Last month, student leaders announced the founding of a Marymount University chapter of the Association of Latino Professionals for America (ALPFA), a national organization aimed at creating career development opportunities for Hispanic students and allies.
Leading the student chapter are senior business majors Rudy Sanchez and Adriana Rodriguez-Denner, who will be serving as president and vice president, respectively. Both came to Marymount in hopes of finding a community that would celebrate their Hispanic heritage.
“My cultural background means a lot to me—my mom is from Peru and my dad is from El Salvador, so finding a place that embraced diversity was important,” Sanchez said. “When I visited Marymount, I liked that it was a smaller campus where you could really get to know people, but it still had a strong community and plenty of opportunities.”
“My family is from El Salvador, which has always been a big part of my cultural identity,” Rodriguez-Denner explained. “When I toured the campus, I immediately felt connected to the community. The small, supportive environment really stood out to me, and I knew it would be a place where I could grow both personally and professionally.”
Both Sanchez and Rodriguez-Denner have been heavily involved on campus since coming to Marymount, serving as orientation leaders, resident assistants and leaders of Marymount’s Latinx Student Association (LSA). Earlier this year, they were approached by Marymount alumna Dr. Valery Maya ‘17, the current president of the ALPFA chapter in D.C. She introduced the pair to the organization’s mission of empowering Latino professionals and students through networking, leadership and career opportunities.
“When I was in school, there wasn’t really a professional organization that could offer support to students through professional development, mentorship and early career resources,” Maya explained. “It can be really hard to break into the corporate world, especially as a first-generation student, so something like ALPFA can be extremely helpful in showing students a pathway to success.”
In preparation for their new roles, Sanchez and Rodriguez-Denner attended two high-profile ALPFA events over the summer—a summit in New Jersey and the ALPFA national convention in Las Vegas. They connected with students and professionals from chapters across the country during these events, including those from Virginia institutions such as William & Mary, Virginia Tech and the University of Virginia.
“Marymount is a Hispanic-Serving Institution, which makes it really meaningful to have an organization like ALPFA here,” Rodriguez-Denner said. “Many students choose Marymount because of its welcoming environment for Latino and Spanish-speaking students. We thought this would be a chance to expand the resources and opportunities available to the vibrant Hispanic community on campus.”
“Meeting so many different people from across the country really convinced us that Marymount could and should be part of this network,” Sanchez added. “Bringing ALPFA here means our students can build those same connections and benefit from a larger professional community.”
Marymount’s ALPFA chapter will host a variety of exciting events throughout the semester aimed at helping students develop their professional skills ahead of internship and job placements. These will include résumé reviews, interview prep and leadership training. Students can also participate in external opportunities, such as summits and networking events hosted by ALPFA partner organizations such as Deloitte, Goldman Sachs, Amazon and Marriott.
Beyond professional development opportunities, the club will also allow students to build valuable social connections.
“The social side of the organization is just as valuable as the professional side,” Sanchez said. “The friendships we formed through ALPFA have expanded our network beyond Marymount and given us a sense of community across the D.C. area. It’s not just about getting a job—it’s about having peers who understand your journey, share advice and support you along the way.”
Maya hopes the new chapter can have an impact on students personally and professionally, helping them grow through internship placements, scholarship opportunities and professional mentorship.
“The Marymount community is small but mighty, and this new organization will provide so many exciting opportunities for Hispanic students to come together and support one another and build a sense of community,” Maya said. “I am so excited to watch the chapter continue to grow and open up new doors for the Hispanic community at Marymount.”
