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Alumni Spotlight: Yasmin Ponce ‘18

Class of 2018 alumnus, Yasmin Ponce is a first generation Latin woman to complete both a high school diploma and college degree. Within our interview she shares her gratitude for the Saint Martin community and how it has led her to become a role model for her younger siblings.

During her time at Saint Martin, Yasmin enjoyed participating in many clubs, volunteered regularly, and played on the softball team. Her favorite Saint Martin experiences were the community events because she felt involved and enjoyed when people were together. As she continued her journey through Saint Martin, she had a great Corporate Work Study experience. She originally started off in the Saint Martin administration and then moved to the Center for Families and Children. She eventually landed a partnership with Expeditors and stayed with them from sophomore to senior year. She learned many skills including administration, finance, and research which helped shape her future career.

Yasmin gained valuable experience through Corporate Work Study and felt like it really set her up for success. After graduating from Saint Martin, she attended Cuyahoga Community College and earned an associate degree in business. Currently, she is working at a non-profit called the Ohio Alliance to End Sexual Violence as a Coalitian Services Specialist. Within her job she works with assisting sexual assault survivors to find the right resources as well as supports the nonprofit in finance and administration work, two skills she developed from her Corporate Work Study experience.

Yasmin’s success not only helped her become a first generation high school and college student in her family, but her courage in navigating the high school and college process helped pave the way for her younger siblings, one who is an incoming freshman at Saint Martin and the other 2 who graduated in 2020. She continues to be amazed at how the school has grown since she attended and enjoys seeing the Saint Martin experience continue through her siblings’ eyes.

Looking ahead, Yasmin plans to continue her career in the nonprofit world while also exploring her goals as a young entrepreneur. She appreciates how Saint Martin provided an opportunity and space to grow as a young adult and how the community is always rooting for each other to be the best they can be.