The Kind of Leader I Want to Be

I have met quite a few admirable people this summer, but one person who’s really stood out to me as a mentor is my supervisor at UnidosUS, Magin Sanchez, a Policy Analyst on the higher education policy team. He made it clear that I could always come to him with questions. His openness made it easier to adjust, and since then, he’s been someone I’ve learned from every day. He is always trying to teach me new things and pushes me to think more deeply about the work we do. Whether it’s reviewing articles, preparing for a meeting, or discussing higher education issues, he makes the effort to explain the “why” behind everything.

Magin’s leadership style is calm, thoughtful, and intentional. I like the way he approaches problems and decisions. He’s always thinking ahead and knows how to connect policy work to real-life impact. He reminds us who we’re doing the work for and why it matters. I’ve learned a lot from watching how he balances staying focused on the mission while still handling the day-to-day challenges.

One moment that really stood out was when we went to the Department of Education for the negotiated rulemaking on Public Service Loan Forgiveness(PSLF). Magin spoke alongside other nonprofit leaders, grounding his points in both data and lived experience. He highlighted how many Latino and low-income borrowers depend on PSLF to stay in public service jobs and shared why he thought this program was so necessary. It was powerful to see someone make policy feel real and urgent for the people in the room.

Before this internship, I saw policy as mostly technical, about rules and systems. Now I see it differently. I’ve learned to think about who is impacted, whose voice is missing, and how to center real experiences in my work.

Magin taught me that leadership is not about having all the answers. It is about listening and doing the work with purpose. I’m grateful to have had a mentor who reminds me not just how to do the work, but why it matters.