Alina Calix-Martinez, a recent graduate of Georgetown Visitation Preparatory School in Washington, D.C., has been named a 2025 Milken Scholar, an honor recognizing academic excellence, leadership and community service.
The Milken Scholars Program supports high-achieving students as they transition from high school to college and into their early careers by providing financial assistance, mentorship, career preparation and community-building opportunities.
Calix-Martinez was surprised and excited to be selected. “I had no idea what to expect when Dr. Jane Foley, director of the Milken Scholars program, reached out to me,” she said. “I was so excited when I found out.”
For Calix-Martinez, the recognition goes beyond grades. It reflects the values she’s carried throughout high school, where she served as editor-in-chief of The Wicket, Visitation’s student newspaper, and as co-president of the school’s VAMOS tutoring program, which supports Spanish-speaking students and advocates for underrepresented voices in education.
“Being editor-in-chief was honestly the most rewarding experience I had,” she said. “There’s something so special about the sisterhood I formed with my co-editors in the midst of stressing over InDesign.”
Reflecting on her time at the paper, Calix-Martinez said it helped her realize the value of journalism: “It helps us stay informed and addresses issues affecting our communities.”
A first-generation college student, Calix-Martinez has a personal connection to the challenges faced by underrepresented groups in education. "I know what it is like to feel like an outsider in different spaces," she explained. "That's why speaking up for underrepresented voices is so important to me. I want to help other minorities feel seen and create a broader understanding of our experiences."
Which is why being selected as a Milken Scholar feels “like an immense honor” for Calix-Martinez. She credits Visitation with preparing her to meet the challenges and opportunities that await her at Brown University in Providence, Rhode Island.
“Visitation’s curriculum is incredibly challenging, and I always tried to push myself,” she said. “The teachers were always there to support me, and that’s something I’m taking with me to Brown.”
Calix-Martinez says her Catholic faith helped anchor her when the path ahead felt uncertain.
“My Catholic faith played a big role in my journey,” she said. “I remember being so overwhelmed while waiting for my college decisions, but I was always able to recenter myself when I remembered the importance of God’s plan. It’s easy to forget that I have no control over certain outcomes, and remembering God has a perfect plan for me always comforts me.”
Before opening a letter from a school she’d applied to, Calix-Martinez said she would pause and say, “Let it be the blessing of God.”
“I wanted to remember how God is always with me, even in stressful and scary moments,” she said.
At Brown University, Calix-Martinez is looking forward to the freedom to chart her own academic path. The school’s open curriculum means she can explore a range of interests from the jump. Her first semester she’s planning on exploring Hispanic studies, environmental science, English and philosophy.
“I’m excited to explore all of my academic interests,” she said.
When Calix-Martinez found out she had been named a Milken Scholar, she shared the news just as students were lining up for Baccalaureate Mass.
“There was a small eruption of joy in the middle of the library,” said Leonor Limarzi Ponzio, Georgetown Visitation’s principal. “Everyone wanted to know why we were so happy, and the answer was easy — we were so proud of Alina.”
Ponzio described her as a student whose curiosity, drive and compassion shaped the school community.
“For four years, she has dedicated herself fully to all aspects of school life to better herself and her community,” she said. “She works diligently, asks hard questions and sincerely wants to improve the world around her. This scholarship will give her the resources to nurture her natural curiosity.”
As Visitation’s community celebrates Calix-Martinez’s achievement, The Wicket moderator Elisabeth Wraase reflected on her impact as a student and leader.
“Alina’s generous spirit, integrity and conviction came through in every piece she authored,” Wraase said, noting how her “Salesian gentle strength” shone in editorials that called for justice and uplifted vulnerable voices. She praised Calix-Martinez’s steady leadership as editor-in-chief describing her as someone her staff could count on, even as she balanced advanced classes, college applications and other responsibilities.
Being named a Milken Scholar has strengthened Calix-Martinez’s commitment to service and inspired her to continue the disciplined practices that led her to this point.
“I feel inspired to continue my service and leadership at Brown,” she said. “There are so many activities I’m excited about, from the student newspaper to salsa club to tutoring students at a local elementary school.”
Ponzio said the Milken Scholar distinction affirms the values Visitation strives to instill in its students.
“We’ve been honored for two years now to have Visitation students named Milken Scholars,” she said. “It speaks to how we educate both the mind and the heart as we form young women of faith, vision and purpose.”
“Alina and Selena Reyes-Flores ’24 are both dedicated scholars, but more importantly, they understand the importance of giving back — to their families, to their communities — with moral integrity and a deep sense of responsibility,” Ponzio added.
For students who feel like they don’t quite belong, especially those who are first-generation or bilingual, Calix-Martinez offered a message drawn from her own experience.
“You are not alone,” she said. “Even if it doesn’t always feel that way, there are people who’ve walked a similar path and understand what you’re going through. If you ever feel unheard or isolated, reach out. You might find your community in the most unexpected places — I found mine in my student newspaper.”
