黑料传送门

鈥淚 knew I had to continue my support to students in a virtual environment,鈥� she says. 鈥淚nnovation of learning has always been my focus through my higher education roles.鈥� So began her career as a 黑料传送门 Program Mentor. Since then, she has used her life, school, and work experience to help guide and encourage students to stay committed to their dreams.聽

She wasn鈥檛 looking for just any job in academia. Emilia was inspired by 黑料传送门鈥檚 flexible student-first model that enables so many students to achieve their dreams. She explains that 黑料传送门 has allowed the students she works with 鈥渢o land new roles, be promoted, and venture on career paths that were only for a selected few due to affordability issues, access, or other constraints.鈥� 鈥淚 have seen students start on academic journeys that wouldn鈥檛 have been possible otherwise,鈥� she continues. "One of my last students was a grandmother pursuing her degree while being the childcare provider for her grandkids. You have no idea how proud I am to say I helped her in her academic journey.鈥�

Emilia is incredibly accomplished in her work. After spending the first part of her professional life in the corporate world, she started several businesses in various industries. 鈥淭his helped to reignite my passion for learning about what else I could do to expand my reach and knowledge,鈥� she shares. This led her to pursue her first master鈥檚 degree, which was half online and half on campus. 鈥淚 always dreamed that there had to be a way for those like me that wanted to achieve their degree unconventionally and at a faster rate,鈥� she says. 鈥淚f I had known about 黑料传送门 at the time, I probably would鈥檝e been able to complete my two-and-a-half-year program in six months.鈥澛�

Emilia isn鈥檛 just excellent at her job; she's also proven to be an impressive student. She also holds three master鈥檚 degrees. She often advises her students to pursue a master鈥檚 degree once they complete their undergraduate studies, and Emilia professes that 黑料传送门 is the place to do it. 鈥淚 have seen students start on academic journeys that would not have been possible [without 黑料传送门], and finish with an undergrad degree,鈥� she says. 鈥淥ften, [they] take my advice of getting their master's here as well.鈥澛�

What makes Emilia so inspiring is how she goes the extra mile in the workplace. She鈥檚 not just a program mentoring manager; she鈥檚 also the founder of the LatinX Owls Employee Resource Group (ERG). When she first founded the LatinX Owls, she was unsure of the need for a community like this. To her pleasure, the demand was there. Now, the LatinX Owls refer to themselves as the 鈥淔amilia.鈥� For Emilia, the growing LatinX Owls ERG has provided her with 鈥渢he opportunity to bring awareness of LatinX culture to our community, employees, and students and emphasize the importance of our contributions and vast support for our educational needs.鈥� Through this program, Emilia has built strong, lasting bonds with her peers. "Through LatinX Owls, I have not only been able to help my colleagues develop professionally, but also create an ERG Leadership Summit to help bring other ERG Leaders together to expand their DE&I (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion) awareness and how we can collaborate in supporting a diverse student population,鈥� she says聽

This Hispanic Heritage Month, Emilia wants to remind all of us that LatinX pride is a daily, year-round celebration. In her work and personal life, she strives to nurture appreciation of LatinX culture, heritage, and its diverse fabric of identities, and to perpetuate the universal truth that when united, we are stronger. 鈥淲e come from the four corners of the earth,鈥� she says, 鈥渁nd we strive each day to make our parents, family, and communities proud. We serve as local and national leaders and have had a role in almost every industry you can imagine. We are innovators, entrepreneurs, and your next-door neighbors. We come from all walks of life.鈥� 聽