Editor’s note: This story is part of a series of profiles of notable spring 2023 graduates.

As a child, school field trips to the Art Institute and the Field Museum in Chicago piqued Ruby Maderafont’s interest in history, culture, art and science. Ruby Maderafont Download Full Image

Maderafont combined these interests as a student in the Herberger Institute for Design and the Arts at Arizona State University and will receive a bachelor’s degree in museum studies with a minor in Spanish this spring.

“Ruby Maderafont has an extraordinary record of accomplishments at ASU, in their early professional activities and awards at the Smithsonian, and in the several communities in which Ruby has taken leadership roles: LGBTQ+ and Latino students and artists. Ruby’s accomplishments seamlessly bridge academic, community and professional activities,” said Julie Codell, ASU professor of art history, who nominated Maderafont for the award.

Maderafont, a Herberger Institute Dean’s list student, Hispanic Scholarship Fund Scholar and ASU New American University Scholarship recipient, not only excelled academically, but professionally as well in research and internships.

They were a researcher and intern in the Latino Museum Studies Program at the Smithsonian Institute’s National Museum of the American Latino in Washington, D.C., where they researched visitor accessibility and engagement for future implementation. They also interned with ASU’s Center for Archaeology and Society Repository, focusing on the Native American Grave Protection and Repatriation Act, ethics of artifact collection and repatriation procedures and connections among community, culture and collections.

Maderafont received the LGBTQIA+ Devils’ Pride Alumni Chapter Scholarship for their commitment to supporting the LGBTQ community and the Barrett Gold Standard Award for exceptional involvement in the honors community.  

They also were given the ASU Pitchfork Award for Outstanding Cultural, Diversity and Inclusion Program for efforts in reforming the Gender Inclusive Housing accommodations at ASU with the Barrett LGBTQ+ Club and the Rainbow Coalition.

Maderafont was a guest panelist offering insights as a student leader in cultural affairs at the Intercultural Competency and the Future of Work Convening by the Lumina Foundation in fall 2022. They presented in Spanish an evidence-based argument on how stereotypical representations in the media can negatively impact the Latino community at the ASU Spanish as a Heritage Language Undergraduate Conference in fall 2021.

Maderafont looked back on their undergraduate experience at ASU below.

Question: What was your “aha” moment, when you realized you wanted to study the field you majored in?

Answer: I visited museums during school trips and felt like the scholastic environment that they provide was a comfortable space for me. I visited the exhibitions at places like the Art Institute of Chicago and the Field Museum on school trips, seeing many works that piqued my interest and allowed me to conceptualize the perspective of their creators and the historical narratives displayed. Within the field of cultural institutions, there is an interdisciplinary overlap of the arts, the sciences, history and education— all subjects I've adored since I was little. After looking into career options in the museum field, I found that my interests align well with those professions, making it my ideal career path. 

Q: What’s something you learned while at ASU — in the classroom or otherwise — that surprised you or changed your perspective?

A: My perspective on museums and the role of cultural institutions changed significantly. Through ASU's art history/museum studies courses, my internship with the ASU Center for Archaeology and Society Repository, and ASU's partnership with the Smithsonian's Latino Museum Studies Program, I learned about the role of colonization and conquest in the foundation of museums and the movement to address this legacy by centering underrepresented communities. I used to think that museums were beacons of objective knowledge, but museums are not objective spaces and require a critical lens when presenting historical and cultural narratives. 

Q: Why did you choose ASU?

A: I chose to attend ASU for the resources and support I knew the university would provide as I pursued my education. My dad is an alumnus, so he showed me what a college education at ASU looks like as he had the opportunity to study abroad and learn skills that prepared him for his career. I wanted access to these unique opportunities, and I've found them here at ASU.

Q: Which professor taught you the most important lesson while at ASU?

A: It's hard to quantify the importance of what each professor taught me, and many contributed to my success. I will say that Professor Julie Codell has been especially supportive throughout my undergraduate studies and continues to teach me to trust myself and my creativity. 

Q: What’s the best piece of advice you’d give to those still in school?

A: Do not underestimate or limit yourself. If you are in the midst of stress and doubting yourself, reflect on what you have accomplished so far. You made it this far, so you can make it a little further, even if that means taking a breather and asking for help. Ultimately, set yourself up for your version of success. 

Q: What was your favorite spot on campus, whether for studying, meeting friends or just thinking about life?

A: My favorite spot on campus is the Rainbow Coalition office in the Student Pavilion. It's a comfortable room in the middle of the Tempe campus and was a wonderful central location for when I had spare time before and after class to chill, eat food from the Memorial Union and work on homework.

Q: What are your plans after graduation?

A: I plan on working in the field of cultural institutions and nonprofits while I research and apply for graduate programs. 

Q: If someone gave you $40 million to solve one problem on our planet, what would you tackle?

A: Money alone will not solve many of the prevalent issues facing our planet, especially when these issues overlap and have deeply rooted histories and systems that perpetuate these problems. I think that money could go toward underfunded educational programs that foster awareness and creativity in potential changemakers and demonstrate how to positively contribute to one's community. This would ideally include resources that would enable people to learn and operate without barriers, addressing food insecurity, mental health needs, housing and more. This all sounds vague, but ultimately, solving one problem on our planet means addressing many. 

Editor’s note: This story is part of a series of profiles of notable spring 2023 graduates.

Fantasi Nicole brings a unique perspective to engineering, and she has spent her academic career amplifying other underrepresented voices in her field. ASU doctoral degree graduate Fantasi Nicole explored the struggles of Black women pursuing engineering doctoral degrees in her dissertation while making a difference in her community through outreach and service. Download Full Image

“Being a Black womxn in engineering is important because we have different perspectives of what constitutes problems, solutions and improvements than others. These perspectives can lend to solving problems that others did not know existed,” she says. “It is important for the advancement of society for it to be inclusive and equitable of the Black womxn and others who occupy engineering spaces.”

She chose to study at the Ira A. Fulton Schools of Engineering at Arizona State University for her doctorate because she wanted to engage in research that “married social justice, racial and gendered equity and engineering to produce transformative change.”

Her dissertation, “Murder, Liberation and Art in the Engineering Ivory,” focuses on Black women's “reflections on their spirit-murdering experiences in engineering doctoral programs through arts-based and Black feminist methodologies.”

“Spirit-murdering” is a term that represents the enduring impacts of personal, psychological and spiritual harm inflicted particularly on Black students. For her dissertation, Nicole sought out practices and policies that contribute to spirit-murdering experiences of Black women who are pursuing or have completed engineering doctoral degrees. 

Nicole explores their experiences and intellectual contributions in her dissertation through the composite character Marvilous Marie, named after her mother and grandmother. Her story is that of a Black woman who experienced the drive to be an inspiration to her community by earning a doctoral degree. However, in her pursuit of this goal, she encountered many programmatic and social barriers to success that also impacted her physical, mental and emotional health.

This story also mirrors Nicole’s own academic journey. She recalls being told she wouldn’t survive engineering as a first-year undergraduate student with a 1.92 GPA. Since then, Nicole has overcome adversity to empower herself and her “homegirls,” women from similar backgrounds she stands up for.

Nicole’s advisor, Assistant Professor Brooke Coley, has been part of her healing journey as well as a great inspiration to expand her critical thinking skills and make an impact. 

Her goal is to inform ways to disrupt harmful practices and reimagine policies to enable a healing and supportive environment for all who experience spirit-murdering while pursuing advanced degrees in engineering. As higher education institutions strive to improve diversity and inclusivity, Nicole believes telling Black women’s lived experiences as doctoral students is an important contribution to the conversation.

Nicole has found many ways to make a difference outside of her doctoral work. She helped her academic community as a teaching assistant for an engineering education systems and design seminar course and inspired the next generation of engineers as a counselor and mentor for the ENGagED research experience for undergraduates.

As a member of the Beta Mu Sigma Alumnae Chapter of Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority Inc., Nicole regularly volunteers for activities, including feminine hygiene drives, feeding the homeless, an annual youth symposium and Swim 1922, a campaign in partnership with USA Swimming to teach water safety and swimming. She also serves as the co-advisor of the Beta Pi Collegiate Chapter on the ASU campus.

Graduating from ASU is the latest achievement in a long line of Nicole’s academic successes. She has now earned a bachelor’s degree, two master’s degrees and a doctoral degree in engineering and engineering education fields at four different universities. She has also worked in industry at TK Elevator, Ford Motor Company and Honeywell. 

She plans to continue working with Honeywell as a project engineer while working on her entrepreneurial endeavors as a plus-size model, podcast host, public speaker, consultant and media personality. 

“I aspire to help transform engineering by cultivating communities of equity-minded, social-justice-oriented and critically innovative engineers who create products and services to better the lives of others,” she says.

Engineering has taught Nicole many things, perhaps the most important being that she can do anything she sets her mind to.

“Here I am, four degrees later and speaking at my PhD hooding ceremony,” she says. “Obtaining this degree has been an inspiration for many of my family and friends. I am a first-generation college student who is a Black womxn from the country in Mississippi. If I can make it, so can they.”

Read about other exceptional graduates of the Fulton Schools’ spring 2023 class here.

Editor’s note: This story is part of a series of profiles of notable spring 2023 graduates.

Joseph Kemp, an alumnus of Scottsdale Community College, was awarded the All AZ-Academic Team scholarship for his outstanding academic achievements. The scholarship allowed Kemp to pursue his academic aspirations at an Arizona university of his choice and covered 60 of his undergraduate credits. Joseph Kemp received the Undergraduate Barton Kyle Yount Award. This award is presented to a student who best represents the values and standards envisioned by the founders of Thunderbird in 1946 and is the school’s highest student honor. Download Full Image

After much consideration, Kemp chose to enroll in the Bachelor of Global Management online program at Thunderbird School of Global Management at Arizona State University. He said Thunderbird's mission to empower and influence global leaders and managers who can leverage the advantages of the Fourth Industrial Revolution, as well as the overall school environment, attracted him to Thunderbird. 

"I have had the pleasure of working with classmates from different walks of life and cultural backgrounds, thanks to the (ASU Online) school environment. I even had an amazing experience interning for an accounting firm in Dublin, Ireland, which I did for my global virtual internship requirement," he explained.

Kemp describes his experiences at Thunderbird as incredibly satisfying and said he's thankful for his fellow T-bird colleagues throughout his courses and in-person events. 

"As an online student, I found virtual office hours critical to my success because they allowed me to interact with my professors and my peers, collaborate and get my questions answered," he said.

After graduation, Kemp hopes to work for an international organization and live abroad, bringing his knowledge and expertise to benefit society globally.

In recognition of his exceptional leadership and selfless dedication to enhancing the experience of his fellow students and bettering Thunderbird, Kemp received the Undergraduate Barton Kyle Yount Award. This award is presented to a student who best represents the values and standards envisioned by the founders of Thunderbird in 1946 and is the school’s highest student honor.

Question: For what in your life do you feel most grateful?

Answer: I feel most grateful to my family and friends who have supported me throughout my life, especially during my time at Thunderbird. They help to continuously encourage me to work hard and never give up when facing an obstacle. I don’t think I could be where I am now without them, so I wish to thank them for everything they’ve done for me.

Q: Which professor taught you the most important lesson while at Thunderbird?

A: Dr. Mansour Javidan taught me an important lesson about cross-cultural communication in a globalized world. This lesson exposed me to various nuances in how people from different cultures communicate, which I can now recognize and respond to/behave appropriately when interacting with someone from a different culture than my own.

Q: What has your experience at Thunderbird been like?

A: The professors have been truly outstanding and have made my experience at Thunderbird incredibly satisfying. You get the best learning experience by actively participating.