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Geopolitics & On Site Research: Max Minogue (HISP '21) Navigates Languages & Geographies
In his new role with New York University as a global security and travel safety analyst, Max Minogue (PBK inductee; HISP and Global Studies ‘21) recently used his Hispanic Studies degree doing a site visit to San Jose, Costa Rica, to get a sense of the region in preparation for future study abroad programs. However, Max says that his learning with W&M Hispanic Studies permeates every aspect of his post-undergraduate life.
“The most obvious aspect of a Hispanic Studies degree is, of course, studying and using Spanish -- which is amazing! But it’s so much more than that -- Hispanic Studies is such an interdisciplinary degree that challenged me in so many ways, from confidence while speaking and writing, in multiple languages, to archival research and truly critical thinking.” 
Max served as a Hispanic Studies Teaching Assistant while at W&M, which he says helped foster his own abilities in the classroom. For three semesters, he also interned for the with Prof. Tandeciarz and Prof. Konefal, poring through declassified US documents related to the Argentine military junta period.
The dual opportunities, he says, gave him confidence teaching and working in a dynamic classroom environment, and a uniquely important way to develop his critical thinking and analytical know-how. This coalesced into Max’s Fulbright English Teaching Assistantship in Porto Alegre, where he worked primarily with undergraduates to develop English communication skills as well as cultural studies, this time focused on the US. Now working for New York University, he analyzes world geopolitical trends and conducts research on locations around the globe, all with the aim of supporting international studies and experiences that, Max says, shaped him. 
“Maybe most important of all, Hispanic Studies exposed me to so many different cultures and world histories --it kept me curious, and gave me the tools, and desire, to stay a lifelong learner. Professionally, that’s great - but it also makes life that much more fulfilling.”