Belinda Castiblanco '19
Hispanic Languages and Literature - Spanish Teacher Preparation

As a nontraditional student, Belinda Castiblanco went through quite the journey before she came to Stony Brook. She was born and raised in San Salvador, El Salvador, and moved to the United States with her mother when she was seventeen years old.

Juggling work, learning English, and eventually raising a family meant that Belinda did not have time to study as a full-time student. However, she soon managed to enroll as a part-time student at Suffolk Community College, studying for an Associate of Arts degree. After several more years of balancing work, school, and family life, Belinda graduated from Suffolk and transferred to Stony Brook.

Today, Belinda is completing her her studies in the Department of Hispanic Languages and Literature. She’s received several awards throughout her time here, including a Best Undergraduate Essay Award from the Department, and a scholarship award from the Alpha Sigma Lambda Honor Society, a national society for non-traditional students. The Humanities Institute also awarded Belinda one of their three fellowships with the Herstory Writers Workshop. Outside of studies and caring for her family, Belinda also serves her community as an EMT and a CPR instructor. Her achievements were featured in an article on SBU News last fall.

Belinda appreciates the professors and personnel in the College for being so supportive as she was following her dreams. “I think the College of Arts and Sciences is known for being a smaller community inside the big community of Stony Brook University. Professors, staff, and students get to know and care for each other, making it a kind of extended family for many of its students.”

This fall, Belinda will begin the Literature Master’s Program at Stony Brook; her long-term goal is to get a PhD and become a professor so she can share her knowledge and culture with future students. “Who knows, I may end up teaching literature here at SBU!”

Belinda lives in Long Island with her husband, Sidney, and her two sons, Diego and Jeremy. “Because my sons are students as well, we work together to reach our goals as individuals and as a family,” she says. “I am fortunate to have them - they inspire me.”

Her advice for incoming students? “Trust yourselves, you made it to Stony Brook University for a reason. You deserve to be here! Don’t hesitate to look for help if you need it. The first semester can be hard for many; it is a time of change. Enjoy your time here as Seawolves!”