Bismarck R. Vergara has received the 2020 Academic Excellence Award from the MS in Translation program, which he completed in December. “I felt humbled and honored when I learned about the award,” he says. “My dream was to attend NYU and that became a reality.”
Bismarck impressed faculty with the high quality of his thesis project, a translation of a Spanish-language publication from Greenpeace about the climate change crisis. “Biz was an ideal student, both in class and during his capstone, which resulted in an absolutely wonderful end product,” said Michael Crooks, his thesis adviser. “I could not be happier knowing that Bismarck has had both his work and attitude rewarded.”
Bismarck came to New York from Bolivia and lived on the streets for a time before learning English, serving in the US Army, and enrolling in community college. He is proud to continue his service with the Department of State and believes that the translation degree will be an asset in his current role and beyond. “My time at NYU helped me to be a better communicator, taught me teamwork, critical thinking, time management, and problem solving,” he states, calling these “talents that will add value to my organization.”
Please join us in congratulating Bismarck on his accomplishments!