Majors: Political Science and Spanish
Minor: Latin-American Studies
Hometown: Charlotte, N.C.

In 2007, Carey Carpenter wrote a blog entry for My First Days as a Deacon about her first load of laundry in Babcock residence hall, and having chosen to live in this same first-year hall for all four years, she has washed many clothes in this laundry room. After graduation and a West Coast road trip with best friends, Carpenter will be moving to Washington, D.C., to work as a Federal Analyst for the Strategy and Operations Branch of Deloitte Consulting.

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Why did you choose Wake Forest?

I knew this was a school that cared less about where I had been or what I had already done, and more about where I could go and what I might do. Visits to campus and interactions with faculty and students showed me that Wake Forest was a community of peers and educators committed to growth and positive change. The choice was easy.

Who was your biggest cheerleader?

Dr. Tom Phillips, director of Wake Forest Scholars, continually encouraged me to try new courses and fearlessly pursue academic passions I never knew I had. Dr. Mary Friedman in the Romance languages department opened my eyes to the beautiful secrets, messages, and lessons contained in Spanish literature, art and film. Both Dr. Phillips and Dr. Friedman, always eager to impart their wisdom to curious students, embody the best qualities of Wake Forest’s academic community.

What is the most dramatic change you’ve undergone in the past four years?

I’ve discovered and come to terms with my nerdiness. I have always taken pride in my schoolwork, but only over the past four years have I truly come to understand that pride as a manifestation of what I love most: reading a good book or seeing a good film. Maybe I used to be embarrassed by this… but now I understand it to be an important part of what makes me both unique and happy.

Did you conduct research?

With a summer Richter Grant I conducted research in the favelas, or hillside shantytowns, of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. I studied the rise of neo-pentecostal churches and their effects on the various socio-economic groups of Rio’s traditional Protestant and Catholic communities. Upon my return, I worked with Portuguese professor, Dr. Vera Castro, to continue research and write a final report in both English and Portuguese, which I presented at the annual Wake Forest Undergraduate Research Fair. This year, I completed a Spanish honors thesis with Drs. Claudia Ospina and Margaret Ewalt. My project, “Seeking Justice in the Sicaresque Novel,” discusses how three contemporary Colombian novels portray and denounce, in various degrees, the role of the State, church, upper class, and family in permitting and encouraging drug- and gang-related youth violence in the city of Medellín in the early 1990s.

Did you study abroad?

I studied abroad in Buenos Aires, Argentina, with SIT Study Abroad. I lived in a homestay in the city, but also had the opportunity to spend a week living with an Argentine family in the small agricultural town of Pujato, several hours away from Buenos Aires. I spent time in Asunción, Paraguay, Porto Alegre, Brazil, and Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, in order to compare and contrast southern cone countries.  I will always cherish my time abroad and the many opportunities I had to apply what I learned in the classroom to real-life encounters with fascinating new places and cultures.

Did you participate in an internship?

The summer after my sophomore year, I participated in the WAKE Washington Program, interning with the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars’ Brazil Institute in D.C. As this was my first time in the nation’s capital, I loved the opportunity to see firsthand the complex world of politics and policy and its relationship with academia. Interning at the Wilson Center was a great way to combine research with practical work experience: I grew from working alongside experts in international affairs and learned how to contribute to a professional environment. The following summer, I returned to Washington as an intern for fellow Demon Deacon and North Carolina Senator Richard Burr. Interning on Capitol Hill was an eye-opening and energizing experience that allowed me to really capitalize on my studies in the political science department.

What has been your favorite part of studying in your major or field?

My favorite part has been writing my thesis. I really appreciated the freedom to explore a topic of personal interest to me, and working directly with faculty taught me so much about the writing process itself, as well as the topics I chose.

Favorite class outside of your major?

My favorite classes outside of my major have been Dr. Robert Utley’s Humanities courses, “Reason and Revelation” and “Public Life and Liberal Arts,” and Dr. Dan Hammond’s “Natural Resource Economics” course. All three of these courses markedly overlapped with the themes touched upon in both of my majors, and I loved the chance to approach the human experience from different fields.

What was your most memorable or unusual class and why?

“Medieval Spanish Literature” with Dr. Sol Miguel-Prendes. It was the one course I had little desire to take, thinking I would find nothing interesting in medieval literature… it turned out to be one of the most fascinating and inspiring courses I’ve taken in my four years here.

What is your favorite memory of your time at Wake Forest?

Climbing to the top of Wait Chapel. Or tailgating before football games.

What does earning this degree mean to you?

A tribute to four years of learning, personal growth and friendships I couldn’t have found anywhere else. A most prized possession and testament to a school I will always love.

What will you miss the most about being at Wake Forest?

Spending a sunny afternoon on the Shorty’s Patio with friends.

— Office of Communications and External Relations
Published May 5, 2011