On Thursday, October 25^th students from the Sonia Gutierrez Campus filled the Main Hall to hear stories of inspiration from Latino business leaders of Fortune 500 companies such as Facebook, AT&T, and BP. The event was organized by Latino Magazine as part of the Ahora Student Days initiative, focused on developing a diverse workforce.

The event kicked off with welcoming remarks from school leaders and Alfredo Estrada, Publisher of Latino Magazine, before the mic was handed over to Sean Plankey, Global CyberIntelligence Adviser, BP. Sean shared his thoughts on persevering through the difficult moments in life. “As we come along our life journey and we hit road blocks, we can take a turn and keep going. We can persevere,” he said.

Following the keynote, panelists shared their stories and offered words of wisdom. Participants included Elia Quintana, VP Corp. Affairs, Hispanic Association on Corporate Responsibility; Zuraya Tapia-Hadley, Mgr. Public Policy, Facebook; and Lance Williams, Assoc. Director, Fed. Gov. Affairs, BP.

“Stay focused no matter how long it takes,” said panelist Celeste Carrasco, Director of Federal Public Affairs, AT&T. “This is your story, this is your pen, this is your paper. Write it to your advantage and in the end, you’ll be successful.”

After the panel students lined up and asked questions of these business giants including recommendations on scholarships for students dreaming of higher education, advice on how to stay hopeful in the current political climate and tips for succeeding if you are professional starting over again in the U.S.