Chiara Perotti Correa
As Exonians cheer at events and games, they can spot senior Chiara Perotti Correa capturing photos on the sidelines. Her smile spreads to every person in the area, and her hard work is evident in every project she does. Whether she is hanging out with her friends or bringing awareness to mental health, Correa is an active member on campus and leaves a lasting impression on everyone she connects with.
“I understand that Exeter can be a stressful place where people like to bury themselves in their work, but I’ve never really been that kind of person. I’m been more of ‘Let’s go out and about!’ or ‘Let’s go hang together!’”
Born and raised in a small town in Ecuador, Correa was sure from an early age that she wanted to attend college in the U.S. However, she was unsure whether she would be able to adjust to an American college after spending high school in Ecuador where educational opportunities were lacking.
As an international student, Correa is a member of the International Student Alliance (ISA) Board. “It’s a great experience because I don’t think a lot of people realize that there are a lot of international students here,” she said. She felt that the alliance greatly helped her transition to a foreign place and is happy to help other students in similar situations with their own move.
Correa’s favorite part of Exeter is the friendships that she will take with her, even after she graduates. “I understand that Exeter can be a stressful place where people like to bury themselves in their work, but I’ve never really been that kind of person. I’m been more of ‘Let’s go out and about!’ or ‘Let’s go hang together!’” she said.
The relationships she has built here have made Exeter a “home away from home” for her. However, Correa did face a few obstacles when she initially arrived as a new lower. As a native Spanish speaker, she struggled to transition to speaking English all the time. She worked hard to perfect her American accent, as she saw how people would judge her family for the way they spoke whenever they visited America.
That being said, coming to Exeter has made her more proud of where she comes from. “Since there are not a lot of native Latinos here, I have always made it my mission to make sure that we have representation or make people aware of the different cultures,” Correa said. She hoped to spread some knowledge of different countries and varying customs around the world.
Many know Correa as a reliable and supportive friend. Senior Teddy Scott described her as a “110 percent” friend. According to Scott, Correa makes people happy just because she can. “She works hard in the things she loves, and she has a lot of time, energy and effort to give,” he said.
Senior Alexander Renaud, who first met Correa through International Student Orientation, recalled her warm and friendly nature and how easy it was to connect with her the first time they met. Renaud particularly appreciates Correa’s giving nature. “She can put down getting an A on a paper because she cares more about helping other people than helping herself,” he said.
Having been roommates with Correa, senior Milena Deguere feels that she will always be able to count on her. “She is just someone that I can knock on her door for anything, and we catch up every day,” she said.
Deguere also praised Correa for her linguistic abilities, saying, “I have classes with her in English, and I have also seen her take French, and as someone who speaks only one language, it’s impressive that she can even write something in another language, and it’s actually good.”
Modern Languages Instructor Hershel Reichlin, who had Correa in his Italian 999 course, agreed. Correa, who is a native Spanish speaker, studied French at Exeter and has Italian-speaking family members, entered the course with a strong background in Romance languages. “She has a great feel for the music of Italian and can switch between languages using idiomatic expressions with ease,” Reichlin said.
However, Reichlin knew Correa long before their 999 course. In December 2016, Reichlin met Correa at a term abroad program orientation where he was the director of the program in Cuenca, Ecuador. To this day, he still remembers how Correa came to him to introduce herself and stayed longer to introduce Ecuador to the students.
“What better than a native Ecuadorian to inform our prospective candidates about her country, the school and what to expect from the host families? She was incredibly warm, open and generous with her time. I'm convinced it was because of the excitement that she generated that we ended up with 30 applications,” he said.
Many students also associate Correa with photography, for good reason. As the previous Director of Photography for both The Exonian and PEAN, she always attended games and events, capturing memories with her camera.
“For me, photography was always something I could use to connect to people because in order to take a picture of someone, you need to have an upfront conversation first,” Correa said. “That’s what I always loved about it. I got to meet people that I wouldn’t interact with on a daily basis.”
In addition to photography, Correa is also a co-head for Active Minds, an ESSO club dedicated to raising awareness for and destigmatizing mental health. “I think one of the big things we try to combat is the stigma around mental health,” Correa said.
Spanish Instructor Ellen Glassner, Correa’s adviser of two years, appreciates Correa’s open-mindedness. “She is really comfortable with sharing stuff, and as an advisor, this is a key to having an open relationship because you really have to know the advisees,” she said.
In her senior spring, Correa hopes to fill the last weeks at Exeter with quality time with the people around her. Her friends and mentors have no doubt that she will excel in whatever she puts her mind to after all of the obstacles she has overcome.
Correa is truly thankful for the opportunities Exeter has given her. “I’m excited to see what’s next in my life, yet I don’t regret one single thing about coming here,” she said.