Alumni and Friends Making an Impact

Cristina Santiago Loza ’16 didn’t have to look far to figure out what she was meant to do in life. Now a psychiatry resident in both her hometown of Ponce, Puerto Rico, as well as San Juan, Santiago Loza continues to learn, lead and serve after learning through her own experience that she could help others going through similar experiences.

Inspired by her own journey with mental health, Santiago Loza has written a children’s book called Just Breathe, which is aimed at helping children deal with fear and start a conversation with their parents about mental health. She has also given TedX talks about topics such as identifying what we can learn through sadness.

Santiago Loza says donors who give to scholarship funds helped make her time at UD possible and gives credit to her time living at 417 Lowes with four others for teaching her about how to live and help others since she was a fellow while living at that house. She also remembers traveling with other Flyers to their homes during the Thanksgiving holidays. Santiago Loza says those friends gave her a different meaning of family — that we can choose the family who helps us grow.