Carmen Martinez

UWF degree and year of graduation:
BA, Interdisciplinary Humanities, 1971; MA History, 1980

Why did you choose to attend UWF?
My family is from Pensacola and I wanted to stay in the area. I came to UWF after receiving my Associate degree from PJC. At the time, UWF was only a two year school, but after receiving my BA, I was able to return to enter the graduate program and still remain in Pensacola.

What were your goals as a student?
I always enjoyed school and after obtaining a Liberal Arts degree and working at various occupations, I decided to pursue a graduate degree with a goal of teaching at the university level. I studied what I loved, which is history.

What is your best memory from your days at UWF?
I enjoyed my graduate seminars and I have great memories of many of the faculty members. I also remember how pretty the campus was. One highlight was seeing Bob Dylan in concert on campus with other musicians such as Joan Baez that were all in a travelling revue together They would just show up on college campuses with only a day or two’s notice. It was a great experience that I will never forget.

Who was your favorite professor and why?
There were several, but I particularly remember the classes in Latin American studies with Dr. Jane Dysart. She encouraged you to have an opinion and to voice it. She taught you to defend your positions on issues and how to prepare a professional research paper. I also really liked Dr. Caballero, who taught Spanish. He was very patient and was a wonderful teacher. He never made any students feel foolish if they were having a hard time catching on. He was a very elegant and kind man who made you want to learn. I also remember Dr. Josephs, who taught Latin American literature – he introduced me to a whole world of amazing writers whose works I still enjoy today.

What do you do now?
I am currently serving as the U.S. Ambassador to Zambia, appointed by the President of the United States, and confirmed by the U.S. Senate. My job is to make sure the vision of the President, the U.S. Congress, and the American people is successfully implemented in our dealings with the people and the government of Zambia. I have been a Foreign Service Officer for 27 years and have served in eight different countries on three continents.

As the U.S. Ambassador to Zambia , I not only deal with foreign policy and development issues, I am also responsible for overseeing the security of the eighty Americans (and their families), and the nearly three-hundred Zambian employees working at the Embassy. In addition, I am responsible for making sure that the Zambian government makes every effort to ensure the welfare of American citizens visiting or residing in Zambia, and also treats U.S. businesses and organizations operating in Zambia in a fair and equitable manner.

How did UWF help you progress to this point?
UWF allowed me to obtain a very good education in history and liberal arts. There a re several UWF alumni in my family – my father, two sisters and now my son is a student at UWF.

How do you stay connected to UWF?
Since my son is currently a student and my family still lives in Pensacola, I come to Pensacola on an annual basis for vacation. I would call Pensacola my hometown.

What advice do you have to current and future UWF students?
Take your education seriously but also enjoy the experience. Take time to train and discipline yourself and learn to do quality research. Don’t look at things you study as just a means to get a good job. Explore different subjects and people while you can, even if those things are not necessarily connected to a job. Don’t be afraid to change your major. Study a language – it opens up new people and new cultures to you and also makes you marketable in this global economy.

What quality makes UWF special or unique?
UWF has a relaxed, welcoming atmosphere. It seems to welcome students from a variety of ethnic backgrounds. The physical beauty of the campus makes it a nice place to study and work.

Outside of working, what activities and organizations are you currently involved in and what are your hobbies?
Because the work I do has so much variety on a daily basis and also because I am in a new country every three years or so, I am fully occupied with professional and social obligations related to my work. I have a lot of opportunities to travel, to learn languages, explore new cultures and to meet new people almost every day. I have also been able to share this experience with my husband and my son, who have also spent their lives in the Foreign Service with me. Dedicating my life to being a career diplomat and Foreign Service Officer was one of the best decisions I ever made.

Click here to learn more about the United States Embassy in Zambia:
zambia.usembassy.gov

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