Vanessa Santana

I was born in Manhattan but mostly raised in Iselin, NJ. I am a 2017 graduate of Baruch College with a major in Corporate Communications and minors in Journalism and International Business.

Attending Baruch College allowed me to further explore my passions and versatile leadership. On campus, I was a dual sport athlete for two years (women’s basketball and softball), became the first student-athlete Admissions Ambassador at Baruch, and I co-hosted a hip-hop radio show. Off-campus, I was blessed with plenty of professional opportunities and a corporate internship at General Mills. Wherever I end up, my goal is to continue growing personally and professionally, and connect, motivate and inspire others.

My current successes are not just a product of my own diligence and mother’s raising; the grit and accolades are a result of every organization or person that has invested in me. Programs like The Emma Bowen Foundation (EBF) and Management Leadership for Tomorrow (MLT) have opened the doors of opportunity and are a major reason for my professional development. But being a Harcourt Scholar has allowed me to freely and progressively build my character at Baruch. It has been a tremendous honor to be a Harcourt Scholar, and I cannot express enough how grateful I am. The Harcourt Foundation motivates me to continue striving for excellence, and financially empower future generations to do the same.

Thank you, endlessly!