Since graduating from Tulane Michael has held a variety of jobs. He worked as Research Assistant to Tulane professor Nora Lustig, as a cook/server in a pizza kitchen, and as HR Administrative Assistant at FSG (Foundation Strategy Group). He is currently Research Associate at FSG, where he is currently staffed on a project working to develop a shared value strategy (community development) for a mining company in Peru.
Michael’s time at Tulane prepared him for life in the real world…

Why did you choose to major in Latin American Studies?
The main reason I chose to pursue a major in Latin American studies was my interest in the region – it‘€™s culture, history, economics, society, etc. Most of what I knew about Latin America before college was from Spanish and world history classes in high school, and I wanted to learn more. I also wanted to continue studying Spanish, and studying Latin America provided many opportunities to apply my developing Spanish language skills. Additionally, I was attracted to the major because of its interdisciplinary nature. I was able to focus on the topics that were of greatest interest to me and take classes across departments, a freedom most majors don‘€™t offer. Latin American Studies complements most other courses of study well – in my case, a major in Economics and a minor in Spanish.

How has your background in LAST helped you since graduation?
First and foremost, the critical thinking, research, and writing skills that I honed during my time in LAST are the most transferable skills one can build for a career after graduation. Everything in college involving research, writing, presenting, and general critical thinking was relevant for my current position as a Research Associate at FSG. I am staffed on a project focusing largely on community development in Peru, so coursework related to the history, society, and economics of Latin America has been relevant as well, along with my minor in Spanish. My job is about problem-solving, which is not a skill that can be taught in one class or using one methodology. LAST is a great liberal arts major that helped me develop a broad understanding of how to approach problem-solving around social issues.

In hindsight, what would you have done differently as a LAST major?
I would have started looking for a job sooner and looked for internships through the lens of getting my foot in the door at an organization I hoped to land a job with. This means looking for jobs starting the summer before senior year, or that fall at the latest. I completely missed the campus recruiting cycle, which is the only way to get hired as an undergrad with no work experience at some organizations. Internships are also a great way to get a job, either through returning to the organization you interned for, or at least by having good internships on your resume. However, this is all easier said than done, as I remember having no idea what kind of job I wanted that early in my college career.
Also, not something that I would have done differently, but I think it was important to have multiple majors; I even wish I had picked up another minor. Many of the opportunities I‘€™ve come across are looking for folks with a mix of different skills and knowledge, and it‘€™s great if you can offer a unique blend. You also have more options down the road if your interests change or evolve.

Any words of wisdom for LAST undergraduates?
Take full advantage of what Tulane and LAST have to offer – you won‘€™t have access to these resources and opportunities after you graduate! Study abroad if you can, go to guest lectures, apply for fellowships, participate in clubs and other extracurricular activities, etc. It‘€™s great to pad your resume with extras, but even more important, you‘€™ll learn a lot, and you never know when you might make a new contact or discover an exciting opportunity. When it comes time to answer tough questions in a job interview, you‘€™ll have a wealth of experience to draw from.

Brazilian Army Commission, Washington, DC; Graduate Institute for International and Development Studies (IHEID), Geneva, Switzerland

Max’s journey since graduating from Tulane has been a long one. He initially stayed in New Orleans after graduating. He spent a year helping to promote the city‘€™s tourism industry by translating marketing materials for the Latin American market at the New Orleans Metropolitan Convention and Visitors Bureau. Later during his time in New Orleans, he repaired computers and worked at Restaurant August. He then moved to Washington, DC where he found a job at the Brazilian Army Commission‘€“a branch of the Brazilian embassy. Most recently, Max was accepted into a Master‘€™s program at the Graduate Institute for International and Development Studies (IHEID) in Geneva, where he is currently studying.

Max’s LAST major brought him to Switzerland…

Why did you choose to major in Latin American Studies?
To say that I was a below average high school student would be an understatement. The only exception was Spanish class, which I thoroughly enjoyed. So much so that I even went on a summer exchange program in Paraguay. After high school I took several Latin America-related classes at City College of San Francisco. I applied to transfer to several universities. My Latin American Art History teacher said that Tulane would be the best choice because of the Stone Center.

How has your background in LAST helped you since graduation?
It got me a great job. While many people who studied fields that are considered more practical or job oriented are left out in the cold, Spanish and Portuguese language skills are in high demand. Despite the fact that 2010 showed the highest unemployment numbers in a quite a while, I was hired as a local employee at the Brazilian embassy on a renewable contract with great pay and benefits (and home cooked Brazilian food every day for lunch). LAST also helped me get an internship with the US Embassy in Brasília‘€“not to mention a master‘€™s degree with a scholarship in Switzerland.

In hindsight, what would you have done differently as a LAST major?
I wouldn‘€™t have been worried so much about class choices. I remember thinking ‘€œthese two courses are too closely related‘€ (that‘€™s usually a good thing), or ‘€œthis one is not in my area region of focus‘€ (it doesn‘€™t matter really). We are lucky to go to a school where we have a variety of options‘€“my European colleagues are always jealous when I tell them this. Take advantage.

Any words of wisdom for LAST undergraduates?
TUCLA is not that bad. You will survive. Also, go to Birmingham for the conference‘€“and for that matter jump on any opportunity where Tulane will pay for your travel. Just because you have ‘€œStudies‘€ at the end of your major doesn‘€™t mean you are unemployable or your degree is worth less than someone who studied Business. It‘€™s all about how you can sell yourself. And speaking of selling yourself… Do not ever sell yourself short. This is an order. I did not believe I would get into Tulane‘€“but I did. I almost didn‘€™t go to my interview at the Brazilian embassy because I thought there was no chance, but I got the job. I thought that studying on a scholarship in Geneva was a pipe dream‘€“but I am here.

Other Worlds are Possible, New Orleans and San Francisco

Universidade de la Tierra during her study abroad

Lauren works with Other Worlds are Possible, a small organization that documents and supports the work of social movements around the world. Other Worlds, in Lauren‘€™s words, takes their “direction from and builds our work around the needs of our allies working on the front lines of social change in Haiti, Honduras, and elsewhere.” While at Tulane, Lauren studied abroad on a School of International Training field research program in Mexico, remaining in southern Mexico after the program ended to participate in the anti-capitalist and indigenous movements of Chiapas and Oaxaca. In Chiapas, she enrolled as a student in the Universidad de la Tierra, an autonomous indigenous university aligned with the Zapatista movement, where she learned urban agricultural methods. She returned to the United States excited about the possibility of creating more self-sustaining communities at home in Atlanta and New Orleans. She spent several months in Atlanta, first working on an urban farm and then as a teacher at a Bosnian community center, and then returned to Tulane where she created and implemented the University‘€™s first student-run, for-credit course, Rethinking Development.

Lauren considers connection between her degree and her dedication to social justice and community development…

How has your background in LAST helped you since graduation?
There is no blueprint for the work Other Worlds does and no formula to follow. As such, no traditional non-profit management or skills-based international development degree would have prepared me for this. My Latin American Studies professors and my time abroad built for me the theoretical and practical foundation I needed to jump out of the controlled school environment and into this kind of work. I left with a good grasp on history and theory‘€“an understanding of the global economy, of place-based histories and their global trends, of formal and informal power structures. I left able to write research papers, resumes, and poetry. I left forever grateful to professors that encouraged us students to bring our whole selves to our studies, to unearth what we are really passionate about, and to know the relevance of what we’re learning beyond the classroom and to act on it. I am where I am today, able to do what I do, because of those professors and the lessons they imparted.

Any words of wisdom for LAST undergraduates?
Get out of the classroom. Get out of the library. Shut down your computer, for at least a bit. Here‘€™s what I mean:

Go travel! You’ll learn the most if you keep in mind as you get on that plane the world is very big and ultimately you know very little. Teachers are everywhere.

Get to know that professor you really dig when she or he isn’t lecturing. Learning doesn’t stop when we leave the white board and nor should our relationships with those who teach us. You’ll find many incredible teachers who are invested in you, in where you are and where you’re headed. You never know when a conversation with one will change the course of your life. Many changed the course of mine.

Instil Inglês Corporativo Language School, Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil

Ashley Coleman is a Business English instructor at a local language cooperative in Porto Alegre in the south of Brazil, Instil Inglês Corporativo Language School. After graduating from Tulane in 2010, she planned to backpack through Brazil for several months, but upon arriving in Porto Alegre, she ended up seeking employment, acquiring the necessary work visas and staying on as a teacher, primarily for local business people and other professionals.

Ashley’s Latin American Studies major helped prepare her for her life abroad…

Why did you choose to major in Latin American Studies?‘€¨
After having already cultivated a strong interest in Spanish language in high school, the major in Latin American Studies called to me right from the onset of my freshman year. Drawn to the idea that I would continue gaining proficiency in the language while also engaging in coursework that analyzes the cultural, historical, and political aspects of the Hispanophone world, the interdisciplinary nature of the Stone Center‘€™s Undergraduate Program gave me the luxury of staying true to my research interests without having to make a commitment to a specific discipline.

How has your background in LAST helped you since graduation?‘€¨
Given that my initial plan was to only backpack through Brazil for several months, my current position as an expat English teacher was obviously an unplanned surprise. However, the decision to travel to Brazil was actually four years in the making, as influenced by my Brazil-related coursework at Tulane. The discussions I have with my friends and students on topics such as the Bolsa Escola program and the legacy of Tim Maia reflect a sense of cultural sensitivity and understanding that has made me feel like an integrated member of life here, even before learning Portuguese.

In hindsight, what would have you done differently as an LAST major?
In retrospect, I would have definitely taken Portuguese language courses at Tulane. I would have also taken even greater advantage of the variety of courses offered within the interdisciplinary structure of the undergraduate program.

Any words of wisdom for LAST undergraduates?
My recommendation to current Latin American Studies undergraduates is to focus on a region or set of issues and try to examine this topic through a variety of lenses. It will help guide your specific interests from both an academic and personal perspective for years to come.

Peace Corps Volunteer, Colombia

After graduated from Tulane, Allison spent another year in New Orleans working as an Americorps*VISTA volunteer through the Tulane Center for Public Service. During that time, she also continued her work with Catholic Charities, teaching ESL in the evenings in Newcomb Hall. The following year, Allison returned to her home town of Tulsa, Oklahoma, where she worked as a biligual social worker for the families of children in the Head Start program. Finally, she heard Latin America calling her name, leading her to volunteer for the Peace Corps in coastal Colombia. There, she is working on the Teaching English for Livelihoods project. She is assisting a public school in improving the quality of its English instruction methods in addition to taking on a variety of side projects.

Allison discusses her experience at Tulane…

Why did you choose Latin American Studies?
Having attended a bilingual elementary school with teachers from all over Latin America, I have been interested in the region since I can remember. After a couple of trips to Mexico in high school made Latin America feel like home, the choice for my major seemed obvious.

How has your background in LAST helped you since graduation?
I have learned so much about Latin American cultures by living in and visiting the countries within the region, but because I studied Latin America in an academic setting, I am able to better understand the story behind cultural practices and the socio-political histories that make life the way it is today. I am able to better understand my current home and better relate to my community.

Any words of wisdom for LAST undergraduates?
My words of wisdom to current LAST undergraduates: study abroad and work hard at the language aspect so you can truly understand and communicate, take advantage of the ability to take classes from different disciplines, and help out your TULASO officers by offering to become a Responsible Host at Pachangas :-).