Commencement 2022

Yanxin Christina Yang, a business (finance) major and member of Phi Theta Kappa and Alpha Beta Gamma, is graduating with a 4.0 grade point average. Born and raised in China, she immigrated to the United States, enrolling at the Germantown Campus in 2020. As a Macklin Business Institute scholar, she was co-president of the Enactus team. The team earned fourth place in the national Enactus competition. She was a co-leader in Raptor Tank, a student-run business pitch competition. She also served as a volunteer member of the Freeman Foundation’s Freeman Assists Communities with Extra Support advisory board and Meals on Wheels. She received MC’s Excellence in Business Award, Excellence in Business Student Leadership Award, MBI Scholar Award, and Honors Scholar Award. Outside school, she is a manager at a bubble tea shop. She wants to pursue a bachelor’s degree in finance and open up a financial advisory firm.

Gerardo Paul Rendon, a hospitality management major and member of Phi Theta Kappa and Alpha Beta Gamma, is graduating with a 4.0 grade point average. A native of Georgia, he moved to Maryland in 2019. During college, he worked full time at luxury hotels in the District of Columbia. He earned the Excellence in Hospitality Management Award. He is a recipient of the Carin-Soros Hospitality Scholarship and the Marriott Center Scholarship. In his spare time, he volunteers for the Red Cross on the Disaster Action Team, providing 24-hour immediate support and assistance to individuals and families who have been impacted by a home fire or other local disasters. After graduation, he intends to continue his education and pursue a bachelor’s degree in family science at the University of Maryland.

Ms. Kenisha J. Salvary

Kenisha Salvary, a general studies (integrated studies) major, is graduating with a 4.0 grade point average. She was born in Arlington, Virginia, and was raised in Trinidad and Tobago. She began her postsecondary education at Northern Virginia Community College and transferred to Montgomery College. She has completed 3,700 hours of community service with AmeriCorps. Through AmeriCorps, she has a proven success record in community organizing and outreach efforts to end poverty. At 21, she created the first Neighborhood and Youth Committee in Manassas, Virginia. As a second-year AmeriCorps member, she moved to Washington, D.C., and began working with the Latin American Youth Center (LAYC). She taught English, poetry, and soccer to middle school children. She often mentored young girls, offering inspiration through her own story of enduring hardship, overcoming homelessness, and discovering self-empowerment. She loves to play soccer, write short stories, and spend time with her son, Andre.