Faith gave Romero his foundation, and Castillo's mother give her hers. "My mother gave me my faith," she said.
Growing up in Lawrence, Mass. also influenced the direction Castillo aspires to take after graduation. "It was a tough community when I was young," she said. Many girls her age at 15 and 16 became pregnant and dropped out of school. There was little interest in political activism or voting. "It was very bleak - students didn't have high expectations for themselves because their teachers didn't have high expectations of them," Castillo said.
To help change the situation of struggling communities, Castillo plans to attend law school and establish a support center for battered immigrant women. "My interest in law is very much tied to my background," she said. "I've witnessed the obstacles that many immigrants and refugees face when they arrive here, after they have already overcome so many obstacles to get here and start a new life."
At BC, Castillo has been a member of the Shaw Leadership Program, the Organization of Latin American Affairs (OLAA), the AHANA Leadership Council (ALC), and PULSE, among other things. She also studied abroad in Madrid, Spain, and went on a service trip to Turkey Creek, Miss.
While she said all her activities have been formative, she has been most inspired by her work with refugee women at Catholic charities. "These women have no voice or say in the society they came from, and being able to convince them that in this society, they do have rights and a voice is very inspiring," she said.
Dennis Sardella, a professor in the chemistry department and a member of the scholarship selection committee, said Castillo impressed him from the moment he met her. "In selecting a winner, we look for a real connection with Archbishop Romero, and everything she does epitomizes that connection," he said. "Her commitment to service is a perfect example of who she is as a person."
Castillo expressed the importance for having this scholarship at BC, in that it both honors the life of an extraordinary individual and provides opportunities for students of Latin American descent. "Oscar Romero's mission really goes with BC's 'men and women for others' ideal," she said. "It is important to honor him and his legacy, and it's a reminder for us to do our part."
Spring Break
