Teachable Moments

For Zamora, the process of applying for a Fulbright was instrumental in sorting out his aspirations.

“I started to think about what I wanted to do after I graduate,” he says. “The main answer I had was that I wanted to live abroad and immerse myself in a new culture—experiencing intercultural exchange has become a main life goal of mine.” Zamora got his first taste of this goal when he studied away in Amsterdam during his junior year. A year later, he accepted his Fulbright award with an opportunity to once again venture across the pond and immerse himself in that European culture he fell in love with.

As he puts it: “Spain called me, and I picked up the phone.”

During his time at Oberlin, Zamora became involved with the Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, serving as a trainer for the Preventing and Responding to Sexual Misconduct (PRSM) program and helping with mandatory Title IX training for students. He completed an internship in advocacy and public policy at the Opa-Locka Community Development Corporation in his hometown, where his work involved research and creation of resources to educate low-income citizens on how to advocate for themselves and their communities. This role deeply enriched his understanding of community needs and ignited a passion for using education as a tool for empowerment.

Zamora doesn't have a clear vision of his career plans post-Fulbright, and he’s comfortable with the uncertainty. “I want to see if I enjoy teaching high-schoolers or if I want to pursue further education,” he says, adding that he’s interested in graduate studies in political communication or public policy. “But I hope to continue living in Europe and making new connections wherever I end up.”

He is effusive in his thanks to the faculty and staff who supported him through his Oberlin journey, among them professor Claire Solomon in Hispanic studies—one of Zamora’s two minors, along with Africana studies—and the staff of the Bonner Center, most notably Director of Education Outreach Programs Susan Pavlus.

“I also want to thank my mom and all my friends,” he adds. “It takes a community, and they are mine.”