For ������Ƶ student Berenice Sanchez Rosaldo, the event marked a full-circle moment.

Berenice Sanchez Rosaldo ’29, a political science major who is in the ������Ƶ Academy and The Mac Mahon Family Scholar in the Odyssey Program, participated as a first-time presenter. She presented alongside Danielle Lake, director of the Center for Design Thinking, and Shannice Sellars, executive director of the African American Cultural Arts and History Center.

Their presentation, “Participatory Place-shaping: How Community-led Counter Storying Encourages Civic Engagement,” highlighted Sanchez Rosaldo’s work with the Center for Design Thinking. It focused on developing counter-stories that reflect participants’ communities and environments as a form of civic engagement.

Sanchez Rosaldo drew from personal experiences, including her high school, her father’s workplace, and the Dream Center — spaces she identified as influential in her development as a student, athlete and individual.

“Seeing Berenice present her story was such a proud moment,” said Melissa Chacon Villalobos, coordinator for well-being with ������Ƶ Academy. “Watching her grow from a high school freshman to a first-year student at ������Ƶ, and seeing the impact she is already making in Alamance County, is incredibly meaningful.”

Sanchez Rosaldo began this work before enrolling at ������Ƶ, first connecting with Danielle Lake while attending Alamance Burlington Early College at ACC, where she completed a summer internship with local summer camps across Alamance County, creating lesson plans for kids ages 6-12 during her junior year of High School.

She also credits ������Ƶ Academy as instrumental in shaping her college journey.
“������Ƶ Academy opened my eyes to the idea of college and created many opportunities for me,” Sanchez Rosaldo said.

Now an Odyssey Scholar, Sanchez Rosaldo continues her work with the Center for Design Thinking through the Power + Place Collaborative and by leading design thinking workshops across campus.

The Center for Design Thinking focuses on creative, structured approaches to problem-solving. Its Power + Place Collaborative works with Alamance County leaders and community members to document and share stories that reflect the county’s diverse communities.

������Ƶ Academy supports academically promising, limited-income, and first-generation students, while the Odyssey Program provides merit-based scholarships and enrichment opportunities for students with demonstrated financial need.

“What Berenice represents is exactly why ������Ƶ Academy exists – talented students who, with the right support and opportunities, go on to lead, contribute, and create change in their communities,” said Emily Wiersma, director of the ������Ƶ Academy.

Together, the ������Ƶ Academy and Odyssey Scholars Program reflect ������Ƶ’s commitment to civic engagement and to supporting students and communities in Alamance County.

For Sanchez Rosaldo, the experience also carried personal and generational significance. Her mother attended the presentation, marking a milestone as she watched her daughter present at her first conference.

Her story reflects the broader impact of ������Ƶ’s programs on students, their families, and their communities.

It also mirrors a larger, statewide commitment to civic engagement, as institutions across North Carolina continue this work through initiatives like the , which will take place in June 2026 and is hosted by North Carolina Campus Engagement. Together, these efforts highlight how experiences like the PACE conference are not just singular moments, but part of an ongoing cycle of learning, leadership and community impact.

This spring, members of the ������Ƶ Academy team traveled to schools across Alamance County to celebrate the milestone moment with 30 ninth-grade students: their admission into ������Ƶ Academy’s newest cohort. Gathered alongside family members, teachers, counselors, and school advocates who had supported them throughout their educational journeys, students learned they had been selected to join the largest incoming class in ������Ƶ Academy’s nearly 20-year history.

The celebrations marked the culmination of a redesigned recruitment and selection process that emphasized accessibility, family engagement, collaboration, and student-centered experiences. As ������Ƶ Academy enters its twentieth year, the expanded cohort reflects both the program’s continued growth and its enduring commitment to creating pathways to college access and success for students across Alamance County.

Led by Assistant Director Briston Whitt, ������Ƶ Academy’s revised recruitment and selection model introduced several significant enhancements, including a streamlined application process, redesigned group interview experiences, expanded family engagement opportunities, and increased collaboration with school, university, and community partners.

“Every aspect of the process was designed to create a more meaningful experience for students and families while ensuring we were able to identify Scholars who would really benefit from and thrive in the ������Ƶ Academy community,” said Whitt. “We wanted students and their families to feel seen, supported, and connected to the program from their very first interaction with us.”

The recruitment cycle began with intentional collaboration between ������Ƶ Academy and its network of school-based advocates. Serving as liaisons between the ������Ƶ Academy program and local schools, advocates provided valuable insight into the unique needs of their school communities and helped connect prospective students and families with information, resources and opportunities to learn more about the program.

Building on those partnerships, ������Ƶ Academy launched an extensive outreach effort that included school presentations, family information sessions, community events, social media campaigns and direct outreach to students throughout the Alamance-Burlington School System. The team also participated in events such as the ABSS Options Fair and school-based orientation programs, helping students and families begin exploring college access opportunities early in their high school careers.

The result was a strong and diverse applicant pool representing schools from across Alamance County.

Students advancing in the selection process submitted an essay and teacher recommendation, before participating in a redesigned group interview experience hosted for the first time ever on ������Ƶ’s campus. Over three days, prospective scholars engaged in collaborative activities designed to assess communication, critical thinking, teamwork, problem-solving, and leadership skills while giving students an opportunity to experience ������Ƶ firsthand.

The campus-based format also created new opportunities for family engagement. While students participated in interviews and activities, family members were invited to remain on campus for programming focused on student success, wellbeing, and navigating the college preparation journey. Families learned more about the program’s expectations and connected with ������Ƶ Academy staff in a welcoming and supportive environment.

The redesigned model also expanded participation from university and community partners. Faculty and staff members, ������Ƶ Academy student leaders, College Scholars, and supporters joined the process as evaluators, providing prospective Scholars with meaningful interactions while gaining a firsthand understanding of the intentionality behind the selection process. Following the group interview phase, finalists participated in individual interviews conducted at their schools to complete the selection process.

The result was the selection of 30 exceptional students who will comprise the Phi Cohort, officially making it the largest incoming class in ������Ƶ Academy history.

“Expanding to 30 Scholars represents more than a larger cohort size,” said Director Emily Wiersma. “It represents more students, more families, and more futures that will be impacted through the power of education, mentorship and opportunity. As we approach our twentieth year, it is exciting to see ������Ƶ Academy continuing to grow while remaining deeply committed to the mission that has guided us from the beginning.”

In early May, the newest scholars and their families returned to campus for New Scholar Orientation, an immersive introduction to ������Ƶ Academy and ������Ƶ. Throughout the day, students participated in community-building activities, learned about program expectations, explored campus, connected with peers, and began building relationships that will support them throughout their ������Ƶ Academy journey.

Families participated in their own programming focused on building connections, learning about available resources and hearing directly from current Scholars and families about their experiences in the program. The orientation concluded with ������Ƶ Academy’s traditional Honors Ceremony, during which current ������Ƶ Academy College Scholars led students in formally committing themselves to the values and expectations of the program and received honor coins commemorating their official welcome into the ������Ƶ Academy family.

While orientation marked an important milestone, the Phi Cohort’s journey is just beginning.

Next week, scholars will return to campus for Summer Academy, one of ������Ƶ Academy’s signature experiences. During the program, students will live in residence halls, participate in academic enrichment opportunities, build relationships with mentors and peers and gain firsthand experience navigating a college environment. For many scholars, Summer Academy serves as the moment when ������Ƶ Academy truly comes to life – transforming a group of newly admitted students into a supportive community united by shared goals, aspirations, and opportunity.

Members of the ������Ƶ community will have several opportunities to engage with the newest cohort throughout the summer, including the annual ������Ƶ Academy Ice Cream Social. This beloved tradition brings together scholars, families, alumni, faculty, staff, donors and community supporters to celebrate the beginning of a new chapter and welcome the Phi Cohort into the broader ������Ƶ Academy community. Interested guests can .

As ������Ƶ Academy enters its twentieth year, the Phi Cohort represents more than a record-breaking class size. These 30 students embody the promise, potential, and perseverance that have defined ������Ƶ Academy since its founding. Their journey is just beginning, and the ������Ƶ community is invited to join in celebrating, supporting, and welcoming the newest generation of ������Ƶ Academy Scholars.

• 136 college acceptances from 38 different universities
• $2.5 million in merit scholarships and grants awarded to scholars
• Seven will join the Class of 2030 this fall at ������Ƶ, three are headed to UNC Chapel Hill, and three more to UNC Charlotte, among other top schools
• Several earned some of the most competitive and prestigious scholarships North Carolina offers, including a Carolina Covenant Scholar at UNC Chapel Hill, an ������Ƶ Teaching Fellow, and a North Carolina Teaching Fellow

And for ������Ƶ President Connie Book, who addressed the 17th class of the ������Ƶ Academy at a recent dinner reception to recognize graduates of the university’s college access and success program, scholarships and college acceptances are more than a reflection of academic achievement. They’re a harbinger of future success.

“These accomplishments, impressive as they are, are only a glimpse of the bright path that lies ahead of you,” Book said. “The ������Ƶ Academy was founded on a simple and powerful belief — that talent and potential exist in every community, and when that talent is matched with opportunity and support, there is no limit to what a young person can achieve. Each of you is living proof of that belief.”

Book was joined by family members, mentors, program alumni and other university leaders on May 28, 2026, in celebration of the Sigma Class during the ������Ƶ Academy’s annual President’s Reception.

The ������Ƶ Academy is an intensive, comprehensive opportunity for academically promising high school students in Alamance County with a financial need and/or no family history of college. The ������Ƶ Academy Summer Academy program includes three consecutive summer residential experiences prior to the sophomore, junior and senior years, as well as year-round Saturday Academy programs for students and families.

As part of the ceremony in the Lakeside Meeting Rooms, Shawn Means, a member of the Alamance Burlington Early College Class of 2026, delivered the Sigma Scholar Speech to his 24 classmates. Means reflected at length on the ways ������Ƶ Academy shaped their development beyond academics.

“When people talk about ������Ƶ Academy, they’d most likely give you a polished answer,” Means said. “They talk about college preparation, leadership, and academic growth. All the things you can put on paper. And they wouldn’t be wrong. But they wouldn’t be telling the whole story.”

Means emphasized how the program transformed participants not only as students but as people. “Now we understand responsibility. Now we understand balance,” he said. “Now we understand that freedom isn’t just given, it’s something you learn how to handle.”

The reception was also the first in the ������Ƶ Academy’s nearly two decades of operation where alumni returned to be honored for their own graduations from college. Four ������Ƶ Academy College Scholars were applauded and presented with certificates commemorating their own recent college graduations.

Reception guests heard from Shiv Patel, a member of the Xi Class that graduated from high school in 2022. Now a graduate of UNC Chapel Hill, Patel encouraged members of the Sigma Class to stay true to themselves as they head to college.

“Someone told me that I did college right, and while I appreciated the notion, it’s not that I did college right, it’s that I led with my values,” Patel said. “I wanted the choices I made in college to be choices that reflected who I was and the background I came from. I never wanted to pretend to be someone I was not or do things that went against who I was.”

The program concluded with another first for the ������Ƶ Academy – a presentation of scholarships to four Sigma Class graduates made possible through the philanthropy of those who recognized the power of the academy to change lives.

Mariam Rosales ‘17, a member of the Delta Class and an ������Ƶ graduate who today works in real estate, joined with Julio Santiago to create the awards. Honored in 2026 were:

• Lexie Bennett, River Mill Academy
• Jaime Carranza-Navarrete, Graham High School
• Shawn Means, Alamance Burlington Early College
• Naje Gray, Walter M. Williams High School

The reception was a final opportunity for scholars before leaving high school to be encouraged with support from mentors who have been with them over the past three years.

“As you step into this next chapter, know this: you are ready,” said ������Ƶ Academy Director Emily Wiersma. “You have the tools, the resilience, and the heart to thrive. Life will bring challenges, yes, but it will also bring new mentors, new questions, and new opportunities to grow. Embrace it all. Stay curious. Stay connected to this community. Support from the ������Ƶ Academy does not end here today … most of all, continue to believe in yourself as fiercely as we believe in you.”

������Ƶ Academy Assistant Director of College Success Manny Campos emphasized the same point in closing the program.

“Believe in yourself. Believe that all the struggles you’ve faced prepared you and taught you what you need to succeed,” he said. “Your college acceptances and your college degrees were no mistakes, you did that. Now let’s be real. It may get difficult. Life won’t always be rainbows and butterflies.

“On those days that feel heavy and you feel like giving up, because those days will come, remember everyone here, remember the journey, and remember why you stayed. You did the work and you are more than capable of succeeding.”

������Ƶ Academy is a comprehensive college access and success program that partners with students and families beginning in high school and continues through college graduation. Serving academically promising students who are first-generation college-bound and/or from limited-income backgrounds and who attend school in or reside in Alamance County, this program is offered at no cost to participating students and their families.

Designed to address systemic barriers to higher education, ������Ƶ Academy provides students with academic enrichment, college advising, mentoring and sustained support during critical transition points from high school to college and through degree completion. Students participate in programming that strengthens academic skills, builds college knowledge and fosters a sense of belonging and confidence in higher education spaces.

������Ƶ Academy is a long-term investment in students who demonstrate talent and motivation but may not have access to the resources or guidance that make college feel possible. Recruitment is a critical first step in ensuring those students are seen, supported, and invited into this opportunity.

The current recruitment cycle focuses on identifying ninth-grade students who show academic potential, leadership, and perseverance, and who would benefit from a comprehensive college preparation program. Faculty and staff are uniquely positioned to support this effort through their professional and community networks, including relationships with local schools, community organizations, faith-based groups, and families across Alamance County.
Faculty and staff involvement helps us reach students who may not otherwise have access to information about college preparation programs. Personal encouragement and referrals can have a meaningful impact on whether a student applies. For a student to hear that they were nominated and that someone believes in them can make all the difference.

By helping to share information about ������Ƶ Academy, faculty and staff can play a direct role in expanding access to college-preparatory opportunities and strengthening ������Ƶ’s longstanding commitment to equity, access, and community partnership.

������Ƶ Academy Scholars engage in a range of experiences that prepare them for college success, including academic skill-building, advising and mentoring, family engagement, and exposure to college and career pathways. The program’s impact extends beyond individual students, contributing to college-going cultures within families and communities and creating pathways to long-term educational and economic mobility.

Faculty and staff can support recruitment and applications by:

• who demonstrate academic promise and commitment to their education
• Sharing ������Ƶ Academy information with students, families, educators, and community partners in Alamance County
• before the Feb. 1 deadline

The application deadline for the 2026 cohort is Feb. 1. Additional information about eligibility requirements, program structure and the application process is available on the ������Ƶ Academy website. For additional insight, marketing materials, and further questions, please reach out to Emily Wiersma, director of the ������Ƶ Academy, at ewiersma@elon.edu.

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As an ������Ƶ Year of Service Fellow, Jasmine Walker ’25 was excited to have the opportunity to give back to the community that helped her grow, currently partnering with , an organization focused on education from “cradle to career.”

“When I found out it was through ABSS (Alamance Burlington School System), which I’m a product of, I wanted to help the school system since they helped me become who I am,” said Walker, who earned a degree in human service studies with a minor in poverty and social justice.

�ճ����Year of Service Fellows Program is an opportunity through the university’s Student Professional Development Center that allows recent graduates to work at local organizations to improve health, education and economic development in the Alamance County community.

Going macro

A native of ������Ƶ, Walker was a scholar in the ������Ƶ Academy in high school, and a scholar in the Odyssey Program. Now, she’s a Year of Service Fellow, an opportunity that allows recent graduates to work at local organizations to improve health, education and economic development in the Alamance County community.

“I wanted to do macro-work,” she said of her choice to do the fellows program. “I was doing a lot of micro work in my undergrad, and I wanted to try something different. I really appreciate the experience because I’ve never done anything like this before, and it’s building my knowledge.”

Walker started with Alamance Achieves in June 2025 and says she was immediately thrown in,” working on “Ready Freddy,” a three-week program preparing students for kindergarten.

“I have a lot of experience working with kids, and that’s something I’m passionate about,” said Walker.

She also assists with the Teachers Leadership Academy, a program for ABSS teachers focusing on leadership skills and opportunities, and “The Basics Alamance,” a community-wide initiative that uses evidence-based principles and a text-message platform to support caregivers in promoting healthy brain development from birth to age 5.

“There’s a misconception that people don’t need to work with kids until they’re in kindergarten, and that’s when they’ll start learning. But it’s very prevalent for children to start learning from the ages of 0 to 5, before they go to kindergarten,” said Walker.

A desire to help

Her desire to help others was a key factor in her decision to major in human services studies.

“I wanted to help people, and I’ve always been passionate about supporting others,” said Walker. “I grew up volunteering and doing different things with my church. When I was a freshman, I met a senior in the program, and I took the intro course and really liked it. I liked how personable the department was.”

Walker credits several faculty members with being her biggest cheerleaders, including Sandra Reid, Vanessa Drew Branch and Jessica Navarro. The Odyssey Program, along with ������Ƶ’s Periclean Scholars Program also advanced her education and global understanding.

“The Odyssey Program really changed my life,” said Walker. “I was able to study abroad in Florence, Italy, my junior year and I was there for three and a half months. That was cool, I never thought I was going to be able to leave the country because of finances.”

Healthier, smarter, stronger

Through the Periclean Scholars Program, a three-year, cohort-based learning experience that focuses on forming mutually-beneficial partnerships locally and abroad, Walker was also able to travel to Costa Rica for the Winter Term. It was an opportunity to practice the Spanish-speaking skills she learned through the ABSS Spanish-immersion program from kindergarten through 11^th grade.

“We studied Costa Rica as a whole and looked at what the specific community that we were going to travel to needed,” she said. “It was interesting, and I think it helped me because now I’m thinking, after the fellowship, either continuing to work in Alamance County, or pursuing a master’s degree in social work.”

Even though she’s from Alamance County and was educated in ABSS, Walker says she’s continuing to learn about her hometown.

“It’s cool to be able to meet different leaders and partners in the community, and hear what they do,” Walker said. “I don’t think I realized how many organizations and partnerships there are to make Alamance County continue to thrive. I can see the efforts being made to support Impact Alamance’s mission of making Alamance County healthier, smarter and stronger. Growing up and seeing the difference between what it was when I was a kid and what it is now in my 20s, it gives me hope.”

This story is part of a series of features on the 2025-26 Year of Service Fellows, highlighting the work they are doing in the Alamance County community.

The project aimed to support individuals and families experiencing homelessness during the winter months and holiday season. Scholars designed handmade cards for encouragement and stuffed care packages for community members that included a toboggan and glove set, hand warmers, chapstick and a non-perishable food item.

This initiative aligns with one of the goals set by the new ������Ƶ Academy team: a renewed commitment to integrating community service into the ������Ƶ Academy experience. Using ������Ƶ’s HealthEU Dimensions of Wellbeing to guide her efforts, Melissa Chacon Villalobos partners with members of the ������Ƶ Academy team to integrate intentional well-being into their programming with scholars as a key part of her role as the coordinator for well-being.

“Integrating service into our overall framework reflects our commitment to holistic Scholar development and their well-being,” said Emily Wiersma, director of the ������Ƶ Academy. “As the coordinator for well-being, Melissa plays a key role in supporting intentional service experiences that help Scholars connect community engagement with their own well-being skills they can carry with them well beyond ������Ƶ Academy.”

Chacon Villalobos was also a part of the fourth cohort of ������Ƶ Academy when she was in high school, bringing firsthand knowledge of the impact service had on her career journey/trajectory.

“Participating in service during summers at ������Ƶ Academy ingrained service as a part of my core values early on,” said Chacon Villalobos.

Assistant Director Briston Whitt, also has a rich history with the program. As an ������Ƶ alum, Whitt worked with the ������Ƶ Academy as a mentor throughout her entire collegiate career. During her first year as a Summer Mentor, Whitt recalls supporting the Scholars as they volunteered with Twin Lakes Retirement Home and held a food drive outside of Walmart for families.

“Now as a leader in the program in a different capacity, I want to ensure our scholars are exposed to the valuable benefits of community service as well,” Whitt said.

It was this collective understanding of how service can shape identity, leadership and belonging that led Whitt and Chacon Villalobos to coordinate the opportunity for sophomore scholars.  In reflections following the project, Scholars emphasized the value of helping others not for recognition, but because service, no matter how small, can positively impact someone’s day, week or even year. Others described it as meaningful, enjoyable experience and a reminder that supporting their community plays an important role in emotional, community and purpose well-being.

The ������Ƶ Academy is a college access program supporting local first-generation and/or Scholars from limited-income backgrounds as they prepare for and persist through higher education. The program begins working with scholars at the end of their freshman year of high school and continues support and programming until college graduation. Housed within ������Ƶ’s Center for Access and Success, ������Ƶ Academy advances the Center’s broader strategies of equipping scholars and their families with tools, relationships and opportunities to support success throughout their education and beyond.

This project builds off a pilot service project scholars participated in during the Summer Academy as part of their well-being activities and community service experiences. Their summer project included a park cleanup experience with Burlington Parks and Recreation.

General feedback from scholars indicated that 79% were satisfied with their community service experience.

“I found community service at the park to be very fun, but it also helped out the community,” shared one scholar.

These examples marked the beginning of a renewed, ongoing commitment to community service, with more opportunities planned for scholars. Chacon Villalobos is working to establish a student-led community service club to support sustained involvement and further integrate well-being into ������Ƶ Academy programming starting in 2026. The goal is to equip Scholars with skills to maintain and advocate for their well-being and the well-being of others throughout their academic journeys and beyond.

Key benefits of community service include connection and belonging, general mental health and happiness, career exploration and advancement, and fulfillment. Program leaders hope that scholars will experience long-term benefits from service participation and carry a commitment to well-being into their future academic, professional and personal lives.

To learn more about ������Ƶ Academy’s key programs, visit their website: /u/academics/access-and-success/elon-academy/

The multi-month fellowship offers growth and collective healing for Latine educators and organizers committed to equity. It equips Latine advocates across North Carolina with tools to remove barriers and build a thriving future, honoring identity and lived experience.

Manny Campos, assistant director of college success for the ������Ƶ Academy, said he entered the fellowship looking to stay connected to the community that shaped him.

“I wanted to participate in the LatinxEd Fellowship because I wanted to stay rooted in my community. Especially in a space where there aren’t many people who look like me” Campos said. “In turn, I wanted to make my mark and show the work that I am doing. I also wanted to see the work people are doing throughout North Carolina that supports Latine students.”

Through the ������Ƶ Academy, Campos supports first-generation and low-income students on their college journey. He shared that the fellowship retreat offered a powerful reminder of his purpose.

“The Fellowship retreat was very grounding and energizing,” he said. “It was so nice to be surrounded by people who care about the Latine community and advocate for those who don’t always have a voice. It served as a reminder of why I do the work that I do.”

Similarly, Stephanie Hernández Rivera, assistant professor in the Master of Arts in Higher Education program and Emerging Professor in the Dr. Jo Watts Williams School of Education, also completed the fellowship. She learned about it from a colleague and former fellow, Luis Garay, who encouraged her to apply.

Her research focuses on the experiences of students of color in higher education. She saw the fellowship as an opportunity to enhance her advocacy for Latine students in North Carolina.

“For me, it’s important that my work continues to speak back to the communities I am trying to serve,” Hernández Rivera said. “Advocating for Latine students is central to this work.”

She added that the retreat emphasized a shared commitment to collective progress.

“Bringing together Latine people from across the state to consider how we facilitate educational access was a powerful demonstration of community and solidarity. Even as Latine people, we have varied experiences. Our willingness to learn from and with one another is a testament to our desire to understand each other to best serve our students.”

For both fellows, graduation marked more than just a ceremony—it brought pride and momentum. Campos was selected as one of two fellows to speak during the event, where he shared his experiences, key accomplishments, and the impact the Fellowship had on his growth.

“I felt so empowered getting to share my thoughts and my story with others,” Campos said. “This set the stage for what was a successful Fellowship journey. It marked the end of an emotional and thought-provoking adventure I’ll never forget.”

For Hernández Rivera, the moment was deeply meaningful both personally and professionally.

“It was beautiful and moving to be recognized for the work I have already done to support students as a Puerto Rican woman. I am inspired to continue on that road,” she said.

LatinxEd’s mission is to dismantle barriers to educational access for Latine communities. The group partners with advocates across the state to launch mentorship programs, organize workshops, and host networking events for students. Campos and Hernández Rivera return to campus with renewed purpose and strengthened skills from the fellowship.

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“I’ve made my own family here at ������Ƶ.”

As president of ������Ƶ’s Latinx Hispanic Union (LHU), Edward Hernandez ’27 can easily describe the purpose he’s discovered in fostering community across campus and in the surrounding communities where he was raised.

“Whether it’s my LHU family, my El Centro team, or my Odyssey cohort, those connections feel like home,” said the double major in marketing and business analytics from Burlington, N.C. They’re also the foundation of a legacy he hopes to leave for future Hispanic and Latinx students.

Roots of Legacy

Hernandez’s legacy begins with the blending of two identities. As the son of a Mexican mother and Salvadoran father, he grew up surrounded by traditions that emphasized the value of family and community.

His most cherished memories are Christmas Eve gatherings with more than 60 relatives, opening presents at midnight and celebrating until morning.

“Every year, we’d drive down to Florida to see my grandparents. Christmas Eve was always the biggest gathering,” Hernandez said. “Those are some of my favorite memories, just being surrounded by family and celebrating together.”

These traditions shaped Hernandez’s understanding of belonging, a value he now carries with him through his college experience.

Cultivating Community at ������Ƶ

Hernandez was first introduced to ������Ƶ through the “It Takes a Village” Project, but it was ������Ƶ Academy, the university’s college access and success program for academically promising high school students from families with little or no history of college, that truly showed him college was within reach.

“������Ƶ Academy was the biggest help for me,” he said, “It showed me what college could be and [that it] was attainable.”

After choosing to attend ������Ƶ, the recipient of the Douglas and Edna Truitt Noiles ’44 Scholarship in the Odyssey Program found spaces like El Centro and LHU to celebrate his heritage. He progressed from visitor to student coordinator at El Centro, helping to host programs such as Perspectivas, where the Hispanic and Latinx community shared their experiences.

“Last year, my department hosted a panel on machismo,” he said. “It was powerful to hear how different people grew up with those cultural norms and how our generation is pushing to move away from them.”

His involvement with LHU grew just as quickly. By the spring of his first year, he was on the executive board, later serving as treasurer, vice president, and now president.

Inspiring the next generation

Mentorship has become one of the most meaningful ways Hernandez carries his values forward. Hernandez is both a College Access Success Team (CAT) mentor and summer mentor with ������Ƶ Academy, where he offers the same encouragement he once received as a scholar.

“The mentors I had there made such a difference in my life, and that’s why I now give back as a CAT mentor and summer mentor because the program gave me so much,” he said.

He also volunteers weekly with the Dream Center in Burlington, supporting primarily Hispanic and Latinx students through its SPIN program, which provides academic assistance, mentorship and community engagement.

“We act as mentors, but also as older siblings, playing games and helping out,” Hernandez said.

Together, these experiences reflect the core of his impact: inspiring younger students to lead, give back and see themselves as part of a thriving community.

Shaping the future

Hernandez sees his legacy not in recognition but in impact, a truth underscored when students he mentored through ������Ƶ Academy enrolled at ������Ƶ.

“It was really a full circle moment. The scholars that I mentored during the summer going into my sophomore year are now here at ������Ƶ,” he said. “Seeing them join and even ask me about LHU or El Centro shows me that my work is making a difference.”

Looking ahead, Hernandez hopes to carry his values of family and community into a career in marketing and business analytics, advocating for more inclusive practices and challenging stereotypes.

“A lot of the time, marketing uses very harsh stereotypes of people,” Hernandez said. “I think there can definitely be changes. Whenever people market or design campaigns, the voices of different cultures need to be in the room so communities aren’t stereotyped.”

More than a story

In the end, Hernandez’s vision of legacy is simple: giving back, community and family — both the one he was born into and the one he created at ������Ƶ. His story also reflects this year’s Hispanic Heritage Month theme, “Más Que Una Historia: Living Our Legacy,” as he honors the traditions that shaped him while inspiring future generations.

“It really feels good to see that I am making a difference,” he said. “My hope is that the students I’ve helped will do even more than I did at ������Ƶ and continue to make a difference here.”

������Ƶ honors Hispanic Heritage Month

As part of Hispanic Heritage Month, ������Ƶ is sharing stories that celebrate the contributions, identities and experiences of students, faculty and staff. This month recognizes the rich histories and cultures of Hispanic and Latinx communities, while also honoring the ways these traditions connect with and inspire people of all backgrounds. This month provides a special opportunity to honor Hispanic and Latinx heritage, but it also serves as an invitation for all members of the university to engage, learn and celebrate together.

Insight Into Academia has honored ������Ƶ, along with 60 other recipients, with a 2025 Higher Education Excellence and Distinction Award. Recipients will be featured in the publication’s October 2025 issue.

This marks the second consecutive year of recognition for the university and its third award overall. Insight Into Academia, formerly known as Insight Into Diversity, initially recognized ������Ƶ in 2014.

“We take a detailed and somewhat holistic approach to reviewing each application in determining who will be named a HEED Award recipient,” said Lenore Pearlstein, co-publisher of Insight into Academia magazine. “Our standards are high, and we look for institutions where academic excellence and belonging are woven into the work being done every day across their campus.”

“Our standards are high, and we look for institutions where academic excellence and belonging are woven into the work being done every day across their campus.”

– Lenore Pearlstein, co-publisher, Insight Into Academic

This year’s award recognizes the programs, initiatives, and opportunities pursued by recipients to nurture a sense of belonging by students, faculty, and staff. Other criteria considered in this award selection: off-campus community partnerships, and recognition bestowed by a university on employees whose service and scholarship are considered “invisible labor” away from core work responsibilities.

Over the past year, ������Ƶ’s Division of Inclusive Excellence collaborated with the Staff Advisory Council and HealthEU to develop and launch Together@������Ƶ, monthly opportunities for ������Ƶ employees to enjoy shared experiences. Together@������Ƶ was established on the belief that social connections within the faculty and staff better helps employees support student success.

The 2025 HEED award also recognized ������Ƶ’s partnerships within the greater Alamance County community through the ������Ƶ Academy, an intensive, multi-phase, college access and success program for academically promising high school students.

“The HEED award application requires us to gather institutional data, programs, services, and other information that illustrates the degree to which ������Ƶ strives to achieve human flourishing for all its members of the community,” said Randy Williams, the university’s vice president for inclusive excellence. “Working with colleagues to tell that story, and supported with compelling evidence, is rewarding in itself. I’m especially grateful when external colleagues recognize ������Ƶ as a leader in inclusive excellence.

“Insight Into Academia’s second consecutive year of awarding ������Ƶ motivates us to advance our efforts to foster respect for human differences.”

Williams acknowledged the following ������Ƶ faculty and staff who contributed information and suggestions for the award application:

• Naeemah Clark, Associate Provost for Academic Inclusive Excellence
• Mike Haskins, Vice President for Communications and Marketing
• Monica Isbell, Director of Academic Accommodations & Accessibility
• Kimberly Romero, Assistant Dean of ������Ƶ for Inclusive Excellence
• Rob Springer, Executive Director of Institutional Effectiveness
• Paul Tongsri, Assistant Dean for Student Success and Retention

About ������Ƶ

������Ƶ is a nationally recognized leader in engaged, experiential learning that prepares graduates to be creative, resilient, ambitious and ethical citizens of our global culture.

At ������Ƶ, more than 7,000 students learn through hands-on experiences and close working relationships with faculty and staff whose priorities are teaching and mentoring. The curriculum is grounded in the liberal arts and sciences with emphasis on global experiences and career development. More than 70 undergraduate majors are complemented by professional and graduate programs in law, business, education and health care. ������Ƶ is ranked No. 1 for excellence in undergraduate teaching by U.S. News & World Report.

������Ƶ’s academic divisions include ������Ƶ College, the College of Arts and Sciences; the Martha and Spencer Love School of Business; the School of Communications; the Dr. Jo Watts Williams School of Education; the School of Health Sciences; and the School of Law, with programs in Greensboro and Charlotte, North Carolina.

About Insight Into Academia

Insight Into Academia magazine, formerly Insight Into Diversity, is the largest and oldest diversity and inclusion publication in higher education. Insight is the leader in recognizing inclusive excellence in higher education through its many prestigious awards, and in advancing best practices in inclusive excellence and belonging through their website and print magazine.

Current, archived, and digital issues of Insight Into Academia magazine are available online at insightintoacademia.com.

The first in his family to graduate from college, Reyes Arias also made history as the first ������Ƶ student to complete all three of the university’s signature access programs: the “It Takes a Village” Project, the ������Ƶ Academy and the Odyssey Program. Together, these programs, housed in ������Ƶ’s Center for Access and Success, create pathways to higher education for students beginning in pre-kindergarten and continuing through college.

And this summer, Reyes Arias was able to add one more chapter to his ������Ƶ story when he returned to the ������Ƶ Academy, this time as a graduate intern, mentoring high school students in the same program that changed his life.

“I wanted a final moment with ������Ƶ,” he says. “Coming back this summer really made it feel full circle.”

The experience reminded him of who he once was: a high school student overwhelmed by college decisions, craving guidance. Now, he was the one answering questions and offering advice on balance, purpose and personal growth. “It was rewarding to share the same advice that once helped me,” he says. “College is about achieving, yes, but don’t forget the fun. Both can coexist.”

A Love of Learning

Born and raised in Burlington, Reyes Arias is the oldest of four children to Jose Reyes and Victorina Arias. He benefited from teachers and mentors in the Alamance-Burlington School System who nurtured his love of learning and inspired him to dream big.

“Having teachers who believed in you and pushed you to want more was an amazing thing,” he says. “I always had my eye on ������Ƶ as a school that I really wanted to go to, and I credit my teachers for helping to guide me there.”

His path began to take shape when his mother discovered a flyer for the “It Takes a Village” Project at May Memorial Library in downtown Burlington. Launched in 2008, the free, donor-supported program serves struggling readers from pre-k through middle school with the help of ������Ƶ students, faculty and staff volunteers as well as families and school system staff. The sessions, held Wednesday nights, quickly became his favorite part of the week. Arias made sure she and her son never missed a session. Eventually, the entire family joined in.

“He was the kindest, most curious child,” recalls Jean Rattigan-Rohr, vice president and professor of education emerita and former director of the Center for Access and Success, who founded the Village Project. “He just wanted to know everything and learn as much as he could.”

Before long, his reading skills improved, followed by higher grades and test scores. As he approached high school, Rattigan-Rohr encouraged him to apply to the ������Ƶ Academy, a multi-phase college access program for academically promising Alamance County students with significant financial need or no family history of college. The program combines three consecutive summer residential experiences on campus with year-round Saturday programs for students. Families are deeply involved, learning how to tackle the college application and financial aid process.

“The ������Ƶ Academy showed me I wanted to pursue higher education,” Reyes Arias says. “I never expected it to be this life-altering experience where I was around other like-minded students. It also gave me that socialization experience that I needed at the time. It forced me out of my bubble.”

He still remembers taking a budgeting class taught by an ������Ƶ professor as part of the ������Ƶ Academy. “It was such an incredible class,” he says. “We had to go to Harris Teeter one day with $20 and figure out how to feed a family for a week, which was difficult. I still have the notebook of everything I learned in that class.”

All I’ve ever wanted in life was to go to school, especially at ������Ƶ, and to be successful as a student. I’m incredibly grateful for the opportunity I had to be
at ������Ƶ.

Rattigan-Rohr said the Village Project, together with the ������Ƶ Academy and other programs in the Center for Access and Success, demonstrates how higher education institutions can work with their surrounding communities to help create pathways of opportunity for students.

“When students like Jose Alex see themselves as capable, and when universities open their doors to them, we see those students can accomplish more than they ever dreamed possible,” she says.

A Moment of Doubt

When it came time to apply to college, Reyes Arias knew ������Ƶ was his first choice, but also knew cost would be a barrier. Through the ������Ƶ Academy, he learned about the Odyssey Program, a nationally recognized initiative offering some of ������Ƶ’s largest endowed scholarships to high-achieving students with financial need.

He applied and was selected for the Leon and Lorraine Watson Scholarship, endowed by an estate gift from 1925 graduate Leon “Doc” Watson and his wife, Lorraine. He also earned a Communications Fellows scholarship and the Maity Interiano Annual Scholarship, established by the 2007 School of Communications graduate.

“My family and I were so excited because it meant I did not have to worry about my parents trying to pay for my college,” he says.

While Reyes Arias started college on a strong note, the end of his first year brought personal challenges. The transition to college life and the pressure of being a first-generation student took a toll on his mental health.

“I had some very low points during my time at ������Ƶ,” he says. “When my first year ended, I was not sure if this was my way of life anymore. I felt like I was losing sense of who I was, and a lot of the people around me didn’t understand that. I was given so many great opportunities, but I didn’t feel like I knew who I was anymore. I guess I had imposter syndrome.”

He leaned on his faculty and staff mentors for support and guidance, including his academic adviser, Vanessa Bravo, professor of strategic communications and assistant dean of the School of Communications. “He’s an example of a person who goes through challenging circumstances and doesn’t give up,” Bravo says. “By graduating, he’s made his family proud and ������Ƶ proud.”

Catherine Parsons, former assistant director of the Odyssey Program, has known Reyes Arias since he joined the ������Ƶ Academy and says his growth has been remarkable. During his time at ������Ƶ, Reyes Arias took full advantage of high-
impact opportunities including undergraduate research, the Periclean Scholars civic engagement initiative and the ������Ƶ in LA program as part of Study USA.

“I don’t think he was thinking he would do any of those things when he came to ������Ƶ, but he kept saying yes to opportunities he had to apply for,” says Parsons, now director of undergraduate programs in the Martha and Spencer Love School of Business. “He’s more courageous and intentional than he thinks.”

A Milestone Moment

On Friday, May 23, Reyes Arias entered Schar Center carrying the hopes and dreams of his family. He walked out with a degree in strategic communications and a deep sense of fulfillment, not only for what he had achieved but for the journey that brought him this far. No one was more excited to witness that moment than his parents.

“I never expected for someone in my family to have the chance to go to college,” says his mother, Victorina Arias. “It makes all the challenges worth it for him.”

His father, Jose Reyes, adds, “I felt proud that he was able to graduate from ������Ƶ, a place that has been involved with his academic life for a very long time. For him to make his dream a reality, be the first member of our family to finish a high level of education and make a career for himself, I couldn’t be prouder.”

Now, with a diploma in hand and a final ������Ƶ experience that taught him the work ethic needed to lead and sustain meaningful programs, Reyes Arias is writing his next chapter. While he’s applying for corporate communications roles in Raleigh and Charlotte, the summer internship reaffirmed his passion for nonprofit and higher education work. Wherever he lands, he says, he’s committed to staying grounded in purpose and open to what comes next.

“Life isn’t always about the highs. It really is just having to experience it all and learn from it,” he says. “All I’ve ever wanted in life was to go to school, especially at ������Ƶ, and to be successful as a student. I’m incredibly grateful for the opportunity I had to be at ������Ƶ.”