Pablo Rangel ('11, '13), who earned undergraduate and graduate degrees at Nebraska, will be participating in the university's Multicultural Homecoming, representing the College of Arts and Sciences as one of the 2021 Distinguished Alumni of Color.
He is currently a learning specialist with the Nebraska Athletic Department, providing learning resources and skills to students in at-risk categories and writing consultation for all students, including personal statements for graduate school admission.
As an undergraduate, he majored in history and ethnic studies with a minor in Chicano Studies. As a graduate student in history, his thesis explored the history and images of Mexican vaqueros in Gilded Age and Progressive Era United States.
Pablo Rangel and James Garza at commencement
"A double major in history and ethnic studies allowed me to approach each discipline through the lens of the other," Rangel said. "This perspective made my scholarship and education unique among a talented group of university graduates. Also, because the Institute for Ethnic Studies is multidisciplinary, being an ethnic studies major and Chicano studies minor provided me access to a consummate group of students, staff, and faculty throughout the university. This wide network has been and will continue to be beneficial to me as a professional."
Rangel's expertise was recently featured in the article "How Mexican Vaqueros Inspired the American Cowboy" on History Channel's website.
He previously worked in museum education at the Smart Museum of Art in Chicago and contributed to the Smithsonian Latino Center's educational efforts as a research fellow in Washington D.C.
Rangel will join students and faculty in the classroom to share his story later this fall.
