Gregory Jabaut ’05 studied Spanish at Hamilton College and delved into Latin American studies, then followed that interest to the State University of New York, Albany, where he earned a master’s degree in Latin American literature.
From there, he got a job teaching Spanish at a school in Albany, became assistant head and then moved into a position as assistant director of international programs at Siena College.
It’s a job that doesn’t feel like one, says Jabaut, who serves as the primary study abroad advisor on campus and facilitates international exchange partnerships all over the world.
At Hamilton, the complex political and socio-economic issues of Latin America, and in particular how they were presented in literature, grabbed his academic attention. Considering the continuing growth of the U.S. Latino or Hispanic population, he figured he would be doing himself a professional and personal favor by better understanding Latin American cultures.
“Through coursework in sociology, literature, language, linguistics and history, among many others, I feel that I truly gained a balanced and comprehensive understanding of the Latin American experience. I also furthered my public speaking and writing abilities,” he says.
