Student Spotlight: Ana Lucia Gutierrez Gomez Uses Her Hispanic Superpowers at Albertus Magnus College!

Ana Lucia Gutierrez Gomez, an international student from Sonora, Mexico, is honing her amazing abilities and doing her best to make the world a better place at Albertus Magnus College. 

By Sarah Barr

She warms strangers’ hearts with a smile . . . breaks down stereotypes through achievements . . . and overcomes adversity by wielding access to education and healthcare. Look! Flying around campus and beyond . . . it’s “Superstudent” Ana Lucia (“Luci”) Gutierrez Gomez . . . and she’s using her Hispanic superpowers!

Gutierrez Gomez, a junior at Albertus Magnus College, doesn’t actually wear a cape on the college’s rolling, 50-acre campus in New Haven, Connecticut. But this medal-winning swimmer does carry quite a busy schedule that starts with laps in the pool at 6 am. And that’s just the beginning of a typical day in which she applies her Healthcare Management major to real world settings. For example, Gutierrez Gomez has interned as a Community Food and Outreach Coordinator at Fair Haven Community Health Center, where she connected patients with food pantries and served as a local United Way liaison.

Experiential learning is a reason why Gutierrez Gomez chose Albertus, an almost 100-year old liberal arts Catholic college. With about 1,400 students, the college’s numbers are small, but its impact is mighty – right up a Superstudent’s alley.

During her time at Albertus, Gutierrez Gomez has been a leader in the Hispanic community, both on and off campus. When our Superstudent isn’t attending classes, her days are chock full of meetings and activities.

Gomez Gutierrez is the Founder and President of the Mi Amigo Club. “The reason why I started this club is because there are a lot of stereotypes about the Hispanic culture. I ask, ‘How are you going to change the world?’ This is our motto to motivate students. Amigo means ‘friend’ in Spanish, but what about being friends with everyone?” explained Gutierrez Gomez.

Miriam Chenaif Randall, the Coordinator for International Student Services is the club’s advisor. She’s amazed by Gutierrez Gomez. “Luci takes action with her passions and values. She saw a need in the local Latinx community, specifically with Latina working women,” states Chenaif Randall. “Luci is a natural ambassador. She’s eager to share her experiences, insight, and her cultural heritage, breathing life into the importance of culture, global interconnection, and diversity. Her participation with the Latinx Perspective Panel and Latinx Heritage Month events has inspired many students to take pride in who they are and where their family comes from,” she added.

Gutierrez Gomez’s superpowers seem to include the ability to clone herself. She’s also been involved with the Student Government Association, Multicultural Club, Dream Club, and Student Commuter Council. Plus, she’s a Resident Assistant — responsible for those who live on her floor in the residents’ hall.

That sense of responsibility spills over into her community work. Destino Mi Futuro is a project organized by Sr. Ana Gonzalez, OP, (of the Dominican Sisters of Peace who founded the College in 1925) who also serves as the Coordinator of International Admissions. She reaches out to Hispanic families at churches and schools to encourage Hispanic students to continue their education. “As I was designing the program, Luci had started an educational program to Spanish-speaking parents on the use of modern technology to improve their lifestyle,” began Sr. Ana. “Thanks to Luci, while I met with parents, their children were inspired about college. They saw themselves in Luci.”

If all that weren’t enough, she also volunteers at The Springs Learning Center, a hub for local immigrants who want to improve their language skills and establish a path to citizenship. She’s been honored for her work but more importantly she’s honored to work there. “One amazing experience was when a student said, ‘Luci, guess what? They asked me for my phone number and I was able to say it!’ I can’t describe how happy I was for her. Maybe for us, it’s easy, but for someone who cannot speak English, it’s not,” Luci can relate, having only learned English herself less than three years ago.

In the words of William Aniskovich, JD, Dean of the Tagliatela School of Business and Leadership, “Every so often, you meet a student who will leave college and make the world a better place. Luci is that student.”

Do you want to change the world? Use your Hispanic superpowers!

Sarah Barr is a Media Specialist at Albertus Magnus College. 

(Note:  This is not a sponsored post. Lateenz is not affiliated with and is not recommending or endorsing Albertus Magnus College.)