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August 20, 2005

Roberto Porzecanski, International News Correspondent, PhD Student, and Bombo Drummer

At one time, Roberto Porzecanski—MALD ’05 and current Fletcher PhD student—wanted to be an aeronautical engineer. But after two years at the State University of Uruguay’s School of Engineering, he realized that the field was “too cold, too unrelated to people” for him.

Acknowledging that his heart lay in international politics, Uruguayan native Porzecanski decided to start his higher education again from scratch, and in 1998 began a degree in International Studies at ORT University in his home country. Not only did he meet his future wife, Karen, while studying IR, but he discovered he had skills in journalism and news production as well.

During his third year of college, Porzecanski took a resumé to a popular radio station, hoping for some part-time work in a fun environment. His favorite show, En Perspectiva, hired him for a two-week stint during the inauguration of the new Uruguayan president in 2000 to help produce a series of interviews with other Latin American presidents.

“I was at the right place at the right time,” says Porzecanski of the enormous responsibility and faith put on him as an undergraduate. “I produced interviews with the presidents of Brazil and Venezuela.” After the two main producers of the show quit, the station asked Porzecanski to stay on as a regular producer of the show. He continues to work from Boston today, and in July 2004 he reported on the tours of Uruguayan Presidential candidates at the IMF, World Bank, and Inter-American Development Bank from Washington, D.C. It is still possible to tune in to Uruguayan radio and hear Porzecanski as a U.S. correspondent, focusing this past year on the American presidential elections.

In addition to producing major radio programs on contemporary politics, Porzecanski also pursued unique research at ORT, research he continues to explore and expand upon today as a PhD student. His undergraduate thesis was the first formal look, from a diplomatic perspective, at relations between Uruguay and the United States during the Uruguayan dictatorship between 1973 and 1985.

As a MALD student at Fletcher, Porzecanski’s thesis continued along a similar theme, examining the 1961 U.S. government-led Alliance for Progress from a Latin American perspective. “This was a very significant episode in U.S-Latin American relations because it included very ambitious American attempts at development Latin America.”

Porzecanksi knew early on that he wanted to pursue a graduate degree in international relations. The only question was where. “Fletcher was a very bold move for me – few in Uruguay have heard of Tufts.” But the other two Uruguayans who have received degrees from Fletcher have set a high bar; for instance, Elbio Oscar Rosselli (MALD ’71) is now the Uruguayan Ambassador to European Union.

But those in Latin America who know of the school had such favorable impressions that Porzecanski was persuaded. “My advisor in college said that Fletcher was one of the best places for international studies. I decided forego brand recognition in Latin America and go with quality and academic excellence for my graduate education.”

The closeness of the community and unique people were also factors in the decision, and part of why Fletcher has been a great place for Porzecanski. “If I had not come to Fletcher and lived with Emil Milushev (MALD ’05) in Blakely Hall during my first year, I would not have found out how much Kazakhstan (Milushev’s home country) and Uruguay have in common.” Milushev also educated his roommate about the surprising tastiness of warm beer, and Porzecanski reciprocated with occasional songs on his Bombo, a traditional Uruguayan drum.

For his Fletcher MALD, Porzecanski focused on International Trade, Commercial Policies, and the United States. “I am very interested in how complex this country is. It’s still the most powerful country on earth.” For the future, Porzecanski and his wife plan to return to Uruguay to start their family. And like his predecessor, Elbio Oscar Rosselli Frieri, Porzecanski would like to make international relations a career, through academia and perhaps public service.

Article by Claire Topal, MALD '05

Posted by jessica at August 20, 2005 12:32 PM