Two Mary Baldwin seniors attended the 2015 National Leadership Institute of the ¡Adelante! U.S. Education Leadership Fund in San Antonio, providing a big boost for their big plans for the future.
The intense, three-day expo gave Maricruz Valenzuela and Virginia Banda-Garcia opportunities for networking; exposed them to informative workshops; and provided hands-on activities conducted by corporate, motivational, and educational leaders — all designed to inform, empower, and motivate.
“These two outstanding students had the chance to represent Mary Baldwin University in many lectures and workshops geared toward enhancing the educational experiences and future professional careers of Latino college students,” said Brenci Patiño, assistant professor of Spanish and U.S. Latina/o Studies.
Banda-Garcia — a psychology major from Richmond who immigrated to the United States from Mexico at 7 years old — is president of the on-campus group Latinas Unidas, a Latino Culture Gateway peer advisor, and a peer mentor for both Spanish and psychology courses. She said the weekend expo elevated her already-rewarding college experience.
“I felt prepared for this conference because Mary Baldwin101 also taught some of the same skills in professionalism,” said Banda-Garcia. “With my general education and major coursework, I also feel prepared to enter the workforce. The professionals we met taught us some of the strategies and experiences they have utilized to promote themselves. These real-life experiences were a critical asset during this conference since it allowed us to translate the experience to our own lives.”
Valenzuela, a pre-med student from Chesapeake, already serves on campus as the treasurer for Latinas Unidas, as a Latino Culture Gateway Peer Advisor, and as a Teaching Assistant for Chemistry courses. The Mexico native hopes to one day practice veterinary medicine.
“I came back from ¡Adelante! more inspired than ever to work hard for my dream and to not ever let myself or anyone else discourage me from doing so,” Valenzuela said, adding that she was particularly inspired by professionals she met at the conference, such as Margarita Machado-Casas, who at one point in her life was an undocumented immigrant and now is a professor at the University of Texas-San Antonio.
During the conference, the students also had the opportunity to establish connections with other students across the country.
“I enjoyed hearing from Latinos who faced some of my similar struggles and are now excelling in their perspective fields,” Banda-Garcia said. “Having their example in mind inspires me to continue with my education and teach others the skills I’ve acquired.”
Banda-Garcia said she hopes to become a school psychologist at the elementary level who educates parents and teachers about the difficulties some students face while learning, adding “I hope to continue educating and setting an example for fellow Latino professionals.”