By Maria Padrón

Four years ago I moved about 480 miles away from the comforts of home in Miami to Tallahassee and began my collegiate career at FSU. Back then, the differences between the two cities seemed as infinite as the length of Florida appeared to be during the 7 and a half hour drive from Point A to Point B. I remember thinking then, “Who knew that the rest of the state showed no resemblance to the ethnically-diverse South Florida paradise?”  Not only did So-Flo boast ethnic diversity, but it prided itself in linguistic variety as well – Portuguese, Creole, Spanish and even Spanglish.

Even though I had so eagerly sought a change of environment after high-school graduation, I found myself longing for all of the things I had taken for granted from the city that was my home for 18 years.  It wasn’t until my sophomore year that I stopped yearning. After attending my first Center for Hispanic Marketing Communication (Center for HMC), I found myself surrounded by students and faculty that shared my cultural and linguistic heritage, and I knew I had found a little piece of home there. What’s more, I felt so lucky to attend an institution that is ahead of the pack in recognizing the emerging field of Hispanic marketing, and the undeniable power of Hispanics as the fastest-growing minority in the U.S.

Shortly after that, I decided to tap into my cultural roots for inspiration in my academic career and pursue a minor in HMC. Believe it or not, I gained more cultural awareness here than I ever could have at home.

• In Introduction to Hispanic Marketing Communication, I came to understand how U.S. Hispanics impact the country’s current media climate.
• In Spanish Postmodernism: The Films of Pedro Almodóvar, I analyzed the historical, cultural and social themes conveyed in the films of Spanish screenwriter and director, Pedro Almodóvar.
• In World Cities I examined the urban trends occurring throughout Latin America and the world city that is Buenos Aires, Argentina.
• In Spanish for Heritage Speakers, I perfected my oral and written skills in Spanish and aimed to overcome my tendency to revert to Spanglish, the hybrid language composed of – you probably guessed it – English and Spanish.

During my time as an undergraduate, I have also had the pleasure of learning from communication professionals that share my enthusiasm for my Hispanic heritage in diverse industries through the unique opportunities available at the Center. At the 2010 Association of Hispanic Advertising Agencies (AHAA) Annual Conference, I networked with passionate marketers and engaged in workshops that focused on the strategies they use to reach the U.S. Hispanic consumer. Some of these professionals also devote their time as mentors to the Center’s next generation of professionals in the field of Hispanic and Multicultural Marketing. My mentor, Wal-Mart Executive Group Account Director, Luis Vargas, has shared his expertise in Hispanic marketing and invaluable professional advice with me. These opportunities are all made possible by Dr. Felipe and Dr. Betty Ann Korzenny, visionary leaders of the Center and pioneers in the field of Hispanic and Multicultural marketing.

What I will cherish most about my time as an undergrad at FSU, is the insight I have gained into my Hispanic heritage.

All the things I had taken for granted when I decided to leave home – the sounds of salsa and merengue, the Cubanisms, even the food – have found their way back into my life through class discussions and my extra-curricular involvement at the Center. Through them, I have found much comfort in realizing that my cultural background has followed me to Tallahassee because I know that it will be with me wherever I go next.