Student Funding Spotlight: Tripke Travel Grant

For many students, the opportunity to fully immerse themselves in their academic research by studying abroad is aspirational and may not come easy. From travel itineraries to time management strategies and financial obstacles, there are many aspects to consider when intending to study in a different country. Using an innovative and forward-thinking approach, ASU aims to bridge the logistical gap with the Tripke Travel Grant. This merit-based award supports academic high-achievers in studies and research conducted outside their regular conference attendance. Each fall, ASU colleges nominate students based on their educational achievements and scholarly contributions to their department for awarding in the spring semester.

This month, we highlight Tripke Travel Grant recipient Mirtha Garcia, a fourth-year doctoral candidate in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences who has had a lifelong passion for sociocultural anthropology. Originally from Guadalajara, Mexico, and raised in Phoenix, Arizona, Garcia initially pursued her education around the southwest as an undergraduate at ASU where she majored in Anthropology and Spanish with an emphasis on Literature. After that, she earned a master’s degree in Visual Anthropology from the University of Southern California.

From there, it was time to return to Arizona to begin research in sociocultural anthropology and archival ethnography. Garcia reflected on her decision-making process when selecting the best pathway to higher education, “I appreciated the collaborative, interdisciplinary, and inclusive approach that ASU embraces in higher education. For my PhD program, I chose my department because I would have the opportunity to work with essential professors like Dr. Tsuda and Dr. Wutich, and continue to learn from them.” She credits those faculty members for encouraging her anthropology research and guiding her through courses related to migration, global health and ethnographic research.

Luckily the inspiration and community support did not end there. Soon, Garcia learned of her nomination for the Tripke Travel Grant and later received the funding. With financial strains lifted, Mirtha dived into the experience of a lifetime: studying archival ethnography in Valencia, Spain. Additionally, the trip offered a collaborative opportunity with Lambda, a local non-profit organization that supports the LGBTQI+ community in the area. She was able to participate in and observe a few of their initiatives which deal with educational, social, health and advocacy services.

Mirtha initially got interested in LGBTQI+ archival experiences while completing her master’s degree in Visual Anthropology at the University of Southern California. While looking into the experiences of trans Latina immigrant women, Garcia wanted to obtain preliminary data about how their stories were shared in publications. Subsequently, she accessed ONE National Gay and Lesbian Archives at the USC Libraries and looked through their materials. After this exploration, she realized the power of these accounts and depictions that portrayed trans experiences. Those publications affected public narratives, and Mirtha was excited to continue this archival ethnographic work in her future research.

With those interests in mind, this experiential travel experience offered niche insight and richness that she had not encountered before, “[In Valencia] they store one of the largest collections of LGBTI+ historical materials and publications (i.e., magazines, newspapers, books and materials). I read the entire collection of newspaper publications about the trans experience locally and nationally from 2000 to 2003, which are unavailable online or are limited copies,” Garcia explained. This archival process was integral in advancing her research because the hard copies of these articles contained critical information. The texts covered depictions of trans individuals that detailed the laws implemented during that time and the non-profit organizations and political groups that were part of those historical conversations.

In addition to gaining access to important texts, Mirtha worked alongside archivists and staff with expertise in the historical perspectives of the Valencia region and Spain. Those staff members acted as guides during her experiential research by introducing her to specific books, articles, and media resources to help establish a deeper historical and cultural understanding of the topics.

One of the most enriching parts of this experience was learning the many nuances of anthropology and envisioning the material from a fresh perspective. Garcia is appreciative of this chance to go beyond the surface. “It was helpful to ask clarifying questions to the archiving personnel about jargon and lexicon in the publications to get a more culturally relativistic understanding of the content. That would not have been possible without this trip,” she explained. Additionally, she took part in LGBTI+ history by working in the same space and observing the execution of an initiative called “L’armari de la memoria'' which takes place within the office of Lambda. It involves organizing, curating and preserving the history of LGBTQI+ material within the autonomous community of Valencia to provide one of the largest archives in the region — because currently, an official archive does not exist.

Equipped with new and exciting research material and a host of supportive experts by her side, Mirtha is ready to take on the future. She acknowledged that the Tripke Travel Grant was the catalyst for this incredible experience. “I wanted to thank the generous donors who made this trip possible. This trip provided an opportunity to conduct exploratory research that will solidify and strengthen my research and equip me with a larger selection of publications that are not locally accessible. I am beyond grateful to be the recipient of such a stellar and selective award that has assisted me with completing essential archival and historical work that will help me with the trajectory of my research, career and future funding opportunities,” Garcia said.

Learn more about the ASU Tripke Travel Grant at here. Eligible colleges for spring 2023 awards should submit their nominations by November 18, 2022. Students interested in being nominated can reach out to their advisors to learn more.