Global Professional Training Virtual Forum Prepares Students for Careers in Latin America
- May 26, 2020
- Jenan Taha
Leaders and experts from UT Austin, the U.S. State Department, local and international nonprofits, the Associated Press and Republic of Panama are among the many influential figures UT students will hear from at the 2020 Global Professional Training: Latin America.
This year’s conference, now offered as a four-week virtual forum, gives participants the opportunity to deepen their knowledge of Latin America, exchange ideas, explore careers in the region and expand their network of international peers through expert panels and in-depth discussions. The virtual forum will be held through enhanced online platforms on Tuesday and Thursday afternoons from May 26 to June 18.
Expert panels and discussions will cover a number of topics such as geo-political and socio-economic trends in the region, responses to COVID-19 across the continent, social justice through the arts, environmental sustainability and entrepreneurship, in addition to a series of extensive discussions around research, teaching, volunteer and career opportunities in Latin America.
The virtual forum opens on May 26 with remarks from Dr. Sonia Feigenbaum, senior vice provost for global engagement and chief international officer at UT Austin, followed by a conversation with UT advertising alum Juan Carlos Sosa (B.S. '96), who is now the vice minister of foreign trade for the Republic of Panama.
Later in the forum, Sean McKaughan, chairman of the board for sustainable development organization Fundacion Aviana, will speak on STEM and business in the region.
Other notable speakers include several UT faculty and alumni. Leslie Mazoch (B.J. '99), photojournalist and editor covering Latin America for the Associated Press, will speak on June 16 focusing on multimedia, music and education in the region. LBJ School of Public Affairs graduate Ian Brown (B.A. '04 and MPAff '08), now a U.S. Foreign Service Officer in Brazil, will present during the June 9 forum on nonprofits and government in Latin America. Engineering alum Saul Castelar (M.S. '01), vice-minister for transportation for the Republic of El Salvador, will join Brown on the panel.
Global Professional Training: Latin America Virtual Forum is open to all UT students and there is no registration fee. Interested participants can register or contact us with questions.
