Inés Latapia Izquierdo Named 2025 UVA Wise Student Commencement Speaker

The University of Virginia’s College at Wise (UVA Wise) is proud to announce that Inés Latapia Izquierdo, a business administration major and marketing minor from Zaragoza, Spain, has been selected as the 2025 student commencement speaker.

An international student and accomplished student-athlete, Latapia Izquierdo transferred to UVA Wise from the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs, and in just two years, she has become a dynamic force on campus excelling academically and contributing meaningfully to student life.

“My time at UVA Wise has been truly amazing,” said Latapia Izquierdo. “It wasn’t always easy being far from home, but this campus welcomed me and helped me grow as a leader, as a student and as a person.”

Latapia Izquierdo will graduate summa cum laude in May 2025. Her academic achievements are matched by a robust record of service and leadership. She is a member of the women’s basketball team, a Senior Senator in the Student Government Association, a member of the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC), the Debate Society and an inductee of both the National Society of Leadership and Success (NSLS) and The Darden Society.

Latapia Izquierdo also served as the Social Media Chair for International Week, developing content and organizing events to celebrate students from abroad. She managed social media for the Business and Economics Department, and worked as a receptionist at the Wellness Center, contributing to daily student life in both academic and wellness spaces.

Her leadership has been recognized with several campus awards, including the Unsung Hero Award and the SGA Service Award.

Latapia Izquierdo attributes much of her success to the generous financial support she received during her time at UVA Wise. “Thanks to scholarships like the Richard and Leslie Gilliam Athletic Scholarship, Jim and Eva Gott Bicentennial Scholarship, and the Phyllis A. and Don M. Green Bicentennial Scholarship, I was able to pursue my goals without financial barriers,” she said.

After commencement, Latapia Izquierdo plans to return to Spain to gain professional experience in marketing while pursuing a master’s degree in brand strategy and creative brand management at the Pompeu Fabra University Barcelona School of Management. Her goal is to move to Switzerland and earn an MBA in luxury brand management from the Swiss School of Higher Education in Montreux.

Reflecting on her journey, Latapia Izquierdo offers advice to those just starting out, “Work hard, stay committed to your values, and always strive for personal growth. Be kind to others, remembering that supporting one another makes the journey so much more meaningful. And do not forget that success isn’t just about what one achieves, but about who one becomes along the way.”