Huemanity of People: Uplifting Others

Armed with a sense of community instilled by his upbringing,
Emanuel “Manny” Sanchez ’24 consistently focuses on enhancing the
lives of those around him through service and volunteering opportunities.

Raised in Graham, North Carolina, Manny decided to attend Elon University and major in finance after participating in the Elon Academy, the university’s college access and success program for academically promising high school students
in Alamance County. “It helps students like me, who are low income with no family
history of attending college,” says Manny. “Having the academy as a resource made such a huge impact on my life.”

When Manny arrived on campus as a student, it wasn’t the same as his experience
in the high school program. “I thought ‘this looks different’ because I wasn’t around people from similar backgrounds anymore,” he says. “I realized I was a minority here, but I didn’t let it hold me back. I saw it as an opportunity.”

He is driven to help others have a better experience in the Alamance County community, at Elon University and everywhere he goes in the future. “My main priority is to motivate people to be themselves,” he says. “I want them to have the resources and support they need to be successful, and live life on their terms.”

In high school, Manny served as the Student Government Association fundraising chair, was a member of the National Honor Society and volunteered in the community. He continues to center others at Elon by serving as a student coordinator in El Centro, chapter president of Lambda Upsilon Lambda Fraternity, Inc., and treasurer for the Latinx-Hispanic Student Union. Additionally, he volunteers at CityGate Dream Center’s after-school program weekly with Elon’s Kernodle Center for Civic Life.

“I love working with middle and high school students,” Manny says. “They remind me of myself when I was younger, so I get excited about connecting with the students and becoming a mentor.”

Manny credits his family for laying the foundation that fuels his passion for others
and consistently living out his beliefs. “As cliché as it is, my family inspires me,”
he says. “I get unique qualities from them all. My dad is so hardworking. My
mom showed me I can succeed academically. My sister helped me learn how to be a better mentor. My grandma gave me a little bit of everything, and she knows how to cook.”

Both of Manny’s parents are Mexican immigrants. He was raised near his aunts and cousins engulfed in Mexican culture. “The Latinx and Hispanic community is passionate about family, and we like it when the community comes together,” he says. “We’re all people; we all want to be a community.”

Manny is part of “Huemanity of People,” a series by the Division of Inclusive Excellence that celebrates the diversity of Elon’s community to uplift the values of inclusion and equity.