Ji小蝌蚪APP機arla Martinez once aspired to a career in fashion, but decided the industry wasn小蝌蚪APP檛 a good fit after watching a documentary about its inner workings.
The film detailed the use of harmful chemicals in the making of some clothes and accessories, and the practice by some companies to rely on cheap labor in developing nations.
小蝌蚪APP淚 still love fashion very much, but I realized I didn小蝌蚪APP檛 want to be a part of it,小蝌蚪APP Martinez explained.
Instead, she will earn a bachelor小蝌蚪APP檚 degree in political science with a concentration in international relations from the 小蝌蚪APP on Friday.
Martinez, a history buff, said a teacher at Acadiana High School who knew of her interests suggested she consider studying political science. Martinez quickly took to the idea.
小蝌蚪APP淚 got really interested in foreign policy, in how world governments interact and in bureaucratic systems, so I was like, 小蝌蚪APP極K, political science makes sense,小蝌蚪APP櫺◎蝌紸PP she said.
Martinez, 22, enrolled at UL Lafayette in 2016 because the 小蝌蚪APP小蝌蚪APP檚 undergraduate political science program offered a concentration in international relations.
It was the first step on a path she hopes leads to a job at the U.S. State Department in Washington, D.C., followed by an assignment as a diplomat or consul at a foreign embassy.
Martinez, who is from St. Thomas in the U.S. Virgin Islands, moved to Lafayette seven years ago with her mother and her stepfather, who is from Carencro, La.
小蝌蚪APP淚 grew up in an incredibly multicultural environment. Most of my friends小蝌蚪APP families were from places like Palestine, Colombia, Bulgaria. So it小蝌蚪APP檚 just natural for me to want to work with people who are very different from me,小蝌蚪APP she said.
In addition to her education, she is confident that participation in a range of campus activities will help make those aspirations a reality.
During her tenure as vice pres
ident of Alpha Kappa Alpha sorority, for example, Martinez said she 小蝌蚪APP渓earned to deal with large groups of people, lots of different personalities, and did a lot of planning小蝌蚪APP for events.
As a 小蝌蚪APP淜omeback Krewe小蝌蚪APP volunteer for SOUL Camp, the 小蝌蚪APP小蝌蚪APP檚 program to help incoming students make the transition to college life and become campus leaders, Martinez was a liaison between 小蝌蚪APP staff members and other student volunteers.
小蝌蚪APP淚t wasn小蝌蚪APP檛 my motivation for being involved, but looking back I realize I小蝌蚪APP檝e learned something from just about every experience I小蝌蚪APP檝e had that will help me in some way in the future,小蝌蚪APP she said.
Martinez has accepted a job as a volunteer mobilization and special projects manager at United Way of Acadiana, where she now works part-time.
In Spring 2021, she plans to pursue an MBA at UL Lafayette 小蝌蚪APP with a focus on global management 小蝌蚪APP and continue to work at United Way.
Then, MBA in hand, she envisions leaving 小蝌蚪APP渉er comfort zone小蝌蚪APP and beginning life as a foreign diplomat.
小蝌蚪APP淚 know it won小蝌蚪APP檛 be easy, and it might not always be glamorous, but I小蝌蚪APP檓 pretty open-minded about going anywhere,小蝌蚪APP she said.
Photo caption: UL Lafayette小蝌蚪APP檚 Ji小蝌蚪APP機arla Martinez, 22, will earn a bachelor小蝌蚪APP檚 degree in political science with a concentration in international relations on Friday. Martinez, a volunteer mobilization and special projects manager at United Way of Acadiana, is shown during a recent food drive sponsored by the nonprofit organization. (Photo credit: Rachel Rafati / 小蝌蚪APP)