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Denisse Castro-Rivera ’25
Denisse Castro-Rivera ’25 majored in anthropology and hopes to open a cultural museum one day. Photo by Owen Withycombe, Furman University
When Denisse Castro-Rivera enrolled at Furman, it wasn’t part of her original plan. A Greenville native, Castro-Rivera had committed to another school farther from home until a family crisis led her to stay close to home. “It was a very rash, last-minute decision,” she said. “I just needed to be around my family.”
As a first-generation college student and the eldest daughter of a family from Costa Rica, Castro-Rivera admitted to a rough transition her first year or so. She was helping at home while trying to ensure she lived up to the expectations of college.
“I wasn’t really in the best place,” she said. “But I eventually accepted that I can work hard enough to put myself in the best position, even when things don’t go as planned.”
Castro-Rivera eventually found her rhythm through anthropology. She said it helped her to understand where people are coming from and “speak to everyone in a way that is actually effective.”
Her coursework, especially in Spanish with Herman N. Hipp Professor of Spanish Eunice Rojas, inspired her to pursue a publication-worthy project analyzing Latin American protest music – something she now hopes to continue beyond graduation when she enrolls in graduate school.
Mentorship and community-building became central to her Furman journey. As a leader in HOLA (Hispanic Outreach and Latinx Awareness), Castro-Rivera supported other students navigating the challenges that arise on a high-achieving campus. She reflected often on how satisfying it was to help other students triumph over setbacks and understand that they were not alone.
As she graduates, Castro-Rivera is taking a well-earned break. She’ll continue her internship at the Pickens (South Carolina) County Museum and hopes to one day open her own museum – possibly focused on shared human experiences across cultures and time. “There’s something fundamental about people that is the same,” she said. “I think we need to focus more on that.”
Denisse leaves Furman not just with a degree, but with a deeply shaped worldview – and a strong sense of self.