Willing to take risks and follow her dreams, Kiara Batista is a force to be reckoned with. Currently working at Discovering Justice in the Moakley US Courthouse, Kiara is extremely excited about her future. This time next year, she will be in Brazil as a Fulbright Scholar, teaching English.
For Kiara, the support, nurturing, and guidance provided by SquashBusters played a pivotal role in shaping her into the person she is today. She always got good grades, and SquashBusters helped her blossom into a student-athlete who learned to prioritize so she could accomplish everything.
Kiara’s experiences helped her realize she could chase her dreams and that SquashBusters would be there to support her. “They supported me in becoming who I am and made me feel good about that. And they are always trying to amplify that. I’ve always been a go-getter. I have these dreams, hopes, and passions. Having them behind me makes me feel like I have my community behind me, and I can go and take risks. SquashBusters instilled in me the realization I can go after what I want, and I shouldn’t be afraid of failing.”
Kiara didn’t join SquashBusters until high school, but once she did, she took full advantage of all the opportunities SquashBusters had to offer. She was selected for the Citizenship Tour and went to Washington, DC, for the first time. Every tournament and squash camp was another chance to travel and meet new people. And these experiences and opportunities helped her grow into the person she is today – someone who isn’t afraid to move to another country and give back in any way she can. “A big part of who I am is because I was going to tournaments and meeting new people. I learned a lot of skills about how to interact with people. some who were really different from me. There’s so much in the program and different stages to the program. Going through all that has made me feel like I can do anything, and moving to another country is just another thing I can do.”
Kiara, a recent UMass Amherst graduate with a double major in Legal Studies and Portuguese, appreciated the post-secondary program’s support throughout college, especially in her first year. “I always felt like they had my back, and if I ever had any doubts, I could go to them. I could celebrate my wins with them and also talk about my losses. They helped me network and made sure that I remembered that SQB was still my community when I was at college. Through that, I was able to mentor some of the younger students who went to UMass Amherst.”
Kiara’s journey with SQB is still going strong. She wants to stay connected with alums, continue going to reunions, and be as involved with the programs as she can be. “I want to make sure I can meet as many students as possible as it makes the community even bigger. I want to stay in touch with staff, and I don’t ever want to be a stranger in the building. I know SquashBusters will always be my community.”