Title:Then & Now: Luisa Santos (C’14) on spreading Georgetown values

Luisa Santos serves on the Miami-Dade County Public Schools District 9 Board and in her free time, she is a member of the Georgetown Scholars Program (GSP) Board. As a first-generation college student at Georgetown, Santos relied on GSP’s support system. She studied political economy and became an entrepreneur, starting Lulu’s Ice Cream before turning to public service. Find out how Georgetown reinforced her values and led her to advocate for policies that support educational equity.

Then & Now is a storytelling series that gives Hoyas the opportunity to reflect on Georgetown’s role in their lives through time.

Then

What was the project or program that had the most impact on you during your time at Georgetown?

There were at least three. The Georgetown Scholars Program was my community where I received so much support and met other students who were either first-generation college students or from low-income backgrounds. It was definitely a strong foundation for me at Georgetown.

The DC Reads program from the Center for Social Justice was also really formative for me. It opened my eyes to inequities that exist throughout our education system. That’s why I am now working full time to promote educational equity.

Finally, the entrepreneurship program at Georgetown not only introduced me to important concepts and knowledge, but also gave me the real-world connections to act on that knowledge. As a student, I took an entrepreneurship course and I learned how to pitch a business idea. Later I pitched an idea at the Rocket Pitch competition where I won some cash and was able to start piloting my business idea at the GU Farmers Market. I was introduced to some alumni who became investors, enabling me to launch my own business, Lulu’s Ice Cream, during my senior year. 

What values were you introduced to (or were reinforced) at Georgetown?

Georgetown helped me put names to values that I have always gravitated toward. I’ve always been a very service-driven person, but hearing a whole community that says that “we are people for others” and seeing that woven through my different experiences was something I welcomed and something I take with me.

Contemplation in action was also really powerful to me because I value that all Hoyas are encouraged to take all we learn and do something good with it. 

What are some important relationships from your time at Georgetown?

The GSP staff was vital to me. The director, Missy Foy (C’03), is incredible and has been a rock for me through hard times during my undergrad years and beyond. 

Personal Finance Professor Mike Ryan—who recently retired—is another. Not only was his class moving and taught me things that I apply every day, he also became a mentor, and guide in my life.

I had amazing professors like Sabrina Wesley-Nero (SFS’95), who teaches for the Education, Inquiry and Justice program. In entrepreneurship, Jeff Reid and Alyssa Lovegrove taught me so much and are always there for me. There were some alums who are very involved and have become lifelong friends and mentors like Barbara Crocker (SLL’75, Parent’08, ’09, ’11) and Tom Raffa (B’76, Parent’10).

And of course my friends, roommates, and peers—I can’t list them all—gave me a strong foundation.

How did you unwind while you were in college?

I joined multiple dance teams. I was part of GU Jawani and Ritmo y Sabor Latin Dance, and those groups helped me unwind. I have lots of great memories of runs or walks, mostly to the monuments and reflecting at the foot of the Lincoln Memorial, which is such a Georgetown thing.

Now

How does that experience affect what you do now? 

GSP proved to me that with the right support, first-generation and low-income students can perform just as well as anyone else. I’ve been able to introduce policies in my elected official capacity to provide that support for the third largest school district in the nation. 

Like I said, DC Reads shaped my entire view on the inequities that exist in education, and I get to tackle those now from a policy standpoint. And I applied everything I learned from the entrepreneurship program to grow my business over eight years and eventually sold it. 

Which Georgetown values are important in your life now?

Every time I’m on campus and I see those banners with the values—it’s such a powerful reminder that these are the values we should all live up to. 

I’ve dedicated my full-time work to serving others by running for public office. I’m serving a constituency that is extremely diverse in terms of politics, incomes, race, ethnicity, and language backgrounds.  Embodying cura personalis as a principal way of viewing every constituent has been powerful.

How do you keep in touch with your Georgetown community?

I keep in touch with the Georgetown community by serving on the GSP board, attending reunions, interviewing with AAP, mentoring students, and participating in local alumni club events. 

How do you unwind now?

I still take dance classes—mostly ballet. I also meditate, journal, do yoga, and walk my dog. All things to help me stay present.