29-09-2023
UNAM in Massachusetts. Connections that Transcend Borders
Something that has filled me with pride and nostalgia as a former UNAM student: I recently discovered with great enthusiasm that since 2017 our university opened an office at the University of Massachusetts (UMass), a relevant decision for our community in this important region of the United States.
URLI learned of this initiative at the Mexico Conference 2023, held in the Harvard University (see box), an event of which UNAM’s Boston Office is an strategic partner, and I got the most positive impressions. The presence of UNAM at UMass is tangible proof of our alma mater’s transcendence and prestige. By establishing an office at a renowned institution such as UMass, UNAM strengthens academic, cultural, and scientific bonds between Mexico and the United States. This initiative benefits not only students faculty from both institutions, but also the Mexican and Latin-American community living in Massachusetts.
Mexico Conference 2023
UNAM Internacional
It is an annual meeting organized by the Harvard University Mexican Students Association (HUMAS), in the United States, that sees itself as a “platform for the professional growth of the Mexican students community in Harvard, for strengthening the Harvard brand in Mexico, as well as the projection of Mexico’s image in the United States”.
The 2023 edition took place from April 21 to 23, and included several personalities from Mexican politics, private sector and the arts, among whom they counted politician Cuauhtémoc Cárdenas Solórzano, journalist María Scherer, former UNAM rector José Narro Robles and Vice-Governor of the Bank of Mexico, Irene Espinosa. Together with other notable speakers, they addressed issues like financial tech, education, cities and sustainability, and women and leadership, among others.
The main objectives for HUMAS’ Mexico Conference 2023 are to create an academic and learning space where ideas can be interchanged and contacts may be established between attendees and “key personalities” for future professional development in Mexico, which the organizers see as a networking task.
With enthusiasm, I think of all the ways I can contribute as a former UNAM student located in the Boston area. As an engineer and an executive in different corporations like Intel and IBM, and now as a Product Manager for Microsoft 365 online applications in Cambridge, Massachusetts (just down the street from the famous MIT), I would love to share my experience and to provide guidance to UNAM students both in this region and in Mexico, as well as to collaborate in joint projects that promote research and innovation and—why not?—one day teach online classes from here.
UNAM’s Office at UMass has the potential to become a hub for cultural and academic exchange between Mexico and this area of the United States. Cultural events, conferences, exhibitions, and community activities could be organized in collaboration with other local institutions and organizations, thus enriching university life and the region’s cultural diversity.
UNAM’s presence at UMass reminds us that our connections to the institution and our fellow alumni are not limited to our time on the campus. Through initiatives like this, we can stay united, nurturing a network of support and collaboration extending beyond geographical boundaries.
Luis Felipe Armenta Garza studied Electrical and Electronic Engineering at UNAM’s Engineering School. He studied a Master in Electronic Engineering and Computing at Waterloo University, Canada, and an MBA at Texas University-Austin. He is currently Product Manager at Microsoft 365, Cambridge, Massachusetts.
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