Featured Stories
Adrian Blanco, MBA '07
School of Global Leadership & Entrepreneurship
National Sales Manager, PepsiCo North America
Even as he excels as national sales manager for PepsiCo North America, Adrian Blanco believes strongly in helping today's Latino youth overcome obstacles and find success. Blanco was a first-generation high school and college graduate. Now he is giving back to the Latino community by mentoring Latino youth and working to instill in them a belief in themselves and their abilities.
"Only about 60 percent of Hispanics complete high school," Blanco says. "Only 20 percent complete college. They don't see themselves as good enough. They don't believe in themselves. There were so many times I could have dropped out. I'm glad I stuck to it. I can use my life as an example to connect with young people to say, 'You can do it, and here's how.'"
Blanco helped establish a nonprofit community center called Escalera (which means "up" in Spanish) in Kansas City, Mo. Escalera provides mentoring, field trips, coaching, volunteer opportunities and other resources for Latino high school students to help them make the connections and learn the skills they'll need to get accepted to college and excel.
He also received PepsiCo's Harvey C. Russell award for his three years of efforts securing a competitive grant from the PepsiCo Foundation to help underprivileged Hispanic students. In 2009, only 88 people out of 150,000 eligible employees worldwide achieved this honor.
Almarie Munley, Ph.D. '06
School of Global Leadership & Entrepreneurship
Assistant Professor, Regent University School of Undergraduate Studies
Dr. Almarie Munley, assistant professor in Regent's School of Undergraduate Studies, credits her parents for instilling in her a heart for God from an early age.
"I was raised in Guatemala and came to the U.S in my late twenties where my life changed in many incredible ways," Munley says. "During these years of transition, I remember clearly engraved in my heart and mind my parents always encouraging me to focus on the word of God, to be prepared and to 'cast all your concerns upon God.'"
In Guatemala, Munley graduated from the prestigious "Universidad Del Valle." After coming to the United States, she completed her master's degree in education in 1996 and went to work as director of operations and public relations for Semilla, Inc., a Latin American nonprofit organization which she helped gain credibility amongst reputable educational institutions in the United States and in Latin America.
In 2006, Munley completed her Ph.D. in Organizational Leadership from Regent University which included participation in a fellowship with the Latin American Leadership Program (LALP). Her international experiences have allowed her to participate as an academician and consultant for various leadership development projects. One of her most outstanding assignments was collaborating with the Peruvian government on teaching and building a leadership program.
She says her Latino heritage combined with her Christian faith has strengthened her calling to make a difference in the world.
"I desire more than anything in the world to be on target for the Lord ... My mindset is to be used for the glory of God and to be available and willing to go," Munley says.
That willingness to go has led her around the world. Currently, Munley is researching diverse leadership styles in Guatemala through the Global Leadership and Organizational Behavior Effectiveness (GLOBE) project. In 2010, she was also chosen as a Fulbright Scholar which allowed her to teach and conduct research at the Chinese University of Hong Kong for the 2010-2011 academic year.
Both at home and abroad, she is committed to helping students succeed.
"As a Latino woman, my desire is to see the world change through the Christ-centered programs Regent offers," Munley says. "As I teach, I encourage students to understand the importance of defining a vision while understanding the needs of the world."
She hopes to instill in her students the approach of putting God first so they can be used for His purposes.
"It is with this mindset that Christians change the world—the willingness to lay down personal preferences to bring hope to those who are waiting to hear," she says. "It is the mindset of relentless giving that allows for the leadership to bring change."
This is the potential she sees in all of her students.
"I believe that this new generation of Latino leaders that are trained and mentored at Regent are being prepared to move the world into a great future."
Gerson Moreno-Riaño, Ph.D.
Dean, Regent University School of Undergraduate Studies
Dr. Gerson Moreno-Riaño joined the Regent faculty in 2006. After an extensive national search in the spring of 2010, Dr. Moreno-Riaño was selected to serve as dean of Regent's School of Undergraduate Studies (RSU). Prior to this appointment, he had served as chair of the Department of Government, History and Criminal Justice in RSU as well as the university's director of general education and associate professor of government.
Moreno-Riaño has had a distinguished scholarly career which has included fellowships at the Lehrman American Studies Center, the Foundation for the Defense of Democracies, the Center for the Study of Democratic Citizenship at the University of Cincinnati, and a visiting professorship in the Department of Medieval Studies, Central European University (Budapest).
In 2008, Moreno-Riaño developed RSU's Government Camp, which provides high school students with a unique behind-the-scenes experience in national security and counterterrorism. Now in its third year, the week-long summer camp attracts renowned speakers and experts and takes students on field trips to military, political and corporate installations in southeastern Virginia.
Also known for his political affairs analysis, Moreno-Riaño has been interviewed for numerous national television and radio shows and featured in a variety of print publications.
He has a passion for helping students realize God's call on their lives and use their abilities to serve others. "My vision for Regent's Latino community is for this group of people to be zealous for Jesus Christ, in love with God's Word, and passionate about loving and serving all people with their gifts and talents," he says.
Part of this calling, he says, is to look beyond cultural differences or stereotypes that society has constructed.
"As a follower of Christ, my calling is to see all peoples as Christ sees them and not as I—a Hispanic—see them," he says. "In this sense, my culture has made me painfully aware of how culturally biased we can be and how our callings need to reflect the ultimate and unbiased reality of Christ."
His advice for students who want to succeed? "Be lovers of wisdom, read broadly, think deeply and pray without ceasing."
Victor H. Cuartas, D.Min. '06
School of Divinity
Assistant Professor, Regent University School of Divinity
Dr. Victor H. Cuartas has been involved in pastoral ministry and church planting for nearly 20 years. Originally from Cali, Colombia, Cuartas is an instructor in practical ministry and global missions at Regent, but his interest in ministry and global missions extends far beyond the walls of his classroom.
"God has given me passion for the body of Christ," Cuartas says. "God is the Creator of diversity, because He loves His creation. Therefore, I am always looking for opportunities to interact with people from other cultures. Every single culture needs to be redeemed by the gospel. We are transformed by the Scriptures and the ministry of the Holy Spirit as we allow God to lead our lives."
This passion has led him to partner with different denominations to advance God's kingdom internationally by training and equipping emerging leaders. He is the founding pastor of "El Mundo Para Cristo" Church of God in Chesapeake, Va., and he currently serves as director of research for Comhina, a missionary movement that mobilizes Hispanics in the United States and Canada for ministry to unreached people groups. Cuartas is also the author of Empowering Hispanic Leaders.
Both in and out of the classroom, he says that his top priority is to share God's love with others.
"I am always thankful for God's grace and mercy," Cuartas shares. "I want to be an instrument of blessing to others."
He has the same desire for Regent's students. "I want to see the Latino community become a blessing to the nations of the earth, serving with humility and passion," he says.
To accomplish this, Cuartas advises students to "dream big because we serve an awesome God. Don't limit yourself. Trust in the Lord always, and work hard to accomplish your goals."
