Name: Carlos Martinez 

Year in School: Senior 

Major: Advertising & Public Relations 

Minor: Marketing 

 

About You: 

Where are you from?  
I am from Chicago, IL, specifically from Little Village – a marginalized neighborhood in the southwest side of Chicago. 

What do you like to do?  
Well, during this quarantine I have started to do exercise, I read, and I watch Netflix. However, and most importantly, I always like to stay involved in my various communities, for instance I serve as the Chairman of the Diversity Committee within the University Senate at LUC, which is the main shared governance body in the university. In this role I have been able to work alongside staff, faculty, and students to provide university wide policy recommendations to LUC’s President. 

 

 

My Community Service & Action Experience: 

How are you involved in Community Service & Action?  
I always try to stay involved in my various communities. Luckily, Community Service & Action has allowed me to do so in a variety of ways. Two notable ways are when I served as a student delegate for the Ignatian Family Teach-In for Justice (IFTJ), where I alongside other amazing LUC student delegates got the chance to advocate for Social Justice at Capitol Hill. Second, is what I am currently doing which is the Summer Social Justice Dialogue Group, which is where myself and other incredible student leaders gather together (over Zoom) in order to learn from each other’s stories and figure out ways to help our communities through dialogue. 

What is one of your favorite stories from your community engagement experiences? 
This is a tough one. I think every experience I have had has been incredibly fulfilling in a variety of ways. Nonetheless, the one that comes to mind at this moment is the one of my time at the Ignatian Family Teach-In for Justice where I got the chance to speak to Legislative staffers for both Sen. Tammy Duckworth and Sen. Dick Durbin about issues regarding environmental justice. While this experience taught me a lot professionally, it most importantly taught me that I am capable of speaking up for what I believe in and it helped me reaffirm what I am truly passionate about: service. It taught me this by me challenging me to share my experiences and also learning from my peers’ experiences. Also, by putting me out of my comfort zone in order to discuss with someone in a position of power. 

Being a Rambler: 

How are you involved at Loyola outside of CSA? 
I am the former Chief Communications Officer of Student Government of Loyola Chicago (SGLC); I serve as the Diversity Committee Chairperson within the University Senate, which is the main shared governance body within LUC; And I am also a recurrent member of the Salsa Dance Club and of the Latin American Student Organization; I am also working together with two of my closest friends on a project which will focus in servant leadership and I will continue seeking different volunteer opportunities at LUC before I graduate in May of 2021. 

What makes you most excited for the upcoming school year? 
Well, I am rising senior. Which means that I have to complete my capstone project, which I am super excited about. And most importantly, I will be graduating this upcoming year. It is both exciting and nerve wracking at the same time. Nonetheless, I am ready to move on into something greater. I do have somewhat of a plan, but we all know that most often than not things do not usually go according to plan. But what I know for sure is that I want to continue being a servant leader and just helping in any way I can. 

What advice would you give to an incoming student at Loyola? 
You must recognize that you are capable of doing amazing things, that you are capable of becoming a servant leader that goes above and beyond for and with others. You have your unique experiences, your unique skills, and those things that have shaped you into the person you are today. Therefore, never forget that there is always going to be someone who is going to need what you have to offer to the world. Always remember this quote: “Leadership is defined not by the scale of the opportunity but by the quality of the response” – Chris Lowney.