An Interview with Sheila Hernandez

Tell us a little about yourself.

I like to start my introductions with saying I’m a Dominican-American New Yorker, because I feel that that alone informs so much of who I am. Growing up bilingual, I quickly fell in love with learning languages and learning about different cultures. At the moment, I comfortably speak English, Spanish, French, Portuguese, and Moroccan Arabic, and I am working on Korean and Cantonese. Besides my intellectual pursuits, I love to take salsa classes in Allston and Cambridge, try out recipes from different cuisines, and I spend a lot of time on FaceTime with my six-year old brother. I am also a relatively new dog mom of a very cute, four-year old Bernadoodle – his name is Luka!

Let’s start with why you chose Boston University. What drew you to our campus?

As someone who attended small schools and a small liberal arts college, I was very intrigued by the large, city school experience. In such a space, students have at their disposal a myriad of resources and opportunities to further explore their interests, hobbies, and life’s goals. You are also more likely to find people from a wide variety of places at a large institution like Boston University, so I was excited to meet faculty, staff, and students from all over the world. Finally, since I currently live in the Greater Boston area, I love getting to come into the city to work and thrive in the hustle and bustle of it all.

What do you look forward to the most in your new position?

I’m excited to make connections across campus! I plan on meeting with several offices and departments to better understand their own initiatives for international students and what their goals are. I would also love to meet with cultural clubs, both at the undergraduate and graduate level, to discuss what students’ needs are and how I can best help them. I want to get involved and make my position known to faculty, staff, and students alike so that they know they have someone supporting them in all academic and social matters related to international education. If you are interested in working together or simply want to give some feedback about your experience, please feel free to reach out!

What are your connections to international education?

I had the chance to study abroad three times during my educational career. The first time was a junior-year abroad during high school where I lived with a host family in Rennes, France for nine months. It was such a transformative experience and (almost) ten years later, I still keep in touch with my host mother and brothers! The second and third time were in Rabat, Morocco for three months at a time. When I first arrived in Morocco, I was hit with such a nostalgic feeling as if I had already been there before – it reminded me a lot of the Dominican Republic! Lastly, I was an ESL teacher at EF Boston for a year, which felt like a full circle moment as I was able to guide and teach students who were studying abroad in Boston. All of these experiences have led me to want to pursue a career in international education and help other students thrive in these new environments.

Lastly, how are you going to spend Thanksgiving?

Although I’ve lived in the Northeast my entire life, I try to run away from the cold any chance I get. So this year, I’ll be going to Miami, Florida to spend Thanksgiving with my brother, my mother, and my nine month old nephew. I’ve only gotten to see him once since he was born, so I’m excited to see how much he has grown and to eat some delicious home cooked Dominican meals from my mom!