Meet Indian Springs' First International Mayor Carina Lim ’21

This story appeared in the Fall 2021 issue of Indian Springs Magazine.

Indian Springs graduated its first international students in 1955. Their names were Charles and Henry Taylor, and they were from the Dominican Republic. Sixty-five years later, the Indian Springs student body elected its first international mayor. Her name is Carina Lim, and she is from Singapore. Indian Springs alum and faculty member Lauren Wainwright '88 asked Carina about her experiences and perspective on this moment in the school’s history.

A: I was born and raised in Singapore. I came to Indian Springs in the 10th grade because it seemed to be the antithesis of the education system I was raised in back home. In Singapore, where rote learning was the key to academic success, I felt suffocated. Students couldn’t choose the courses they wanted to take or elect to take part in more than one extracurricular, which they had to commit to for the entirety of their schooling. These factors, among many others, made Indian Springs appear to be an unparalleled opportunity.

When I was ultimately deciding which school to attend, what set Indian Springs apart from other boarding schools that offered the same academic experience was the values it espoused. It was apparent that the spirit of Indian Springs didn’t exist just in the academic choices I was given. To Learn through Living, engage with a vibrant residential program, pursue my interests in all that I did—Indian Springs promised that and so much more.

A: So much. To put it simply, I value Indian Springs because Indian Springs values its students. This mutual appreciation is cemented in everything the school offers and everything the community offers in return. Three hundred and fifty acres of woods, swans, lakes, and streams meant I never went a couple of days without gaining a deeper appreciation of nature and all the ways a good walk in the woods can clear one's head. An essentially limitless (shoutout to independent studies) set of courses to choose from meant I got to explore it all, from deepening my interests in some fields to deciding "maybe not" to others. More importantly, the people, the community, and the voices meant my three years here never went by without hearing valuable and life-changing stories. Hour-long discussions with friends on issues of inequity and power in between having our usual heated debates over pop culture icons has shown me that seeking different perspectives makes all the difference in your education. 

Everything I value about Indian Springs I value because the opportunities the school provides show me that it places students first. Even the structure of Indian Springs’ constitution reminds us that we all have the power to change our environment for the better. This idea of change has been particularly pressing recently. With issues of equity, diversity, and inclusion finally in the limelight, I am comforted by the knowledge that the foundations for change are being built as we speak. This is not to say that Indian Springs is an entirely perfect institution. As a member of several marginalized communities, I’ve had my share of unwanted experiences in my three years. Ultimately, however, I recognize that change takes time. I’m thankful that the wheels have been set in motion. I’m excited to see where this will lead.

A: There are too many factors, but the biggest one I've identified is a lack of support systems for international students that led to a disconnect between local and international students and between international students and the school as a whole. Everyone has unconscious biases, and they manifest in different ways. They’re not unique to groups of people, but they affect different groups of people uniquely. Specifically, marginalized groups are much more at risk of being significantly negatively affected by unconscious biases. 

In the case of the international community at Indian Springs, I would venture to say that unconscious biases have resulted in some form of exclusion from the student body and key leadership positions. Some may argue that the rarity of seeing international students in leadership positions has stemmed from international students simply not engaging or taking the first steps to run for those leadership positions, but that isn’t entirely accurate. The lack of representation is a vicious cycle, and I can speak from firsthand experience that it was discouraging for me when I first came to Indian Springs. 

Cultural education that encourages introspection is the key to eradicating unconscious biases, which is the key to reducing barriers to participation. Having support systems that place the burden of education on the dominant groups rather than the affected groups is having support systems that work. I’m heartened that Indian Springs is taking steps to address matters of equity, diversity, and inclusion and looking forward to where they will lead.

A: I like to think that I’ve tried a little bit of everything at Indian Springs. Outside of the classroom, I’ve taken up softball and volleyball (and one pretty unfortunate season of basketball). I’ve also done Science Olympiad and dabbled around in starting clubs. My biggest commitments, however, have been student government and the Woodward Post. 

I’ve served in student government for three semesters now—once as the Commissioner of Boarding, once as the Commissioner of Education, and once as, well, Mayor. Student government has defined much of my experience at Indian Springs. It's unbelievable how much of an impact a student-led organization can have on a campus. 

As for the Woodward Post, it is hands down the best decision I've ever made to join and start writing. The kind of repression and censorship of public discourse I’ve experienced in Singapore meant that the voices I heard and the public discourse that was being had was most often repetitive and one-sided. Coming to Indian Springs, it was crazy to me that a student-led organization could publish, in essence, whatever it wanted to publish. As an editor and writer, I had the creative freedom to write about what mattered to me. As editor-in-chief, I've had the privilege of engaging with talented peers and continuing the Woodward Post's legacy. It has meant the world to me.

A: As of summer 2021, I think most if not all of our international students have been able to return home. Last summer, things were different. I had the privilege of returning to Singapore, but I don't think this was true of all international students. The pandemic has been difficult for everyone, but it affects international students much differently. For some, it has meant learning asynchronously for an entire academic year. For others, especially seniors, it has cost precious memories and milestones like senior banquet, graduation, saying goodbye to campus. The pandemic has irreversibly altered many international students’ high school experiences in a very different way from how it has altered that of local students. It has exacerbated the difficulty of travel, inflating the cost of flights and creating travel restrictions that have impacted many international students' abilities to return home.

When it comes to responding to a pandemic, though, I applaud Indian Springs’ efforts to replicate the quality of an in-person education for students in a completely different timezone. I appreciate the efforts every single teacher has gone through to adjust to the new normal: learning to work around Zoom, answering emails promptly, and checking in with students individually (among many, many other efforts). Without their enthusiasm, this year would have been quite honestly unbearable.

A: That's a difficult question. It has, of course, been a tremendous honor and privilege, not just to be the first international mayor but to be a mayor at all. The job of mayor is a huge responsibility, but one that also presents incredible potential and promise. Every mayor leaves a different legacy. Every mayor takes on their role a little differently. Having the space to lead, learn, and grow while having the freedom to define what your priorities and goals are as mayor: that's one of the best parts.

When it comes to the question of being an international mayor, though, I'm not sure I have an answer. One of my favorite authors, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, discusses the danger of a single story in a TED Talk. I am the first international mayor, but I am not able to wholly represent the diverse diaspora of voices of the international community. My perspective has been limited by the unique experiences I lack; my perspective has been undeniably bolstered by the unique experiences I've lived. I'm heartened that there was a first. I'm excited that there will be more. Over time, I hope that the role of mayor can be occupied by a wealth of diverse voices. Over time, I hope that this wealth of diverse voices will better help define what it means to be an international mayor at Indian Springs. For now, though, I'll have to wait.

A: Next year, I’m excited to be attending Bowdoin College in Maine. Besides learning to surf and having lobster rolls three meals a day, seven days a week, I’m ready to narrow the scope of my learning and pursue my passions to a fuller extent. I haven’t quite decided on what I’m going to be majoring in, but the fields of law, philosophy, education, and economics fascinate me. My lived experiences in Singapore and Alabama have formed the basis of my interests and passions, and I'm looking forward to my lived experiences in Maine doing the same. My teachers at Indian Springs have inspired me beyond measure (shoutout to Ms. Wainwright. If I ever go to law school, you'll be the first to know). Without them, I don't think I could have made it this far. I will be forever grateful.