NATCHITOCHES – Northwestern State University’s Department of New Media, Journalism and Communication Arts highlights the inspiring journey of Valentina Herazo-Alvarez, director of International Students and Study Abroad. NSU’s The Current Sauce and NSU-TV collaborated to share Herazo-Alvarez’s story in a multimedia format, published through The Current Sauce. The story explores Herazo-Alvarez’s path from Cartagena, Colombia, to leadership at Northwestern State.
View the feature here:
Written by The Current Sauce Podcast Anchor and journalism student Anastasia Douglas, the feature is written to commemorate Women’s History Month.
Herazo-Alvarez was born and raised in Cartagena, where she developed a passion for music and dreamed of pursuing opportunities in the United States. Her journey began when former NSU President Dr. Marcus Jones recruited international students through a global outreach initiative. In 2016, Alvarez received a music scholarship that brought her to Northwestern State, an experience she says, “completely changed her life.”
Herazo-Alvarez speaks openly about the challenges she has faced as a young woman in leadership. Despite moments when she felt underestimated, she remains committed to supporting students and advocating for the international community at Northwestern State.
The feature story highlights Herazo-Alvarez’s message of resilience, encouraging young women to pursue opportunities boldly and reminding students that success does not follow a single timeline.
Her story reflects the broader impact of Northwestern State’s international programs and the diverse experiences that continue to shape the campus community.
Herazo-Alvarez’s interview is a co-production of The Current Sauce and NSU-TV. The production crew consisted of Anastasia Douglas (Stonewall, Senior, NMJCA) production host and writer; Camila Lopez (Cartagena, Colombia, Senior, NMJCA) camera and sound; Salome Uribe-Cardona (Cartagena, Colombia, Sophomore, Business Administration, NMJCA) camera; Gage Ware (Glenmora, Freshman, NMJCA) video editor; Kallie Bourgeois (Reserve, Senior, NMJCA) Editor-in Chief, The Current Sauce.
More multimedia stories by NSU students can be viewed at: https://purplemedianetwork.com/the-current-sauce.