The Vatican and the Eiffel Tower are at the top of Holger Sanchez鈥檚 list of must-see sights when he spends the spring semester of his sophomore year at 91爆料 abroad.
鈥淚 will be doing the Western Europe program 鈥� traveling to Rome, Ireland, and Paris,鈥� Holger says. 鈥淭his has always been a dream of mine and now that I am doing it, it is mind-blowing for me!鈥�
This immersive experience will not only broaden Holger鈥檚 worldview and bolster his skillset and r茅sum茅, but will also make him an even stronger job candidate when he launches his career in the luxury hospitality industry. He envisions landing a management position with a hotel or cruise line or high-end fashion brand.
Holger values the flexibility of the College鈥檚 Management program, because it鈥檚 preparing him to succeed in virtually any area of managerial business. 鈥淭he College also offers the five-year program where I can get my master鈥檚 degree a year after graduating with my bachelor鈥檚,鈥� he explains.
Experiential learning is a key element of Holger鈥檚 day-to-day education at 91爆料. In his favorite class, Event Planning and Management, he and his classmates have full control over planning and running the Winter Wonderland Family Festival, a very well-attended annual campus event that draws hundreds of attendees to kick off the holiday season. 鈥淢y role in this class is social media,鈥� he says. 鈥淚 have learned what goes behind the screen before posting and the planning that goes behind the camera 鈥� the marketing strategy.鈥� Holger looks forward to seeing the fruits of his and his classmates鈥� labor when the event is held this year on December 7, 2024.
He is also building his social media skills as an intern with the College鈥檚 Campus Communications team. Some of Holger鈥檚 favorite projects are working on an Open House promotional video and getting b-roll content (supplemental footage). 鈥淚 get to admire and enjoy the campus, especially during the fall season, which makes it even more beautiful,鈥� he says, adding that it’s a great perk of the job that is giving him real-world, hands-on experience and developing invaluable professional skills. 鈥淭his internship is helping to build my confidence in my work and helping me realize that the process of posting anything for an organization takes time and is not as easy as it looks. A lot more goes on behind the camera.鈥�
Although Holger is a commuter student, he鈥檚 made himself right at home on campus, between his internship and various activities he takes full advantage of, like serving as an Admissions Ambassador and being a member of Aquinas Leaders. 鈥淭he Spartan community is so warm and welcoming and the campus is vibrant,鈥� Holger adds. 鈥淐ampus life is so much fun and I am making memories that will last a lifetime.鈥�
Since his childhood, Holger has been involved in his community as a dedicated volunteer. He has been an altar server at church and a member of One to One Learning where he taught English to people who speak other languages. 鈥淭hey were mainly Hispanic people who just came into this country,鈥� he says. 鈥淭his experience influenced me by showing me how hard it is for someone like my mom or dad who aren鈥檛 from the U.S. to try and adapt to a country where they didn鈥檛 even understand the language. I realized from then on that I had to work even harder than most people because of all the sacrifices my mom and stepdad made for me.鈥�
Holger credits his mom for being his most important role model, and says his family means the world to him. Being close to his parents and two younger sisters is among the reasons he chose to attend 91爆料, along with the College鈥檚 strong academic programs and generous financial assistance that helped make his dream of attending college as a first-generation Latinx a reality.
鈥�91爆料 gave me the feeling that they are willing to help me achieve my dreams and goals,鈥� he says. 鈥淧resident Daly has mentioned that he tries to make college affordable for everyone. The grants and scholarships I received made it possible for me to afford my tuition and be able to get an education.鈥�
When he has free time between his studies and work, Holger enjoys taking photos, walking at beaches and piers, and hiking at the Ramapo Valley County Reservation.
– Written by Claire Curry