Student Spotlight: Lidia Marquez
By Tony Scott
Lidia Marquez was able to study abroad in Spain thanks to the generosity of NIU donors. (Photo by Lidia Marquez)
Lidia Marquez is a double major in Operations Management & Information Systems (OMIS) and Spanish and wanted to further sharpen her Spanish skills by studying abroad in Spain and Mexico.
The only thing holding her back from realizing her academic and professional potential was a financial barrier.
“I wanted to travel to another country and be actively learning Spanish to be more aware of the differences, similarities and the endless knowledge that I could gain,” she said.
Thanks to the generosity of donors, she was able to do just that. Marquez received the Michael Morris Memorial Expendable Fund Scholarship, a Study Abroad Travel Grant in 2023 and the Trudy and Peter Nicholls Scholarship for Study Abroad in 2024 to help her achieve her goals.
“Studying abroad has always been a goal for me since I started my college application process,” she said. "Thanks to these awards, I was able to fulfill this dream. I would like to thank donors for these generous awards that allowed me to travel at ease knowing that the experience was not going to be a financial burden.”
Marquez studied in Spain in the summer of 2023 and this past summer studied in Cancun, Mexico, under the Cancun Summer Experience through the Center for Latino and Latin American Studies.
A bilingual, first-generation student from a low-income household, Marquez recalled helping her family with their garage sales as a child and being interested in how prices were negotiated.
“This experience influenced my choice of major as I was going through the college process,” she said. “I noticed the big opportunities that Northern Illinois University could offer me as a business major.”
Marquez wanted to immerse herself in the Spanish culture and get out of her hometown and her comfort zone.
“I knew it would have been the best way to enrich my vocabulary, explore new interests and expand my knowledge by experiencing a different style of education; it’s something that I would not be exposed to at home,” she said. “I want to reach for any opportunity that I can learn from and that will contribute to my overall success at, and after, NIU. Therefore, it’s important to me to get out of my comfort zone by studying abroad, doing internships, be in leadership positions and build an attractive resume to be the best candidate I can be.”
After her planned graduation in May 2026, Marquez wants to start a business or join a business that incorporates the lessons learned from both of her majors. Studying abroad will help facilitate that goal, she said.
“After graduation, I plan to develop my own business where I can help create and facilitate social and cultural inclusion or be part of a great company that values diversity,” she said. “I realize I can’t do that or help facilitate it if I haven’t been able to develop a deeper understanding and appreciation for my own mother tongue as well as for professionalism.”
Marquez is truly grateful for the philanthropy of donors who have given to funds that have helped her and other NIU students.
“The support that these awards have offered me is a motivation to keep putting in the effort for my dreams and education,” she said. “I appreciate the donors’ efforts in helping students like me.”
To help students like Lidia realize their dreams and goals, please visit the NIU Foundation website.