Southern California to the UN: A Global Leader in the Making
Tuesday, May 15, 2018
When graduating senior Kristal Corona first stepped onto Seton Hall University's campus green, she knew she had found her second home. Kristal was first attracted to Seton Hall due to its close proximity to and unique partnership with the United Nations. Yet it was the warm community and Diplomacy program that she fell in love with, and, soon after visiting, Kristal made the decision to relocate from her small town of San Dimas, California to South Orange, New Jersey.
Once on campus, Kristal immersed herself in her studies majoring in International Relations and minoring in Spanish. But she found that being so far away from home was difficult. That's when she sought out the Joseph A. Unanue Latino Institute for support. Kristal decided to join the Latino Institute work-study team and take on the Institute's research assistant position in the Spring of 2016. In this role, Kristal conducted research on issues that impacted the lives of Latino Americans with particular emphasis on the influential figures working towards changing the present-day narrative. Kristal credits the Institute with deepening her appreciation for her Latino heritage and striving to expose the Seton Hall community to the vibrant, diverse Latino culture through a variety of cultural and academic programs.
In addition to her duties at the Latino Institute, Kristal interned at the International Coalition of the Responsibility to Protect (ICRtoP) in New York City this past Spring semester. During her internship, she was tasked with researching current humanitarian crises by compiling news articles and attending UN briefings at the Security Council or General Assembly. Kristal also fact-checked information against international communications and media to ensure that appropriate attention was allocated to each crisis. She then updated the ICRtoP website in order to provide a larger platform and opportunity for awareness.
A model "servant leader" recognized for her academic and leadership achievements with a merit-based scholarship equal to 65% of her tuition, Kristal is also a passionate advocate for mental health education. Kristal uses social media to share personal experiences and works from philosophers and spiritual leaders to inspire her audience while documenting her progress and growth. Kristal states, "I love hula hooping and dancing for stress relief and increased energy. I have found that this simple activity has inspired body confidence and reinvigorated me in my journey towards healthy living." Kristal can often be found hula hooping on campus and providing practical techniques for self-help and self-sufficiency to her peers.
Soon Kristal will embark on a new chapter in Boston, Massachusetts at Brandeis University where she was accepted to the prestigious Heller School for Social Policy and Management. She will be pursuing her M.A. in Conflict Resolution and Coexistence as a full-time student this coming Fall 2018.
Congratulations, Kristal, on your acceptance to graduate school and all of your accomplishments. We are so proud of you and cannot wait to see all that you will achieve!