Every year, Georgetown SCS honors a graduating student or alumni who exemplifies the University’s values, grounded in our Jesuit heritage, of people in service to others, commitment to justice and the common good, intellectual openness, and leadership. A committee of SCS faculty and staff select the winner of the Spirit of Georgetown award after a thoughtful and discerning review of nominating statements that come in from across the community. The winner receives this prestigious award at the conclusion of the SCS Tropaia Ceremony taking place in Gaston Hall on the Hilltop campus.
Public honors like this are important for the work of mission integration because they publicly communicate the values and commitments that SCS aspires to. This year, SCS is proud to give the Spirit of Georgetown award to Lorena Chirinos, a 2022 graduate of the Master of Professional Studies in Integrated Marketing Communications.
Lorena came to Georgetown from Venezuela to realize a dream for herself and her family, and in only a few short years has made a considerable impression on fellow students, faculty, and colleagues because of her commitment to public service. One of her nominators reflected on Lorena’s generous spirit: “Lorena is a living, breathing example of our Jesuit values personified in her commitment to social justice through education. … She has not just excelled academically but also applied her values and experience in support to the university.”
This week’s Mission in Motion is an interview with Lorena about her time at Georgetown, her advice for students, and lessons she is taking away for her professional future.
This week’s post is an interview with Lorena Chirinos, a 2022 graduate of the Master of Professional Studies in Integrated Marketing Communications, who will receive the Spirit of Georgetown award at next week’s SCS Tropaia ceremony.
1. Congratulations on winning the SCS Spirit of Georgetown award! What was your reaction to learning of this news?
I was so proud and excited at the same time. I can’t believe that two years ago I was receiving the news that I got into Georgetown, and now I get to graduate and receive this incredible award. For the past two years I have been a full-time student, while working at Georgetown, and dealing with many of the pressures we immigrants and international students have to deal with, and to receive this recognition just makes me feel like all my hard work was worth it and also noted by everyone around me.
2. How has your education at Georgetown SCS informed your professional discernment? What are you taking away from Georgetown for your next steps in life and career?
The education I received at Georgetown SCS has taught me to be a well-rounded professional. Prior to attending Georgetown, I obtained my B.A. in Mass Communications back in Venezuela and worked as a marketing coordinator for several years. Even though I had extensive knowledge of the industry, Georgetown SCS’s IMC program gave me the strategic tools to make the most out of my expertise. Additionally, I believe that being able to customize your own path by picking the electives that make the most sense to you gives you the opportunity to hone the skills you will need in the future. During this time I also found a deep passion for market research, which has made me want to learn more about this industry and maybe even work at a market research firm someday.
3. What advice would you give to an incoming student at SCS?
First, enjoy it! It is surprising how fast time flew by and how much I’m going to miss going to Georgetown. Secondly, to connect with everyone around you: other students, faculty, and staff. As you navigate graduate school you are going to learn how valuable these connections are, not only professionally but also for your personal development. And lastly, treasure every piece of knowledge you obtain during your journey at Georgetown SCS. I know it can feel overwhelming at times being a grad student and, for many of us, working at the same time. But everything you learn at Georgetown is going to make you a better professional and, overall, a better person.
4. What are you most looking forward to about Commencement?
To see my mom! I haven’t seen my mom in almost three years, and I am very excited to share this celebratory moment with her. I’m also very happy to see my fellow classmates in person. Even though I have had the immense pleasure to meet some of them, I know there are a lot of my online classmates that are going to be coming to the ceremony. It is so crazy and exciting at the same time that I get to meet them after two years since we started the program.
5. How has the Spirit of Georgetown, the Jesuit values that animate the University, come alive for you during your time here?
I loved my time at Georgetown and all the opportunities it presented for me to live the Jesuit values in my day-to-day life. For over a year I had the chance to work as a marketing assistant for Biomedical Graduate Education at Georgetown University. During my time there I had the opportunity to help other fellow Hoyas in their professional development. This position also gave me the opportunity to actively promote resources for other international students and to advocate for diversity and inclusion among our student population. Additionally, I had the pleasure to work with The Red House organization under Georgetown. Working with them helped me understand even further our student population and how we can transform education by breaking paradigms while aspiring to build whole persons that go beyond academic excellence. Lastly, I have had the pleasure to be part of the organizing committee for the first Multicultural Graduation Ceremonies for graduate students at Georgetown University. This experience has allowed me to connect with different Hoyas from different cultural backgrounds and has been an overall enriching experience that I will never forget.