Name: Larissa Elena Ramirez

Hometown: San Antonio, TX

Major: Interdisciplinary studies

Notable UD Memory: Celebrating Groundhog 2022

Notable Achievements: President of UD’s chapter of the Kappa Delta Pi International Honor Society in Education; member and captain of UD NCAA volleyball team; SCAC Honor Roll; USCAA All-American; USCAA Setter of the Week four separate times; SCAC Sportsmanship Awardee; 2023 volleyball team MVP; Dick Strockbine Student-Athlete Leadership Awardee.

Future Plans: Attending Texas State University to earn an MS in speech-language pathology.

Coming out of high school, Larissa Elena Ramirez, BA ’23, wanted to find a university that valued both the body and the mind. She looked into the University of Dallas and knew she’d found a home.

“UD’s stellar academic reputation intrigued me right away, and after touring the campus, learning about the Rome program and meeting with the athletic department, I knew it would be the best place for me to excel academically, athletically, spiritually and socially in the friendships I would make,” Ramirez said.

Since she made that realization four years ago, Ramirez has pursued education and athletics with dedication. An awarded volleyball player, extracurricular leader and scholar, Ramirez cherishes her time on the court and in the classroom, especially professor Barbara Khirallah’s class on children’s literature.

“As an avid reader, I really enjoyed getting to explore the importance of literature across all ages and felt the nostalgia of learning about books I had read as a child,” Ramirez said. “I also got to write and publish my own children’s book!”

As an interdisciplinary studies major, Ramirez feels prepared for a career in education, especially thanks to the thoughtful teaching of professors like Carmen Newstreet, Ph.D.

“Not only is she funny, accommodating and extremely intelligent, but she really pours her heart into her work by encouraging stimulating discussions. I felt challenged in her classes to ask big and almost impossible questions, think at a higher level and apply my learning in more ways than one,” Ramirez said.

“I will miss her and all of my other wonderful professors!”