María Rendo graduated from the MA in IR Program in 2018. She is from Buenos Aires, Argentina and completed her undergraduate studies at NYU with a BA in Global Liberal Studies with a major in Romance Languages.
Where do you currently work and what do you do there?
I currently work at the Malala Fund. I'm the Special Assistant, Communications and Creative.
How did the IR Program prepare you for what you're doing now?
Being able to work with professors from the Center for Latin American and Caribbean Studies allowed me to study intersectional gender equality, which is so relevant to my work now. My thesis was on the marginalization of indigenous women in Chile and I had an entire chapter on education. I was also able to learn Portuguese and, since Malala Fund works in Brazil, I use that knowledge every week. The program also encouraged us to have internships and that gave me the work experience I needed to get my job.
Which was the class you most enjoyed? And the one in which you learned the most?
My concentration was on Latin America so I took most of my electives in the Center for Latin American and Caribbean Studies. The classes in that department were very interesting and allowed me to learn a lot about politics and human rights in the region. I learned the most with Patricio Navia's class on politics in Latin America and Jorge Castañeda's class on Latin America - U.S. relations after World War II. Portuguese for Spanish Speakers was the one I enjoyed the most!
What advice would you give to future students of the program?
The program can be very flexible with your classes. If you can make a case for the classes you want to take, even if they're not part of the program, they'll let you take them.
What was your favorite place on campus? What did you like best about student life at NYU?
I was always in the King Juan Carlos Center. They have photo exhibits all year, comfortable couches and free coffee and tea. And they have at least one event every week! NYU has amazing study abroad opportunities — I think every student benefits from taking advantage of them whether it's for a semester or for two weeks.
What was the best thing about living in NYC?
There are so many opportunities because so many organizations related to IR are based here. You can have internships with them, go to their events and network with people from all over the world.
Last Updated October 29th, 2019