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Manu Ribas ’26 considers herself an extrovert. But even an extrovert can be afraid to try new things. In her senior year, Ribas joined the squash team and the Mi Gente Living-Learning Community, finishing her journey at Mount Holyoke by embracing opportunities she was hesitant to try as a first year.

“Looking back, I think, ‘Wow, I could’ve done this sooner!’” she said. “My advice to my first-year self would be to continue looking for new things that you can do to build your toolbox.”

Ribas, a Posse Scholar, applied Early Decision to Mount Holyoke. Being from Miami by way of Rio de Janeiro, she was used to being surrounded by lots of activity. Although she was surprised by the small-town size of South Hadley, she quickly found it helped her to form deeper connections.

“You're more focused on your relationships here,” she said. “It allowed me to reflect more on who I am and who I want to be and to spend more time with my friends.”

Initially Ribas was interested in psychology but took an introductory neuroscience class and loved it so much that, two weeks into the course, she declared it her major.

“The brain is our essence — it’s what makes us human,” she said. “Neuroscience is very meaningful to my future work as a physician because the brain is the root of everything.”

Ribas credits her research advisor, Assistant Professor of Psychology Travis Hodges, for “taking a chance on her” and allowing her to join his research lab.

“He allowed me to gain hands-on learning experience in the lab while developing not only laboratory skills but also broader ones — like writing, public speaking and data analysis — that I know will be useful no matter what career path I take,” she said.

Ribas applied the skills she learned in neuroscience to jobs she has worked at the College. During her time at Mount Holyoke, she held such positions as Senior Admission Ambassador, Peer Career Assistant and Neuroscience Tutor.

“My lessons in neuroscience taught me to think deeper about the reasoning behind human behavior,” she said. “They made me a more empathetic person, and I feel that characteristic is invaluable at any kind of leadership position.”

She also volunteers at Holyoke Medical Center and credits Katie Lipp at the Jones Career Development Center for connecting her with the position as well as providing her with resources for Medical College Admission Test preparation.

Ribas fell in love with Massachusetts during her time at Mount Holyoke and plans to attend medical school in 2027 in the area. In the meantime, her goal is to find a job in the health care sector.

Another component Ribas loves and will miss at the College is the community connections she has made, particularly within the Latinx organizations on campus. She has served on the executive board of and describes the experience as monumental to her time at the College.

“We need to be seen. We need to be understood. La Unidad and Mi Gente really build intentional community,” she said. “I’m Brazilian, but Mexicans, Dominicans, Hondurans, Salvadorans — all of us are different. We have similarities, but we come from different cultures. I am grateful for the opportunity to learn more about the differences within my Latino culture and to live in a diverse, global environment. I feel it will do wonders for my patient care.”