Jonathan Aguirre is a Ph.D. Candidate in Spanish and Portuguese studying urban sustainable development projects in the Amazon. He also participated in three GradFUTURES learning cohorts: American Higher Ed, Ethics of AI, and Tell Me More: Humanizing Your Research.

"I have been fortunate to be part of two GradFutures Learning Cohorts, “American Higher Education” (2018-2019) and “Ethics of Artificial Intelligence” (2019-2020). They both had incredible impact on my intellectual and professional growth.

I've been most appreciative of the stimulating conversations that have motivated me to pursue research topics I would have never otherwise considered.

The Learning Cohorts also helped me better understand some of the complex questions in Higher Education and the tech industry by providing me the opportunity to be in conversation with industry leaders. In the “American Higher Ed” Learning Cohort, for example, I had the opportunity to visit a community college and speak to faculty, administrators, and the President of the college about the institutional challenges of the community college system.

Participating in the GradFUTURES Mentorship Program is one of the highlights of my Princeton education. The conversations I had with my mentor changed my perspectives on my research and career prospects. I really appreciated the thought and effort my mentor invested to help me develop my professional aptitudes."