Student spotlight: Christine Logan

“I have long been interested in the rich cultures and histories of Latin America. Latin America holds an important place in the global community, and I wanted to gain the knowledge and tools to be able to understand this vibrant, diverse region,” says Christine Logan, who graduates in June with a master’s degree in Latin American studies.

During her time at Stanford, Christine has enjoyed taking several classes, including Data Science for Politics with Professor Adam Bonica, Modern Latin American Literature with Professor Hector Hoyos, and Mapping Poverty, Colonialism, and Nation Building with Professor Alberto Díaz-Cayeros, director of the Center for Latin American Studies.

“One of the best parts of my experience here at Stanford has been taking Korean and Portuguese language courses. I am amazed at how much my Korean and Portuguese have improved over the past year, and the language programs have introduced me to some of my best friends here at Stanford.”

After one Portuguese class, Christine fondly remembers baking pão de queijo, a Brazilian cheese bread, with some of her friends. “Although we couldn’t get the shape of our bread quite right, the taste was spot on!”

In addition to enhancing her proficiency in foreign languages, her master’s program “has allowed me to build a strong foundation of knowledge about the region,” she explained. “I believe that these skills will be an asset to me no matter where I go or what I do.”

This summer she is looking forward to traveling to Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo, where she will have the opportunity to practice Portuguese, before returning to the U.S. to start a full-time job.

“I have had such a wonderful experience studying here at Stanford,” says Christine, whose capstone project focuses on media representations of the Pequeño Seúl neighborhood, a Koreatown in Mexico City. “The Center for Latin American Studies has created a welcoming, intellectually stimulating environment for me to study the region, and I am constantly impressed and inspired by the wealth of knowledge and ideas that can be found in this community.”

Congratulations Christine, and best of luck!

Please join us in congratulating the class of 2019! As the academic year draws to a close, we are highlighting students graduating from across our 14 programs. Click here to view more student spotlights.