Diamela Arencibia

Diamela Arencibia Proenza was born in Havana, Cuba. At three years old, she and her family moved to Portland, Oregon under the Special Cuban Migration Program. Four years later, they embarked on a 7-day-trip down to Miami — the people, the culture, the atmosphere in Miami were all much more familiar. They found their home.

Today, Diamela is grateful for the sacrifices her parents made to give her a life of opportunity. She maintained a high GPA, interned in a psychology lab and worked as a student assistant. She was inducted into three honor societies, including the Golden Key Honor Society.

Working alongside Melinda Hoder, whose mother was founding director of FIU’s Center for Women’s and Gender Studies, Diamela found her passion for equality and diversity issues and decided to pursue a major in women’s and gender studies, to augment her bachelor’s in psychology. She also applied for a research assistant position for the largest long-term study of brain development and child health in the United States, part of which is being conducted at the FIU Center for Children and Families. Under the guidance of physicist and cognitive neuroscientist Angie Laird, Diamela is now working as a research assistant on that project.

After graduation, Diamela will continue to work on the brain study while preparing for graduate school.

By Ayleen Barbel Fattal
Account Manager, College of Arts, Sciences & Education