Emily Ramírez Hernández ’09

Emily Ramírez Hernández is the program coordinator for the New Orleans Citizen Diplomacy Council.

How She Got There: She majored in Latin American studies; became interested in the social issues introduced in her anthropology, history, and religious studies classes; studied abroad in Mexico City and Viña del Mar, Chile; came home to make a difference.

Today, I interact with people at my job from Ghana, Colombia, Russia, Tuvalu, Pakistan, Indonesia, Zimbabwe, Bulgaria, Afghanistan, and essentially every nation with which the U.S. government has a diplomatic relationship, and what I learned at Loyola allows me to have a better understanding of our global neighbors.

Tim Marsek ’04

Tim Marsek lives in Manhattan, living the Hollywood-romanticized life of a successful young New York financial professional (no worries—he’s stayed grounded).

How He Got There: He knew he wanted to be involved in business, majored in business management, became drawn to finance and switched his major, studied the cause-and-effect relationships in the economy, developed an eye for detail and investing, got a job in Manhattan through his Loyola alumni network.

Aside from the amazing education, I loved immersing myself in the New Orleans culture. With all the festivals, Mardi Gras, the food, and the music scene, there were always opportunities to engage in new experiences and learn about the amazing American subculture that exists in the Crescent City. Loyola does a great job promoting that marriage between students and the city, too, with the many crawfish boils and concerts on campus.

Kelly Williams Brown ’06

Author Kelly Williams Brown ’06 is currently working on her second book. Her first, “Adulting: How to Become A Grownup in 468 Easy(ish) Steps,” was a New York Times bestseller. She worked as a daily news reporter for seven years before transitioning to copywriting and freelancing. Her work has appeared on or in The New York Times, the Today Show, Cosmopolitan, Vogue, Esquire, The Boston Globe and many more, and has been translated into seven languages. Her TEDx Talk, “I’m a Millennial, and I am a Monster” was a TED.com editor’s pick of the week, and she has spoken at colleges across the country, commencements and, strangely enough, NASA.

I chose Loyola because I wanted to study journalism in the most vibrant, alive city in the country, but what I experienced blew me away. I owe everything to the incredible professors who taught me not only how to write, but more importantly how to be a decent and thoughtful human being who lives a life for others. Loyola is not only my alma mater, it's my heart.

Ylan Q. Mui '02

Ylan Q. Mui is a financial reporter at The Washington Post covering the Federal Reserve and the economy. She is also a regular contributor on CNBC and guest host of C-SPAN's Washington Journal. At The Washington Post, Ylan has written about subprime lending, consumer finance, retail and education over more than a decade at the newspaper. Ylan is a graduate of the Asian American Journalists Association’s Executive Leadership Program and former vice president of the AAJA’s Washington D.C. chapter. She was also an adjunct journalism professor at the University of Maryland and started her career writing obits at The Times-Picayune in New Orleans. Ylan graduated from Loyola University New Orleans with a major in communications and a double minor in biology and philosophy.

Loyola provided the foundation that I needed to succeed in journalism: top-notch professors, a challenging academic curriculum, a fearless, award-winning student newspaper and a passion for understanding the world around me. But most importantly, it was a place where I forged friendships and discovered mentors whom I can still rely on today.

Bryan Hymel '01

International opera star Bryan Hymel '01 has been singing professionally since 1998, when he made his debut as the Philistine messenger in “Samson et Delila” with the New Orleans Opera. Now a highly sought-after recitalist and concert performer, Hymel has appeared in many of the world’s most accomplished opera houses and festivals, including the Metropolitan Opera where in 2012 he stepped in as a last-minute replacement in its production of “Les Troyens.” He won the Beverly Sills Award in 2012. In 2013, he was the recipient of the Olivier Award for Outstanding Achievement in Opera for his trio of performances in “Les Troyens,” “Robert le diable” and “Rusalka” at London’s Royal Opera House.