Staff Spotlight: Meet Alberto
Tell Us a Bit About Yourself
My name is Alberto López. I live in the city of Puebla, Mexico, where I was born and raised. I’m married, and I have a four-year-old daughter. Most of my professional experience is connected to the academic field. I’ve been part of this field for about ten years now.
Here at Hudson, my position is Student Enrollment Coordinator for Latin America. I really love what I do, as I have the opportunity to interact with school coordinators and students from all around the world. I really enjoy it because I get to know more about what their goals in life are, and it is a privilege to have the opportunity to assist them in achieving those objectives.
What Do You Enjoy Most About Your Job?
Usually, people are surprised by how we have the opportunity to work with people from all around the world without leaving our house. They are also surprised by how we manage to work efficiently despite the distance.
That’s something I really enjoy about this job: having the opportunity to interact with amazing people from all around the world, while also having time to enjoy my daughter and my family here in Puebla. It’s amazing to enjoy the best of both sides.
If You Could Switch Jobs for a Day, What Would You Do?
I really enjoy my job, but maybe I would switch jobs for one day with a zookeeper. I really love animals, and when I was a child, my dream was to work in a zoo or a circus—something related to animals.
Even though I pursued a different career, and even though I love what I do, I think it would be great to have the opportunity to work with animals, even if it’s just for one day. Particularly, I would like to work in a zoo with lions and tigers. That would be a really nice experience.
What Are Your Hobbies?
Before I got married, I used to rescue dogs from the street and find homes for them. But with a child, it’s difficult to do that, because sometimes it can be risky to try to get dogs from the street. That’s what I used to do when I was single.
Right now, I like to read whenever I have the chance. I particularly enjoy horror novels. I also like to play football, usually once or twice a week with some of my friends. It really helps me stay active and clear my mind.
Which Book or Movie Character Do You Relate to Most?
That’s a really good question. I would say Bilbo Baggins from The Lord of the Rings, who is a movie character and a book character as well. I’m a really big fan of The Lord of the Rings.
What I like about Bilbo is that he’s very curious and adaptable. What I like the most is how eager he is to know more about the world around him and how he’s always trying to help others, even people he has just met. He’s always open to helping them, and I think he’s a character I really relate to.
Who Would You Invite for Coffee?
I think I would choose a non-fictional character, a real person, to have the opportunity to interact with. I would choose Guillermo del Toro. He’s a very important Mexican filmmaker and is well known around the world.
What I like most about him is how creative he is and the way he sees the world. If I had the opportunity, I would like to ask him how he believes we can help others, or new generations, preserve their imagination and use it to achieve their goals and dreams.
What Makes the Hudson Global Scholars Community Special?
I would especially like to advise students who are not yet part of our global community to join, because I truly believe they will take great advantage of it. These kinds of communities help you learn from other cultures and improve your intercultural communication skills.
Something really special about these communities is that they help you build relationships that could open doors for you in the future.
Which Activities Should Students Try?
I would advise students to participate, particularly in our intercultural exchange debates, especially because I usually participate in those and have a better perspective on how they work.
Even though students are nervous at the beginning, they really enjoy the exchanges. It’s amazing to see how eager they are to share their cultures and learn about what other students do in their countries and schools. Participating in these events helps students gain a better perspective on how the world works outside their own countries and gives them the courage to keep participating and developing personally and professionally.
What Do Students Gain Beyond the Classroom?
I believe that education goes beyond attending classes and passing exams. Extracurricular activities help you develop personal skills that you may not be able to develop just by taking classes.
That’s why I encourage students to participate, especially because these experiences are unique to the school environment. Once you finish your studies, it’s much harder to participate in these kinds of events.
Any Final Advice for Students?
I would advise students to always try to participate in the events or programs their schools offer in order to keep growing academically and personally. These can be workshops, debates, or exchange programs.
These are opportunities that are much harder to get once you are done with your studies. If you don’t take them now, while you have the chance, you might regret it in the future.