Senior Carlos Alvarado-Richter Awarded E.H. Sparkman Memorial Scholarship

The Division of Spanish and Portuguese proudly recognizes senior Carlos Alvarado-Richter as the recipient of the E.H. Sparkman Memorial Scholarship for 2025. Carlos is a University Scholars major with a secondary major in Spanish and a minor in Medical Humanities. After his upcoming graduation in May 2026, he will continue his academic journey at Baylor College of Medicine to earn his MD.  

Beyond the classroom, Carlos has made an exceptional impact through his volunteer work with La Puerta, a nonprofit organization directed by Dr. Israel Loachamin that offers English as a Second Language (ESL) and citizenship tutoring classes for Waco’s Hispanic community. Through First Baptist Waco, he has assisted with both ESL and citizenship courses, helping local, Spanish-speaking residents strengthen their English proficiency. In his role as Service Chair for Alpha Epsilon Delta, the pre-health honor society, Carlos successfully established an ongoing partnership with La Puerta, allowing members to serve the Hispanic community weekly. 

Carlos is also pursuing the Certificate in Medical Spanish for Health Professionals, reflecting his commitment to bridging language and healthcare. He is an active member of the Baylor University Men’s Choir.  

Under the mentorship of Dr. Moisés Park, he is writing his University Scholars honors thesis through the Spanish Division. His thesis will explore the theme of "Illness as Metaphor" in three films, Diarios de Motocicleta (2004), Truman (2015), & Biutiful (2010), using Susan Sontag’s work of literary critical theory Illness as Metaphor (1978) as a way of understanding these films. 

Carlos’s achievements exemplify the Division of Spanish and Portuguese's mission of integrating intellectual rigor, service, and global understanding through language and culture. We are proud to have gifted him this prestigious scholarship and eager to see what other accomplishments lie in his future. ¡Enhorabuena, Carlos!