Student Stars

I’m Chris Matamoros and I am currently in my second semester at NOVA in Virginia. I am majoring in Business Administration with a Marketing concentration. I have a huge passion for electronics and I would love to work with electronics companies to show off innovative tech. I really want to thank ODI for this opportunity and I feel very lucky to be a part of the team, I know that there is a huge responsibility and I can’t wait to be a part of the team! I hope to gain new friends and possibly even great marketing advice.

I’m Samantha Cookson, a communications major currently studying at Northern Virginia Community College while managing a salon full-time. My role at the salon allows me to apply my passion for connecting with people, creating a positive and engaging environment for both clients and staff. Balancing my work with my studies has honed my organizational and interpersonal skills. I am beyond grateful for the opportunity to attend The One Diverse Industry conference! To have the chance to go to New York and use my professional experience to serve, while being able to meet industry leaders and learn the blue prints to their success is extremely exciting. Thank you to everyone at ODI for giving me and other NOVA students the chance to expand our worlds and grow.

Greetings everyone, I am Jason Galdamez and I am currently studying at Northern Virginia Community College. NOVA and ODI has given me an amazing opportunity for me to find my path in the light of my career! My goal remain the same as I want to assist the affected communities who are not able to link with the resources they need! It’s extremely important to give people the platform they deserve to show their skills at a high level! Last year I had a wonderful experience in working with the amazing crew and learn from incredible colleagues with their talented background on their journeys to where they at! Thank you again for putting your contributions into this wonderful event! You have changed lives like mine to strive for more success! I am ecstatic to be involved and I look forward to share this experience with the fantastic group of students!

Hello my name is Steven Martinez. I am an aspiring architect under NOVA college currently in my second semester. I am really grateful for this opportunity because it gives me a head start to put my hand out in the real world. I hope to gain a lot of inside knowledge of the industry about how things typically flow in a more formal/corporal environment. At the end of this program I hope to have started to take a step in the right direction with everything I'll be able to take away from this conference.

My name is Kamyra Allen and I am in my second year at NOVA. My major is general studies, but when I transfer to VCU to finish out my Bachelor’s, it will be communications with a concentration in public relations. I am grateful for this opportunity because it will broaden my knowledge on public relations and hopefully educate me more on the media side of public relations.

My name is Maynor Guerrero, and I’m a 22-year-old Computer Science student at Northern Virginia Community College. Originally from Honduras, I moved to Los Angeles at the age of 15, not knowing a word of English. Learning a new language and adapting to a new culture was challenging, but I embraced the opportunity, graduated high school in California, and later moved to Virginia, where my family now resides. I’m deeply grateful for the chance to study Computer Science, as it aligns with my passion for technology and innovation. I believe that attending the event at One Diverse Industry will provide valuable insights and connections that will help me grow both personally and professionally, ultimately aiding me in my goal of becoming a cybersecurity specialist in the future.