Alumni
Graduates of the Latin American Studies program have pursued a wide variety of careers. Some have taken jobs in public service or non-governmental organizations, others in journalism. Several have gone on to graduate school. A number have won Fulbright Fellowships for research in Latin America; one has won a Rhodes Scholarship. Read the sample profiles below, featuring alumni from the early 2000s, written by Lauren Goslin 鈥�04, and聽contact us聽with news of other graduates.
Class of 2002
B.A. in Economics and Hispanic Studies
Minor in Latin American Studies
Written by Lauren Goslin '04
Leonardo Aldridge covers the Caribbean from the San Juan Bureau of Associated Press. How did a student with a double major in economics and Spanish literature end up covering economics forums, pro-choice and anti-abortion rallies, judicial decisions, elections and (somewhat similar) carnivals? The Latin American Studies minor is part of the story.
Born and raised in San Juan, Puerto Rico, Aldridge arrived at Boston College with a strong interest in Latin America. The multidisciplinary LAS minor offered him the chance to pursue and expand his interests in the region. The multidisciplinary approach equipped him to report on a wide range of issues, from floods to corruption, migration to domestic violence. Every day brings a new story line.
Aldridge analyzes situations in various Latin American countries and has used his BC background to understand the big picture with its commercial, geographic, religious, and political dimensions. Leo also stresses the importance of the familiarity which comes from travel in Latin America, "Canc煤n not included."
Class of 2002
B.A. in Economics
Minor in Latin American Studies
Written by Lauren Goslin '04
Liliana was born in Caracas, Venezuela, where she lived for 19 years. Growing up in a noticeably divided society, marred by a deep social and economic gap, she became desensitized to the reality that surrounded her. Yet, a direct encounter with Caracas鈥� violent crime during her second year at the Universidad Cat贸lica Andr茅s Bello awakened her consciousness to the political, social, moral, and economic crisis in which her country was deeply submerged.
After her experience with crime, Liliana made the resolution to transfer to Boston College with a strong desire to study the causes of violence in Venezuela and in the region. Once at BC, she pursued a degree in Economics with a minor in Latin American Studies. Throughout her college years, Liliana traveled extensively to Latin America (Argentina, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, and Peru), Eastern Europe (Czech Republic), and Southeast Asia (Vietnam and Cambodia) in order to understand Latin America within a broader comparative perspective.
After graduating聽cum laude聽from Boston College, Liliana was admitted to the five-year cooperative degree program at Georgetown University, where she successfully completed her Master's in Latin American Studies with a concentration in government. The Center for Latin American Studies at Georgetown University offered Liliana a full scholarship for her outstanding academic performance.
During her Master's program, Liliana interned at the National Democratic Institute for International Affairs (Washington, DC), Partners for Democratic Change (Buenos Aires, Argentina), and the World Bank (Washington, DC). The National Democratic Institute, a non-governmental organization chaired by former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright, is dedicated to promoting democratic development in developing countries; Liliana pursued her internship in the Latin American and Caribbean department. Partners for Democratic Change is a non-governmental organization working to promote a peaceful and participatory culture of public conflict prevention and resolution in countries with weak democratic institutions. Lastly, Liliana interned at the Latin American and Caribbean Poverty Reduction Strategy Department at the World Bank.
Class of 2003
B.A. in Economics
Minor in Latin American Studies
Written by Lauren Goslin '04
Economics major, Latin American Studies minor, service trip leader, volunteer, Fulbright Scholar, Rhodes Scholar鈥� these are some of the many ways to describe Brett Huneycutt's accomplishments. What took him there is another story.
Huneycutt attended high school in Arizona. A visit to Ciudad Juarez with his sophomore English teacher sparked questions about the situation of third-world countries. This was the start of a personal interest in Latin American issues.
Brett currently lives in El Salvador where, with the support of a Fulbright grant, he is studying the connections among international migration, the money migrants send to their families at home, and the development of microenterprises. He also volunteers as an English teacher at a local NGO, and he has worked weekends in a marginal community in San Salvador, where he did a market study to assess the feasibility of opening a store in the local parish to provide food items to community members at reduced prices.
Where Huneycutt will go next is not an immediate question: He has just been elected a Rhodes Scholar. He will study economics at Oxford for the next two years, then may return to the United States for Ph.D. study. His long-term interests include both academic work, perhaps as a university professor, and policy-making, perhaps in a multilateral institution like the Interamerican Development Bank.
Brett is the type of person who lives by what he says: "Most crucially, we are challenged to recognize that our gifts and talents are not our own; rather, they are God-given and hence belong to everyone. We must not be ashamed of these gifts, hiding behind modesty, timidity, or social norms that undermine creativity and original thought. Rather we must embrace our gifts and talents so that we may serve the world and fight for justice on behalf of the poor, excluded, and oppressed."
Class of 2003
B.A. in Political Science
Minor in Latin American Studies
Minor in Faith, Peace, and Justice
Written by Lauren Goslin '04
Since 2001 Nicholas has worked with Boston-based Physicians for Human Rights (PHR), first as an intern, then as part-time staff in the Asylum Network, and now full time on the Health Action AIDS campaign. PHR mobilizes health professionals (doctors, nurses, medical school students, etc.) around issues of health and human rights in order to document and advocate for change around strategic issues.
While still at Boston College, Nicholas worked in the Asylum Network, where he matched doctors with individuals seeking legal asylum in the United States from human rights abuses abroad. In this capacity, Nicholas assisted countless Latin Americans, among other needy refugees, escape persecution in their homelands.
Currently Nicholas, works on the Health Action AIDS campaign as a national grassroots field organizer. In key strategic states, the Health Action AIDS campaign unites health professionals as a unified voice to influence elected officials by signing letters, writing op-ed pieces, and meeting with their representatives. Through their research and expertise, PHR is a leading voice in the human rights community on the issue of HIV/AIDS. Their goal is to curb the global health emergency of HIV/AIDS by convincing the US Congress to commit more effective funding.
Nicholas hopes to continue his work at PHR and earn a Master's of Public Health before returning to study law. While HIV/AIDS has not ravaged Latin America to the degree that it affects Africa or Eastern Europe, Nicholas relates that he encountered many major AIDS issues, such as poor health infrastructure and too few physicians, in his past work in Latin America.
Class of 2003
B.A. in Sociology
Minor in Latin American Studies
Written by Lauren Goslin '04
Ilyitch T谩bora has a deep passion for serving the Latino community to which she belongs. Her mother came to the United States from Mexico seeking a less restricted life. T谩bora's father, a well-known journalist and radio host, was forced to flee Honduras after criticizing military leaders.
Ilyitch looked to her parents for inspiration. She also looked to her companions in Talented and Gifted (TAG), a Latino club in which she learned not only to appreciate her heritage but also to question the racism and poverty that afflict South Boston, where she grew up.
All this set the foundation for Ilyitch's studies. She loved sociology because it provided an essential tool for understanding her social reality. Then she discovered LAS, which put everything into place for her. T谩bora says she wanted to understand the social, historical, economic, and political background of Latin American immigrants to the United States, and LAS gave her the chance.
T谩bora is still with TAG, now as the Program Coordinator. She designs and implements tutoring programs, mentoring programs, college-prep programs, and programs encouraging parental involvement. She supports student clubs鈥搇ike the one that got her started鈥揳nd offers leadership development workshops. The whole idea of TAG is to give students support and confidence and to motivate them to be the 鈥淭alented and Gifted鈥� people that they are.
T谩bora believes that LAS has made her a better Latina, more connected to her roots and to her people. She wrote, 鈥淟AS introduced me to a complex region that I have always felt a part of, but never completely. Being born in the United States, I鈥檝e always had a foot in both territories, never really belonging to either. But now I know better, and I live better now. I have learned that education is empowering.鈥�
T谩bora鈥檚 dream is to be a community organizer. She will soon finish a Master's in Social Work at Boston College and hopes to obtain a second Master鈥檚 in Public Administration.