Student Spotlight: Rudy Sanchez
Class of 2026
Major:
Hometown:
Fort Washington, Md.
Where are you from and what brought you to Marymount?
I was born in Arlington, but my family moved around a lot. We lived in Richmond and Alexandria, and now we’re in Maryland. I first heard about Marymount through my godmother’s family, who had relatives who studied here. I really liked that it was a small campus where you could get to know people, but it still had a strong sense of community and opportunities to grow. My mom is from Peru and my dad is from El Salvador, so being part of a diverse and welcoming environment was important to me.
What are some things you’ve been involved in on campus?
I’m a commuter student, so for the first two years I really didn’t get involved in anything. I was feeling very disconnected from the college experience and the University environment as a whole. But after some friends encouraged me to join events on campus, it unlocked a bunch of new doors for me. Since then, I’ve joined the executive board for the Latinx Student Association, become a Resident Assistant, gotten a job on campus and just this year, I became the president of the new Association of Latino Professionals for America (ALPFA) chapter on campus. Doing so many things has really helped me grow personally and professionally. I’ve really enjoyed being able to make so many great friends and take advantage of so many opportunities through Marymount.
What has been the highlight of your Marymount experience so far?
One really exciting thing is everything I’ve gotten to do with ALPFA, even just in the last few months since we started it. So far, I’ve gotten to travel to a summit in New Jersey and a national conference in Las Vegas. I made so many amazing connections with student chapters from around the world, including the Caribbean, Central America and even some from Virginia. I’ve met so many cool people, and now I have friends at American University and James Madison University and a growing network in the DMV.
Attending the ALPFA Student Leadership Summit in D.C. was another highlight. There, I had the chance to network and heard presentations from some of the amazing Hispanic students leading chapters across the country. The summit was such a rewarding and enriching experience to learn and connect with talented Latino professionals and students from across the region. I am truly grateful for spaces that empower our community, amplify diverse voices and inspire the next generation of leaders. ALPFA has already opened so many doors for me in such a short amount of time. I’m super excited to see how it can help other students in the Marymount community get connected to the network and job opportunities they have always dreamed about.
What are your plans after graduation?
It’s hard to believe graduation is coming up! I hope to continue being part of ALPFA and help students and anyone else around me benefit from my growing network, whether they’re at Marymount or another school. Beyond that, I hope to go to grad school, most likely for an MBA, and focus on building my career. I don’t know the exact job yet, but I feel like as time goes on, everything will fall into place.
How can students make the most of their college experience?
My advice is to get involved. Put yourself out there, even if it’s hard. Getting out of your comfort zone makes a huge difference. And if you need help, ask. There’s nothing wrong with asking for advice or suggestions. At the end of the day, we’re all trying to be better, and involvement is the best way to grow.
