Alumna Spotlight: Mia Vega Tovar ‘06

“There were many faculty members who supported and influenced me at Chatham Hall,” Tovar says. “My sister, Lorena, and I were far away from home for the first time ever and so many people helped us make Chatham Hall home.

 

“Mrs. Muradi was always there with anything we needed. I remember going to her house and learning how to cook. Ms. Jackson helped us bridge home to Chatham Hall with Spanish classes, and even created a Spanish literature class so that we could have a more advanced option. Dean Hughes was my Advisor senior year and he definitely supported me in making a college choice. He challenged me and guided me with thoughtful questions that made me really think about what I wanted to do after Chatham Hall.”

 

For Tovar, that was returning to Texas to attend Southwestern University and obtain a degree in early childhood education with a minor in mathematics. She immediately began teaching in Houston, then made the move to San Antonio where she has now lived for a decade. Today she is a dual language teacher for second grade with the Northeast Independent School District.

 

“Chatham Hall gave me the skills to be a strong woman,” she says. “It taught me that I was capable of more and that all I needed to do was take charge. It provided me a safe space to be who I wanted to be and explore more possibilities. It gave me the confidence that I could do what I set myself to do. Being at Chatham Hall really helped me believe in myself.”

 

Tovar’s favorite memories of Chatham Hall are those that revolve around the traditions she has shared with so many others. From hoping for monster cookies at Wednesday Cookie Breaks to making wreaths at Christmas to Senior Night in the Well, she had myriad opportunities for community involvement and personal development. She hopes Chatham Hall’s current and future students recognize and engage with just such opportunities.

 

“Be yourself,” she advises. “Take advantage of every single minute you have at Chatham Hall. It's a safe space that helps you grow into what you can become.”