Amy Cerna Sanchez
University of Denver, Daniels College of Business
“Spreadsheet loving Latina leader focused on building community through mentorship and a sometimes nerdy.”
Fun fact about yourself: I won a Colorado State Championship for soccer my senior year with Northfield High School!
Hometown: Aurora, Colorado
High School: Denver Center for International Studies
Major: BSBA Business Information and Analytics, BA Psychology
Minor: Leadership
Favorite Business Course: INFO 3340 – Project Management and Simulation
Extracurricular Activities, Community Work and Leadership Roles During College:
- Volunteers in Partnership Program– Summer Link Program Director, Campus Visit Team Director, Peer Mentor
- 1GenU– Peer Mentor
- P3 Program – Cohort Mentor (Mentor to 10 High School Students)
- Association of Latino Professionals for America DU Chapter – President, Vice President, Public Relations Director
- PODER Latine – Vice President (Founding Member)
- Microsoft Certification Program, Daniels College of Business – Senior Teaching Assistant
- Greenhouse Scholars- Class Representative, Scholarship Recipient
- Colorado Women’s College- Social Media Director, Peer Mentor
- Latinas First Foundation- Scholarship Recipient
Where have you interned during your college career?
- Deloitte Consulting LLP- Business Technology Solutions Government & Public Services Summer Scholar
- IMA Insurance- Communications & Community Relations Intern
- Colorado Organization for Latina Opportunity and Reproductive Rights – Communications Fellow
Where will you be working after graduation? Plante Moran (2026 Business Analytics Consulting Entry Level)
Who is your favorite business professor? My favorite business professor has been Dr. Christopher Peña, from whom I took Data Warehousing and Business Intelligence (INFO 3300). As a professor, he was very passionate and knowledgeable in the content we used in class. However, the biggest trait I valued from Professor Peña is his willingness to meet a student at their level. Although he is incredibly advanced in the analytical field, he would always take the time to understand where a student was at and support them in the best way he could. As a first-generation Latina myself, it was also incredibly inspiring to see someone who was once in my shoes get to such a high level in academia.
What is the biggest lesson you gained from studying business? The biggest lesson I have learned from studying business has been that the field is incredibly broad and truly connected to essentially everything in some manner. There are so many opportunities in different fields that you can go into with a business background, and I would not have known that otherwise. Through a business background, I have been able to pursue opportunities in the nonprofit space, foundations, and even a big four company!
What advice would you give to a student looking to major in a business-related field? Coming into college, I was only a psychology major and decided to add on a marketing major for fun. I quickly realized that I wanted to challenge myself further and shifted into the Business Information and Analytics program, which was the best decision I could have made. I never knew that a small change like that would change my life and open so many doors for a better future. I have found ways to incorporate my passion to giving back to my communities while pursuing opportunities that challenge myself.
Looking back over your experience, what is the one thing you’d do differently in business school and why? Reflecting upon my experience in business school, I wish I could better balance my time commitments during the time I was taking my business core classes. Pursuing concurrent degrees, I had stacked credits during my first two years which limited my mental ability to give classes such as accounting my full attention. While I still know the information, I wish I had the time to give it the full attentiveness it needed to appreciate it more.
What is one way that your business school has integrated AI into your programming? What is one insight you gained from using AI? One way my program has integrated AI into my programming has been with my professors within the Business Information and Analytics department encouraging us to use it as a tool. I appreciate how they emphasize the importance of learning the foundations before fully relying on AI to do our work for us. Instead, we use it in instances as a tool such as debugging our code or even creating new programs that can support our work.
Which academic, extracurricular or personal achievement are you most proud of? Being a first-generation student, I am the proudest of how far I have come on the academic and personal front. A piece of advice I would give my first-year self is that you belong in spaces even when you do not think you do. Walking into classrooms, leadership roles, and professional spaces where very few people came from backgrounds like mine was intimidating. However, I learned to remind myself that I worked hard for my seat at the table and continue to earn it every day.
My proudest achievement is building confidence in those spaces while also creating them for others through student organizations, mentoring, and leadership roles on campus. I have learned that if there is not an existent space for you, then to be proactive and build it out. That mindset has shaped how I lead, advocate, and support other first-generation and Latine students finding their place.
Which classmate do you most admire? There are so many classmates that I admire but the classmate within my major that I admire the most would be Alexa Marquez Claros. I met Alexa my freshman year and have watched her grow into an incredible leader on campus. She has had a lot of obstacles in her personal life that she has continued to power through and try to balance with her school life. Regardless of what either of us are going through, she has always had my back and never let me feel alone. She has been one of my biggest cheerleaders since the moment I met her, and I would not be who I am today without her in my life!
Who would you most want to thank for your success? The people I would like to thank for my success would be my partner. He has been by my side for six years and has showed me there is more to life than being successful. When I met him, I was not in the best place, and he helped me come out of that. Thanks to him, I have an incredible relationship with my hard-working parents and siblings. With his support, I have found the things I am passionate about and pursued opportunities I never thought would belong in my story.
What are the top two items on your professional bucket list? The top item on my professional bucket list would be to start an organization that provides mental health and educational access support to youth. The second item on my list would be to continue integrating the community into all the work I do. As I begin my new role in August, I am excited to find ways to continue supporting youth that are in the place I was once in.
What made Amy such an invaluable addition to the Class of 2026?
“Amy Cerna Sanchez is an exceptional student whose potential as a future business leader is evident both inside and outside the classroom. In my Data Warehousing and Business Intelligence course, Amy consistently demonstrated outstanding business acumen, translating complex analytic insights into clear, actionable recommendations – a skill that sets her apart among her peers. Equally impressive was her collaborative spirit. Amy was the kind of student who elevated everyone around her, offering support and perspective that enriched the classroom experience for everyone. What makes Amy truly remarkable is the breadth of her ambition and the depth of her character. A first-generation college student double-majoring in Business Information & Analytics and Psychology, she serves as president of DU’s ALPFA chapter, has been recognized as a student scholar by both the Colorado Women’s College and the Latinas First Foundation, and volunteers with the Volunteers in Partnership program, dedicating her time to helping fellow students navigate their own transitions into higher education. Amy embodies the dedication, work ethic, and community-minded leadership that define the next generation of business professionals, and I have every confidence she will make a lasting impact in her field.”
Christopher Peña, PhD
Assistant Professor of the Practice
Department of Business Information and Analytics
“I’ve had the pleasure of teaching Amy Cerna Sanchez in my Complex Data Analytics course, where we dive into natural language processing and large language models. Amy stands out for her curiosity and energy in class. She regularly asks thoughtful questions, contributes meaningful answers, and truly engages with the material rather than just completing assignments. During in-class activities, she puts in real effort and isn’t afraid to experiment with different approaches. I especially appreciate that she pushes herself to understand how models work, not just what the output is.
Beyond her academic strengths, Amy brings a cheerful and warm presence to the classroom. She’s a great classroom citizen—supportive of her peers, willing to help others, and someone who contributes positively to the overall learning environment. She combines strong analytical ability with kindness and initiative, which makes her both an outstanding student and a wonderful member of our community.”
Tianjie Deng, PhD
Associate Professor
Department of Business Information and Analytics
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