Ventanillas de Salud, Mexican Consulate, Washington, DC

After graduating from Tulane, Madison began a certificate program in Spanish Translation at American University. She notes that, when she used to tell people she was studying Spanish, the most frequent response was ‘€œOh, you’d like to be a Spanish teacher?‘€ As she had no intention of teaching, this program has demonstrated to her that her language skills acquired while at Tulane can be put to use outside of the classroom. She interned at the DC Mayor’s Office on Latino Affairs (OLA) in the Language Access and Advocacy department to complement her two semesters at American University. Now, she has landed a “dream” job working as the Coordinator of the Ventanillas de Salud, a health services program implemented through the Consular Section of the Embassy of Mexico in Washington, DC.

Why did you choose to major in Latin American Studies?
I remember the moment I decided to change my major to Latin American Studies. I was in Maureen Shea‘€™s Social Problems in Latin American Literature class. It was one of the first cultural classes I took that was conducted in Spanish. I fell in love with the idea of sitting in a room talking in Spanish about something other than grammar rules. We had just watched a documentary on Las Madres de la Plaza de Mayo and I felt this passion brewing up in me. I realized my love for the Spanish language transcends the grammatical landscape and is actually embedded in the culture of a people. From then on I took a majority of my classes on social issues of Latin America (conducted in either Spanish or Portuguese to keep my foreign language desires satisfied!)

How has your background in LAST helped you since graduation?
Of course there‘€™s the language component. Being fluent in Spanish with a substantial amount of Portuguese was the only reason I was able to take part in my current translation program and internship when I first arrived in DC. However, it has proven to be even more fruitful in my current position with the Mexican Consulate. Truthfully, one of the main reasons they hired this “gringa” is because my language skills are top notch. I made sure to take a course load that would heavily immerse me in the Spanish language and now I feel right at home working from the Mexican Consulate as a white girl from New York surrounded by Mexicans, Bolivians, Guatemalans and Salvadorans.

I also have to give some thanks to the work I was required to do during the senior capstone. I chose my thesis based on personal interests and it has proven to be more useful than I expected. I focused on medicinal practices of the Amazonian indigenous population and who knew I would still be drawing from that knowledge today. I work in healthcare in the US but with people who come from a variety pack of healthcare cultures.

Understanding the differences in these practices not only inspired me to pursue this position in the first place, but also helps me realize how differently someone I deal with may approach their health practices. In the end, my capstone paper was just okay, but the research I put into it for months far supersedes the final product. Enjoying that journey has helped me build a stronger foundation for what I hope to continue pursuing.

In hindsight, what would you have done differently as a LAST major?
I think I was a little language crazy and chose most of my classes based on the fact that they were taught in either Spanish or Portuguese. Perhaps this took away from the opportunity to get the full interdisciplinary experience. But in the end, the language skills were my most successful accomplishment (along with surviving the senior capstone, of course!) Also, I would have attended more Pachangas!

Any words of wisdom for LAST undergraduates?
Enjoy what you‘€™re learning! Even the topics you aren‘€™t particularly thrilled about, keep the information bookmarked in your brain. You‘€™ll realize that, over time, each little anecdote from your courses is interrelated and can be applied in settings you never thought possible. Choose your capstone thesis based on your personal interests, not the ones you think you’re supposed to be researching. Focus your attention more on the journey of learning all about something incredible than on the final 25 pages you have to hand in. Overall, embrace this liberal arts undergraduate education. I changed my major from a very career-oriented major to LAST because I realized my undergraduate life was an opportunity to follow my current interests, not my potential ones. And I am oh so glad that I did!

Legal/Administrative Assistant, Bracewell & Giuliani LLP, Washington, DC

After graduating from Tulane with a degree in Latin American Studies and Portuguese, Nora moved home to Arlington, VA to look for a job in Washington, DC. Prior to graduating, she had spent a semester interning at the New Orleans Public Defends Office (OPD) where she worked almost exclusively as a Spanish/English translator and interpreter for the inmates and attorneys. This experience inspired her to apply for law jobs, with the possibility of one day attending law school. She now works as a legal/administrative assistant to a Brazilian attorney and partner at Bracewell & Giuliani LLP.

Nora’s time at Tulane gave her crucial skills and knowledge…

Why did you choose Latin American Studies?
I chose to major in Latin American Studies because I grew up speaking Spanish and visiting Spanish speaking countries. I loved the culture and the people, and wanted to have a more in-depth understanding of the region. Tulane has a very strong Latin American studies program and I wanted to take advantage of the resources available to me (great professors, study abroad opportunities and the Latin American Studies Library).

How has your background in LAST helped you since graduation?
Since graduation my degree in Latin American studies has helped me mostly in securing a job. What stood out on my résumé to my current employer was my first-hand experience in many of the countries they do business with and my language skills. Since I spent my junior year abroad in Salvador da Bahia, Brazil I was very interested in maintaining my ties with Brazil. I interviewed (in Portuguese) and got the job as a legal/administrative assistant to a Brazilian attorney and partner at Bracewell & Giuliani LLP. I work primarily in the fields of international trade and finance, business regulatory, and energy. I was hired largely due to my fluency in Portuguese and Spanish. He needed an assistant that would be able to communicate effectively with his international clients. The majority of our clients are from Brazil, Portugal, Spain, Mexico, Peru, Paraguay, and the Dominican Republic. In my mind, knowing a second language like Spanish or Portuguese will always make it a bit easier to get a job. It sets you apart from other students with BA’s and BS’s.

Recently, I was also hired as a part-time specialist at the Apple Store. I have a lot of experience in customer service and have always wanted to work at the apple store. Apple is opening it’s first store in Latin America and Brazil this year in Rio de Janeiro. Since I would love to live in Rio, I am planning to work at the Arlington location for the next year until I am able to transfer to the Rio de Janeiro location. I am hoping that my language skills and experience in Brazil will allow me to successfully work and live in Rio!

In hindsight, what would you have done different as a LAST major?
I don’t think I would’ve done much differently. The one thing I regret is not participating in the Binghamton conference thesis presentation. I think it would’ve been a great experience to present my work.

Any words of wisdom for LAST undergraduates?
Work hard on your thesis/and or papers because often times future employers will ask for writing samples. If you are already happy with what you’ve written it will save you a lot of time and effort in the future. Pay attention in the LAST senior seminar class- I got a lot out of it! Lastly, don’t worry too much about post-grad life, you are more prepared than you think! Also, enjoy college while you still can ;)