Esteban Agudelo, History
Esteban Alejandro Agudelo took full advantage of opportunities to travel while studying at Stockton University.
The Ventnor native, who will graduate with a degree in History and a minor in Political Science, spent a month in Colombia to conduct research for his senior thesis and spent his final semester in the nation’s capital as part of the Washington Internship Program.
“I enjoy seeing new cultures,” he said. “I really just want to meet new people, try new foods and learn things I did not know.”
Agudelo credits Stockton with helping him discover a love of history. He came to the school as a Computer Science major.
“But I took an Ottoman history class, and I fell in love with the history of Asia, be it India, Japan, etc. I also began to be interested in Latin American history,” he said.
Getting to spend time in Colombia was especially important for Agudelo as he lived in the country for four years before coming to Stockton. While there, Agudelo spent time in Medellin and Bogota conducting research for his senior thesis on Colombian history and politics. He was able to enter various research libraries, archives, museums and universities.
“My favorite moment in the city would have to be entering the national university for the first time and seeing the size and beauty of its library,” he said. “The historic center of the city is also a magnificent sight with the cobblestone streets and the narrow roads.”
But I took an Ottoman history class, and I fell in love with the history of Asia, be it India, Japan, etc. I also began to be interested in Latin American history."
His internship in Washington, D.C., has offered him a different perspective. He worked at the Association of Diplomatic Students and Training at the Foreign Service Institute mainly transcribing oral histories and interviews of foreign service officers. He said living in D.C. has been an “amazing experience.”
“I’ve had lots of time to explore the city,” Agudelo said. “I have met so many people from different countries here. I have made many friends, mainly from Belgium, who have given me inspiration to try and travel more around the world.”
So, what’s next after graduation? Agudelo said he’s planning a solo trip to Europe at the end of this year or early next year and then on to graduate school.
“I’ve been looking at the University of Antioquia in Colombia, the University of Barcelona in Spain and the University of Sapienza in Italy,” he said. “I plan to continue my historical studies with a general interest in Latin American, Asian and European culture, politics and history.”
