Student Commentary

About majoring in Latin American Studies…

Dear Interested Student,

Hello! My name is Ashley and I am a sophomore in the Latin American Studies Program at the University of Miami. A couple of weeks ago, I received a copy of an e-mail from you regarding the Latin American Studies program at UM. I came to UM for the exact reasons that it interests you. I am very interested in Latin America, and saw Miami as the perfect location to study, in that it plays such a central role in Latin American economic and social affairs. I too was an AFS student. I spent the summer before my senior year of High School in Santa Fe, Argentina. After my AFS experience I was certain that I wanted my involvement with Latin America to continue for the rest of my life, as I felt so passionate about the political, social, and economic issues which face many Latin American nations, combined with an extreme affection and personal connection with the Latin American people. Just from reading your e-mail, I feel safe in assuming that you feel the same way, and that your strong personal connection with Latin America is your motivation for pursuing a major in Latin American Studies.

Although many universities in the United States have renowned Latin American Studies programs, UM's program is unique in that it allows each student to form their own program of studies, which is based upon their particular goals and interests. Students in the Latin American Studies program choose two concentrations with-in the college of Arts and Sciences and must take a certain number of credit hours in these subject areas. The vast number of concentrations allows each LAS major to create their own unique program of studies. I have still not decided on my two concentrations, but as of now I am considering Political Science, Economics, History, and Spanish. Other students however may choose Art History, Geography, Biology, etc. I think the concentrations are an excellent way to organize the major, in that they force each LAS major to focus their studies, while still allowing each student to take a variety of courses in different subject areas. Since a relatively small number of students major in LAS, each student gets as much individual attention as they need in terms of advising for courses.

As you well know, Miami is an extremely international city, and has a large Latin American population. It is amazing how much connection Miami has with Latin America. I enjoy living in Miami because I am in constant contact with Latin American people and culture. There are several local newspapers and television station which focus on Latin America and are released in Spanish. There is also a large Brazilian population, and a constant influx of tourists and visitors from all over the world. These facts give Miami a truly international feel, and many people jokingly refer to it as the capital of Latin America. Driving through the streets of downtown Miami, it is easy to see why it is often referred to in such a way. Many Latin American banks and other business firms have large offices here. This is an excellent source of internship opportunities and possible future employment.

I can honestly say that I speak Spanish here everyday, and as my Portuguese improves I am becoming more aware of the opportunities that I will have to speak it here in Miami. The University of Miami has many international students, and a large number of them are from Latin America. Living and studying in Miami is so much fun, because everyday I discover some new place that I can visit or meet some new person from another country. I think the LAS program at the University of Miami is exceptionally good, but the fact the University is located in the heart of Miami, a city with a true "sabor de latinoamerica" makes it even better. As an LAS major here in Miami, not only do I have the opportunity to learn about various aspects of Latin America within the classroom, but I also have the continuous opportunity to learn about Latin America in my everyday life experiences.

I hope I have given you some general ideas as to what makes the Latin American Studies major at the University of Miami unique. Please feel free to contact me with any further questions or concerns, and by all means, if you visit the campus, give me a call! I would love to show you around and talk to you more in person.

Sincerely,

Ashley Helen Atwell

About doing an internship through Latin American Studies…

As a Latin American Studies Major, I was looking for a summer internship that would allow me to use my Spanish (another major of mine) and would give me insight into Latin American affairs or politics. Through the suggestion of my advisor, Dr. Levine, I contacted a few embassies and was subsequently invited to work for the Embassy of Chile during the summer of 2002 in Washington D.C.

I gained a lot of knowledge and grew as a person at the Embassy. I not only learned about Chile and its government, but I also now have a better understanding of how our own government works. Being in the Political Department gave me the opportunity to see government in action. I translated many biographies of senators and congressmen alike from English to Spanish, so that the Ambassador could quickly glance over the profile before meeting with the Senator or Representative. I also translated many newspaper articles and letters; I had the privilege of working with the Ambassador on one of the letters I translated. Other things that I accomplished during my time with the Embassy were a synopsis of American religious factions, a report on United States legislation regarding (1) the confidentiality of documents and (2) restrictions on former Federal employees, and a summary of the upcoming November elections (i.e. which races—for Governor, Senator, or Representative—are going to be close, who is expected to win, etc.). Occasionally, I attended Senate committee hearings and wrote reports.

The people I worked with were all wonderful. There was even a Brazilian secretary in the Political Department, so I was able to practice my Portuguese with her and eat her wonderful pão de queijo that she made each time Brazil won a game in the World Cup. My last day at the Embassy was incredible. The department took me out to lunch and it made me realize again why I love the Latin culture so much. The entire lunch was very relaxed (we stayed for almost two hours) and full of conversation and laughter.
I had always heard that the experience an intern receives is invaluable, but I never fully believed it until now. The experience I take with me from having worked in an embassy and living in our nation’s capital for a summer is much more valuable than any amount of money they could have paid me. I highly recommend an internship with any Latin American Embassy for Latin American Studies majors. It’s an unforgettable experience.

April Runkle

About life after graduating with a major in Latin American Studies…

Dear Prospective Student,

I would like to take this opportunity to share my experience with you as well as with prospective and current students in the Latin American Studies (LAS) program.

My interest in the study of Latin America originally led me to UM and the LAS program. Now more than ever I can say that Miami is the ideal location for anyone desiring immersion in a truly cosmopolitan Latin American environment. In fact, I would venture to say that studying, living, and working in Miami gives one a more comprehensive understanding and appreciation of modern Latin America than residing in a city of any one given country. Miami really is the de facto capital and crossroads of Latin peoples and cultures (even more so than New York or Los Angeles, cities I know very well).

I would like to emphasize that the most important aspect of an education is not specialization early on (this is important, but I believe it should be acquired later) but a broad curriculum in the liberal arts and sciences, i.e., humanities.

The LAS program offered me the perfect balance, and the liberal arts education that is so lacking today. In the LAS program, we approached Latin American Studies in a broad and multidisciplinary manner, studying history, geography, art, languages (especially important--I would emphasize to your students to acquire at least fluency in either Spanish or Portuguese, and preferably both). Also, the LAS program is flexible and allows for a double major, and a minor as well if students follow a rigorous curriculum. I followed a double major in LAS and Spanish, with minors in English and French.

After graduation I joined Taiwan Trade Center Miami, which is one of nearly 40 overseas branch offices of CETRA (www.cetra.org.tw). CETRA stands for China External Trade Development Council, the trade promotion and industry development organization of the government of Taiwan, ROC. CETRA is a non-profit government-sponsored entity under the Ministry of Economic Affairs of Taiwan. TTCM is one of four U.S. offices and also serves as the regional office for much of Latin America. I entered TTCM as a Trade Promotion Specialist and rose to become the Senior Project Manager.

It was an unforgettable experience when I was sitting at the executive meeting, in Taiwan, bringing rtogether Brazilians and Taiwanese to negotiate, in English, a multi-million dollar partnership half-way around the world! I think that experience truly exemplifies the integration of my academic and work experience. It was one of the most rewarding experiences of my life.

I hope my experience thus far can be of some guidance as to the possibilities of a major in Latin American Studies and of traditional liberal arts education.

Hans de Salas-del Valle