Sabrina Murray

Sabrina Murray BA '21

Pronouns

she/her

Degree and Class Year

BA ’21

Hometown

University Place, Washington

Major

Sociology and Anthropology

Extracurriculars

Swim team, Office of Inclusion and Multicultural Engagement, Asian Student Union, Mixed LC, Adoptee Club

Overseas study

India fall 2019

What three words would you use to describe L&C?

Small, Secluded, Home

What’s your favorite class? How has it expanded your knowledge?

My favorite class was Fiction Writing 200 with Professor Pauls Toutonghi because it allowed me to explore different styles in creative writing. This class helped improve my writing skills, and I felt that I was able to express myself in ways that I could not in other classes. Our final project was to write a short story, and Pauls really encouraged me to explore themes that were personal and controversial. Pauls was supportive and enthusiastic about my writing which gave me confidence and helped me be more comfortable around other professors.

Who is your mentor on campus? Why do you consider this person your mentor?

My mentor on campus is Dominique Gardner who is the assistant director for the Office of Inclusion and Multicultural Engagement. She is my mentor because she is a strong, independent, hard-working woman of color. She helps with any projects or ideas that I bring to her, and is more than willing to pull all her resources together to help me out. She is one of the closest people to me on campus and a wonderful human to everyone around her.

What made you want to come to Lewis & Clark?

I wanted to come to Lewis & Clark because I loved the campus and atmosphere. I visited in the spring when the campus was filled with student life and the flowers were in full bloom. As I was walking around the campus and seeing everyone around me, I knew this was a place I wanted to be. Plus the swim team/coaches were welcoming and I instantly knew if I came I would be welcomed into a big family.

If you have studied or will study overseas while at Lewis & Clark, how did you choose your program? What did your overseas study add to your L&C experience so far?

I will be studying in India this coming fall and I chose it because of the general regional study aspect. I always knew that I wanted to do a study abroad program when I came to college, and then the opportunity to go to India came up.

How did you get involved with the Office of Inclusion and Multicultural Engagement (IME)? What has your involvement with IME added to your L&C experience?

Originally, I was involved with IME as a mentee within their mentor program. The mentorship program is for first-year students of color or first-generation students. After being a mentee for a year, I realized I wanted to continue to help others in my community. Then when I heard about a position opening, I decided to apply. Working with IME this year as a peer education coordinator has taught me so many skills. On a weekly basis, I help organize events for students on campus and I help pitch new ideas for IME events. I have learned about public speaking and networking skills with faculty and students. IME has also given me a community that surrounds me with love and support.

How do you balance academics and athletics?

I have learned to balance being a student-athlete by scheduling and coordinating my school work with practice. Doing as much homework between classes and practice really helps with stress. I also think having a planner helps plan out my week so I know when to get ahead of my workload before a big meet.

What’s your favorite thing about living in Portland?

Living in Portland has so many amazing possibilities. Being at Lewis & Clark can sometimes be isolated since we are on top of a hill. However, being so close to the city allows students to go off campus all the time. There are food trucks that have such a wide variety, I am always conflicted on which food I want to try each time I go. There are also so many cool things to do/see in Portland. The city atmosphere is always exciting, and there are so many places that you have not discovered yet so it is an adventure every time.