Congratulations to the College of Humanities’ Outstanding Senior for Spring Winter 2025, Loyda Vance!
Vance is a first-generation college student graduating with dual degrees, a B.A. in Spanish and Portuguese and a B.S. in Urban and Regional Development. In the spring, she will continue at the University of Arizona, pursuing her master’s degree in Urban Planning.
In her convocation address, Vance told fellow graduates that she chose the Spanish Generalist concentration as her major in the Department of Spanish and Portuguese because she loves the language and wanted to learn all sides of it.
“Through the wide range of classes, I learned how impressive consecutive interpreting is. I gained a deeper understanding of culture and lived experiences through literature. My Hispanic linguistics classes helped me notice and correct my own grammatical errors. These were my building blocks, skills I will use every day moving forward,” she said. “The lessons you have learned and the skills you have perfected will also stay with you. Your dedication to learning something new, something meaningful, something that helps you build bridges with communities will guide you far beyond the classroom. Humanities is you. It is us.”
Vance originally started at the University of Arizona right after high school, but indecision and financial reasons caused her to leave school. After three years, she returned to college through the Second Start program at Pima Community College, where she founded Art Sparks, a student-led organization that promoted artistic growth and community engagement.
As president, she led weekly workshops, organized gallery showcases, and partnered with local organizations—including the Japanese Garden, El Jefe Cat Lounge, and Survivor Shield Foundation—to bring art into public and healing spaces. Those experiences helped spark her passion and she returned to the U of A, knowing how she wanted to combine her two majors into a career.
“I want to help strengthen connections between public services and Spanish-speaking communities while keeping an open door to all the diverse communities that make up Tucson,” Vance told her fellow graduates.
“We support refugees, non-English speakers, and anyone who needs guidance accessing essential resources. We recognize and embrace cultural differences, seeing them not as barriers but as opportunities to connect and understand. We listen to people’s stories, learn from their experiences, and allow ourselves to step into their world, even if only for a moment. Through empathy, knowledge, and the skills we’ve gained in the College of Humanities, we are prepared to be bridges, helping others navigate challenges, and making a meaningful difference in our communities.”
In nominating her as Outstanding Senior, Eliud Chuffe, Associate Professor and Director of Undergraduate Studies, and Yadira Berigan, Associate Professor of Practice and former Director of Undergraduate Studies, wrote that Vance is guided by her “belief in the power of language as a bridge—not a barrier.”
“We have observed Loyda’s remarkable journey—characterized by resilience, dedication, intellectual curiosity, and a deep sense of purpose in everything she does,” they wrote. “She demonstrated that she is academically gifted and that, despite many obstacles, she is a stronger individual who is deeply rooted in our community and our culture and has a purpose to help everyone.”
At the U of A, Vance’s career goal of building more inclusive cities has guided her research and community involvement, including work to create an interactive website to make Green Stormwater Infrastructure information more accessible to the public.
“Her ability to translate complex planning ideas into community-friendly tools highlights her as a bright student and a future fully bilingual urban planner with vision and empathy,” Chuffe and Berigan wrote. “As someone raised in a Spanish-speaking household, Loyda understands the real-world impact of language gaps in public services. Her goal is to improve city infrastructure and ensure that Spanish-speaking residents have equal access to resources and representation. Loyda embodies this mission in everything she does.”