Camilla Bianchi, ‘19

February 2016

Professor Sández, who joined BHSEC, this semester teaches Spanish and contemporary Cuban literature in the college program. Laura Sández was born in Buenos Aires, Argentina, where she lived until the age of 22. During her childhood, Professor Sández practiced judo because her father owned a dojo. She also practiced competitive swimming. Professor Sández’s passion for literature and the Spanish language began to manifest during her childhood, she says, “I read a book a day, my parents couldn’t keep up with me.”

Until Professor Sández was sixteen, she was thinking of studying biology. She decided, however, to study nutrition at the Universidad de Buenos Aires. She considered a career in teaching after she realized that she “was always teaching someone something,” for example, her “brother to read,” and her “mom to swim.” Professor Sández then moved to the United States to study at the Evergreen State College, where she received her bachelor’s degree in media and teaching. Sández really enjoyed the program at Evergreen College. She said that it was a very productive environment, where “all the teachers taught together.” She even tries to apply some of their teaching tactics to her teaching method here at BHSEC. After completing her studies at the Evergreen State College, Sández moved to New York, where she received her Master’s degree in Performance Studies at Tisch School of the Arts at New York University (NYU). Before BHSEC, Sández taught Spanish and Spanish literature at many different colleges, including NYU, the New School, Laguardia Community College, and Lehman College. Professor Sández is still a student at the Graduate Center at CUNY, where she is writing her thesis on the theme of emotions in Cuban literature in order to receive her PhD in Hispanic and Luso-Brazilian Languages and Literatures.

Professor Sández said she applied to BHSEC because, “I liked the vibe.” Sández approves wholeheartedly of the early college program, she said, “I always thought you were able to go to college at sixteen, it’s a good idea.” Sández said that she is comfortable in the school and that the BHSEC students are “mature.” In comparison to students she has taught at other colleges, she thought BHSEC students were at the same level, except for maybe at NYU. Having taught at NYU, where teachers are always expected to publish new things, she always tries to find innovative teaching methods. Sández also tries to apply anthropology to her teaching method to create an interdisciplinary environment in her classes.

Although Professor Sández spends a great deal of her time in school, she also has many interests outside of BHSEC. Sández, as revealed by her studies in media, really likes theatre and acting. In fact, she still acts in multiple plays every year. In her free time, Sández, enjoys writing fiction for the Spanish magazine, Los Barbaros. When the weather is nice, Sández likes to go biking around the city. She also enjoys swimming every now and then. Sández is currently practicing yoga as well.

Teacher Feature: Professor Sández