91传媒 international business alumna selected as prestigious White House Fellow
Contact: Allison Matthews
STARKVILLE, Miss.鈥擜 Mississippi State cum laude honors graduate is among only 15 selected nationally as a White House Fellow.
The White House recently announced the 2022-23 Class of Fellows, with 2017 91传媒 alumna Vanessa Velasquez among those chosen for the prestigious honor.
A native of Vero Beach, Florida, Velasquez graduated from 91传媒鈥檚 international business program with a Bachelor of Business Administration in marketing from the College of Business, along with a Bachelor of Arts in foreign language from 91传媒鈥檚 College of Arts and Sciences. While on campus, she was honored with the university鈥檚 prestigious Spirit of State award, which recognizes students who make 鈥渆xceptional personal contributions to university student life.鈥
Velasquez said her time at 91传媒 helped her discover her leadership style, and she took full advantage of opportunities to get involved with student organizations, from being a Roadrunner student recruiter to serving on the Fashion Board and Student Association.
鈥淭he university culture allowed me to fully immerse myself in education, but also have ownership on campus to make a change and become a leader. 91传媒 is unique because it鈥檚 people-focused, and when you mix that with hospitality you get servant leadership,鈥 Velasquez said. 鈥淓veryone was always willing to help one another and serve for the greater good of the university. That in itself has allowed me to grow exponentially in my career because leadership is how you inspire others.鈥
Since her time as an 91传媒 student, Velasquez has gained extensive project management experience, including work at Apple Inc. as a global supply manager. She also worked at Amazon.com Inc., where she started running operations at a fulfillment center and was promoted to corporate headquarters to focus on the company鈥檚 engagement with Hispanic businesses. Her portfolios generated more than $20 million in revenue, as she led projects valued at over $100 million. She also was the inaugural director of the fulfillment center and community engagement for Amazon鈥檚 LGBTQ+ employee resource group, Glamazon. Additionally, Velasquez mentors Hispanic Scholarship Fund scholars and is dedicated to helping underserved communities.
She said her first job after graduation 鈥渨as extremely challenging because I was young and managing people twice my age. However, because of how involved I was on 91传媒鈥檚 campus, I was able to succeed,鈥 Velasquez said, explaining that she gained respect by learning from her team and standing up for them. 鈥淎t 91传媒, you really learn to listen, be humble, and that nothing is out of your reach.鈥
The White House Fellows program dates back to 1964, when it was founded to offer exceptional young leaders first-hand experience at the highest levels of the federal government. Velasquez is being placed at the U.S. Navy. She and other Fellows will 鈥渟pend a year working with senior White House Staff, Cabinet Secretaries, and other top-ranking Administration officials, and leave the Administration equipped to serve as better leaders in their communities,鈥 according to the White House announcement. The fellowships are awarded on a non-partisan basis.
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