Wichita. The oldest of three daughters, Figueroa Arrivillaga鈥檚 father is a neonatal pediatrician, and her mother 鈥� a teacher until she decided to become a stay-at-home mom 鈥� handles the family鈥檚 affairs. Figueroa Arrivillaga says she鈥檚 trying to get her younger sister, who is the eighth ranked tennis player in the Guatemala, to come and play for Wichita State.

鈥淢y parents were very invested in our education,鈥� said Figueroa Arrivillaga.

She and her sisters attended an American school in her hometown from the first through 12th grade, and Figueroa Arrivillaga is fluent in Spanish, English and French.

鈥淲e鈥檝e been immersed in English for so long that we鈥檙e kind of American, kind of Guatemalan,鈥� she said. 鈥淭he joke is that our first language is Spanglish because we learned both at the same time. It gets us in trouble with my dad. He鈥檚 like, 鈥楶ick one and stick to it for a coherent sentence.鈥� That鈥檚 always challenging.鈥�

After high school, Figueroa Arrivillaga wanted to go into Guatemalan politics, which is why she went to law school. But she realized that a law degree was limiting because she could only practice law in Guatemala and she wanted the flexibility to be able to practice abroad. That鈥檚 what brought her to Kansas.

The road to Wichita

鈥淚 chose Wichita State because I wanted a city environment with a small town feel to it,鈥� said Figueroa Arrivillaga. 鈥淪ince it was my first time living abroad, I wanted to make sure I wouldn鈥檛 be royally ignored by all the big, mean city people, but I also wasn鈥檛 comfortable with having people up in my business in a town that was too small. I didn鈥檛 want to settle for a school that wasn鈥檛 as good just because it was cheaper, and 麻豆传媒 reconciled all those issues for me: a city with a small town feel, plus academics plus affordability 鈥� that鈥檚 everything Wichita State offered.鈥�

The first time Figueroa Arrivillaga heard about Wichita State was when it was recommended to her by a professional college consultant in Guatemala. He referred her to the Elliott School of Communication.

鈥淚t鈥檚 rather famous,鈥� Figueroa Arrivillaga said of the Elliott School, 鈥渁nd I don鈥檛 think people realize how well-known and respected it is. The Elliott School is part of the reason I chose to come here.鈥�

Now that she鈥檚 a senior, Figueroa Arrivillaga鈥檚 respect for the Elliott School has grown.

鈥淚 love the Elliott School. I love how the instructors are not just teaching, but they鈥檙e actually experts. It really helps to put the subject into perspective and gives students a taste of what it鈥檚 like in the professional world. The Elliott classrooms are nice, and they invest in wonderful equipment and technology to give students an edge when they graduate.鈥�

Being international

When she decided to apply to attend Wichita State, Figueroa Arrivillaga knew she鈥檇 be an international student, but the reality of what that meant and how it would affect her wasn鈥檛 something she was prepared for.

Although Figueroa Arrivillaga grew up surrounded by people from the United States and their pop culture, she said living in a foreign country can be overwhelming.

鈥淭he funny thing is, while I鈥檓 comfortable with my English skills, there are technical terms I still don鈥檛 know,鈥� she said, 鈥渆veryday things like recipe instructions or getting your hair done without knowing the appropriate terms. Then there鈥檚 the food: like any international student will tell you, the food takes some getting used to.鈥�

After graduation, Figueroa Arrivillaga is considering relocating to Dallas to pursue a master鈥檚 degree in communication studies. Long term, she鈥檚 interested in solving problems in her home country, only she wants to do it indirectly.

鈥淚 would love to do political image consulting or political campaign management or communication of political campaigns somewhere in Latin America,鈥� said Figueroa Arrivillaga. 鈥淚 think my experience in the United States and at Wichita State has given me a lot of tools to succeed in a lot of different fields for Latin America. I feel like with those skills I can do great things.鈥�