This quarter's first installment of our series "A Day in the Life" features Marcus Cuéllar. Marcus is an incoming graduate student in the Latin American and Iberian Studies program. Please read Marcus' interview below. I'm certain you'll enjoy his story!
A Day in the Life
Name: 
Marcus Cuellar
Marcus Cuéllar
Discipline/Emphasis:
M.A. Latin American & Iberian Studies (1st year)
Research Interests / Goals:
The research proposal I’m working on is concerned with the experience of Cuban baseball defectors and their families (those in the United States but especially those left behind in Cuba) following the athletes’ defections to the U.S. to play in Major League Baseball. I would like to determine what hardships or discrimination the athletes and their families must face as a result of the decisions these athletes made to leave their home country to play on baseball’s biggest stage.
At this point, my only goal is to make it through the M.A. program. After that, I’m unsure where I’ll be heading as I’m interested in pursuing a doctorate but would welcome any possibility of working with Major League Baseball (MLB) in their Latin American operations.
What’s it like enduring the grind of being a graduate student for you?
I was away from academia for about five years before making the decision to pursue an M.A., so getting back into the student lifestyle has been a big adjustment. The biggest change for me has been learning how not to spend money (since I no longer have any) and getting used to reading and writing practically from the time I wake up until the time I go to sleep.
What’s been a source for motivation and/or drive for you?
My biggest motivation thus far has been just a personal desire to shape for myself the life I want to live. It took me nearly all five of the years I was away from school to decide that grad school is the right path for me and I told almost everyone who asked me that I don’t see this change in my life as me going back to school, but as a career change. So now that I’ve begun grad school, I’m trying to make the most of it.
Name the accomplishment you are most proud of, and why.
I’ve completed two marathons and a whole lot of half marathons since 2008. I’m proud that I’ve been able to stay motivated enough to keep running that kind of distance but also that I, along with my sister, inspired my dad to begin running long distance too; he’s much healthier for it.
What makes you, you?
I’ve always thought of myself as a person who knows how to maintain a balance between being serious and being laid back. I have a mature side that allowed me to excel in my professional life and now in my educational life, but I have a relaxed and very immature side that keeps me sane and happy. That’s why I’ve always thought I fit in well at UCSB; it’s a university that encourages and allows such a balance.
Where did you grow up?
I grew up in Modesto, California, but have lived in Santa Barbara since 2004.
What’s a guilty pleasure of yours?
A guilty pleasure of mine is watching countless hours of films and television. I’ve watched the first third of the top 100 list compiled by the American Film Institute (AFI), something I would like to complete someday, and have built up a fairly solid background on films.
What’s playing in your iPod right now?
I usually just stream Pandora nowadays and mostly switch between The Black Keys, Lupe Fiasco, and Otis Redding channels. The Blitzen Trapper channel has also been one of my favorites lately.
How did you decide what you would be researching as a graduate student?
When I originally applied to this program, I had intended to work on issues of media freedom. After talking with a family friend only a few weeks before beginning my program, though, I reconsidered things and decided to pursue a topic that melded my two passions (Latin America and baseball) since it was entirely feasible to do so. My specific research topic came to me while driving from Modesto to Santa Barbara; it’s a five-hour drive, so I had a lot of time to think.
What do you hope to accomplish with your research?
I maintain a naïve hope that my research will help generate baseball diplomacy (as some have called it) to occur between the U.S. and Cuba. I think the embargo does not benefit either country and by highlighting that the negative side effects of this policy are affecting something as simple and beloved as baseball, I hope to play a part in bringing an end to this era of American-Cuban relations.
Where do you see yourself in 5 years? 10 years?
That’s a tough question to answer! If I could plan out the perfect life for myself, I think in 5 years I would want to be working for MLB in a capacity that helps to bring about positive changes in Latin America. In 10 years, after an incredibly successful stint with MLB, I would like to be in a Ph.D. program conducting more research that helps effect more positive changes in U.S.-Latin American relations.
Any advice or final thoughts?
Even though I personally haven’t been heeding this advice very well lately, I would say find a hobby or passion outside of your school work and make time for it. Maintain a balance!