Collection
Latinx Civil Rights
Contributor
Sanchez, Claudia (Interviewer & Transcribed by); Poyo, Gerald (Interviewee)
Publication Date
2022
Description
Dr. Poyo recounts his educational experience as a Latino migrating from Latin America to the United States to study in university. He speaks about the influence that his Latino professors had on him and his journey of becoming a professor himself. Dr. Poyo also speaks on his role as O’Connor chair including his duties and influence on Latino students.
Biography
Dr. Gerald E. Poyo is a history professor and the current holder of the O’Connor Chair for the History of Hispanic Texas and the Southwest at St. Mary’s University in San Antonio, Texas. He has been working at St. Mary’s University since 1992 after accepting the position of O’Connor chair, which he held until 1996 and then again in 2017. Dr. Poyo grew up in Argentina, Colombia, and Venezuela before he traveled to the United States for university. He earned his Ph.D. at the University of Florida and is interested in Cuban and Latino/Latin American history.
Interview Index
2:08 Dr. Poyo’s upbringing and educational experience
4:30 Dr. Poyo’s identity as a Latino
9:38 Experience as a university student
23:55 Entering higher education as Faculty
29:10 Growth of Latinx and Latin American history
34:18 Helping Latinx students in higher education
36:35 Latinx identity in contrast to Mexican American identity
47:14 Overview of the O’Connor Chair position
1:00:05 Importance of representation in higher education
1:13:46 Current projects
1:18:09 Advice for Latinx students pursuing careers in higher education
1:20:54 Thanks and questions from Dr. Poyo
Keywords
Diversity, educational experience, faculty, graduate, higher education, Hispanic, Latin America, representation
Size or Duration
24 pages; 1 hour, 23 minutes, 44 seconds
Format
Docx; M4A
Disciplines
Chicana/o Studies | Latina/o Studies | Oral History | Public History
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-No Derivative Works 4.0 International License.
Recommended Citation
Sanchez, Claudia, "Gerald Poyo" (2022). Latinx Civil Rights. 18.
https://commons.stmarytx.edu/mascroh/18
Included in
Chicana/o Studies Commons, Latina/o Studies Commons, Oral History Commons, Public History Commons