In crisp, early autumn, students gather among tall cornstalks and crimson-colored amaranth in the Ethnobotanical Garden at Vanderbilt's Center for Latin American, Caribbean and Latinx Studies (known as CLACX). As they walk, Avery Dickins de Girón, PhD'08, points to medicinal herbs used in healing practices and crops cultivated for thousands of years across Central America.
This is how Dickins de Girón spent several mornings last fall, and moments like this are why she has stayed so connected with Vanderbilt long after earning her doctorate in anthropology. Now the executive director of CLACX, she has helped bridge academic work with the wider Vanderbilt and Nashville communities to ensure that cultural learning is shared and carried forward.
"This is a really beautiful way to not only engage Vanderbilt and local Nashville high school students with knowledge and cultural histories, but also share this information with the broader public," Dickins de Girón says.
"The older you get, the more grateful you become for those moments of connection." -Avery Dickins de Girón
Much of that work has happened through close partnership with the Vanderbilt Association of Hispanic and Latinx Alumni (known as VAHLA). Last fall, CLACX and VAHLA welcomed alumni back to campus for a tour of the Ethnobotanical Garden and a Reunion/Homecoming event at CLACX's new Garland Hall office. They also collaborated on CLACX's Sesquicentennial Grant. During Dickins de Girón's tenure as executive director of the center, CLACX has expanded teacher training, strengthened K-12 outreach and brought Latin American studies into classrooms across Tennessee.
Alumni involvement doesn't need to be formal or overwhelming to make an impact, Dickins de Girón says. Meaningful moments often begin with something as simple as a shared meal or a walk through the garden where someone recognizes a plant from home. Engagement is about continuity rather than scale, she adds. When alumni choose to stay connected, they help sustain the programs and communities that shaped their own paths.
"Over the years, it has fascinated me how many people I know through Vanderbilt have gone on to do important things with their lives," Dickins de Girón says. "I would encourage alumni to get involved and invest in the Vanderbilt community. People are very excited to see each other, and the older you get, the more grateful you become for those moments of connection."
-Cara Albert
