Scholar Spotlight: Alex Martin

Alex Martin, a 2012 Alexander Hamilton graduate, found out about the program prior to being accepted at State. From the very beginning, he knew that he wanted to be involved in a program that combined international studies with business. The Alexander Hamilton Scholars program offers a strong international emphasis on business and many social science classes. Alex thought it was a great opportunity to be in a student organization full of others who were pursuing the same dual degree.

Alex studied abroad for one year in Valencia, Spain at the Universidad Politécnica de Valencia. During that time, he had the opportunity to travel to 16 different countries and experience the euro crisis where unemployment for 20-year olds in some places approached 45%. Seeing how the crisis dramatically affected the Spanish economy was an eye opening experience. Also, he became fluent in Spanish, which directly impacted his career path. He received a Fulbright Binational Business Fellowship in Mexico City for 2012-13. Being fluent in Spanish was a requirement for the application, and other grantees in the program all come from similar dual degree programs like Hamilton Scholars. Alex plans to continue working in social innovation and international development using the skills and experiences from the Hamilton Scholars Program every day.

Story written by Jon Wendt