Brisa Mendoza STEMs The Graduation Tide

As downtown streets closed Monday to make way for a thousand parading Yale graduates, Brisa Mendoza was posted at the center of the brick Broadway center island reading Daughters of Sparta and taking it all in before starting her shift at The Yale Bookstore. 

Mendoza last week returned home to New Haven for the summer from Providence College in Rhode Island. She admired the passing Yalies.

“It’s really cool seeing all of the students graduate,” Mendoza said during a conversation on the ​“Word on the Street” segment of WNHH FM’s ​“LoveBabz LoveTalk” program. ​“Even though I don’t go to Yale, it’s inspiring, because I’m going to be a junior. So I guess that’s coming up soon.”

Mendoza takes pride in how far she’s made it working towards her degree in biochemistry. She said that there’s a lot of speculation among students about how hard it is to complete the program.

“Going into school, you hear that being a STEM major, that’s basically the end. But I’m in shock that I’ve made it halfway through,” Mendoza said. ​“Everyone says it’s so hard, but I’m proud of myself for making it this far.”

The 19-year-old has been brainstorming about future careers. She isn’t set on a dream job as of yet but has a lot of ideas in mind. 

“Being a vegan has made me consider food chemistry,” Mendoza said. ​“Skincare is biochemistry. Drug production is too. Environmentalism. There’s so many things I like; that’s why I’m not entirely sure yet.”

Starting in the fall, Mendoza will be working in a lab alongside her professor, who is also her school advisor. He’s studying examining the effect of prescription drugs on gut bacteria.

“It takes so many years to make a certain kind of drug for a certain purpose,” Mendoza said. ​“The bacteria in our gut changes that compound in any kind of way. The idea is: What’s the point of all those years if it’s going to be changing anyway?

“We’re going to be working on that in the fall. I’m excited.”

When Mendoza was younger she wanted to be a lawyer. 

“I’ll never forget when my family and I took a trip to D.C. for my birthday, which is on July 4th,” Mendoza said. ​“And I took a picture in front of the Supreme Court. I guess if I still wanted to go to law school, I could, but I’m also not a huge fan of reading a ton for classes.”

Mendoza is staying with her parents in Westville while working at the Yale Bookstore on Broadway. She worked at the bookstore last summer and was accepted back to pick up shifts for the summer.

“I feel like they think that I’m a good worker. I never complain about hours or anything,” Mendoza said. ​“I just need money.”

She wants to have her own place or be somewhere new next summer.

“I’m sure if I worked more, then I could survive on my own,” Mendoza said. ​“And have roommates to live with. I’m so happy that I get to live with my parents. But it’s like suffocating sometimes.”

Mendoza’s schedule isn’t set, so she comes in different days each week. She works in the merchandise department.

“I’m pretty available so I don’t care,” Mendoza said. ​“And sometimes it’s really slow. I’m sure if I was a server then I would be way more stressed.”

She said that with the Yale graduations, people have recently been buying out much of the merchandise. 

In June, Mendoza and her family will be visiting Peru, where her parents are from.

“We’re going to go to see our family, go to Machu Picchu, and the beaches,” Mendoza said. ​“I’m really excited. Then after that I’m going to visit my friend from college in Maryland.”

Mendoza attended Sacred Heart Academy in Hamden for high school, and still has many friends she hangs out with here.

“There’s actually a lot of women” in STEM, Mendoza said. ​“Our STEM program isn’t that big. I think our class is made up of 13 students, and there were only four boys. So it was mostly girls. I think my school is just more girls.”

She had a message to other women who are considering pursuing a STEM degree. 

“I think honestly it’s so important to just have an open mind and believe in yourself. Once you tell yourself that you can’t do something, that’s when you shut yourself down,” Mendoza said. ​“I’ve had those moments, but then there’s other times when I’m like, ​‘No, I can do this, and I just need to do XYZ to make it happen.’ And just take care of yourself.’”

Mendoza wrapped up the segment and headed into her 10 a.m. shift at the Yale Bookstore. She planned on hitting the Planet Fitness with her friend after work this afternoon, once the Yale graduation rush came to an end and the blue sea parted.