Originally published at capitalonecareers.com. Capital One Financial ranked No. 28 on The Fair360, formerly DiversityInc Top 50 Companies for Diversity list in 2021.
As the Vice President of Students and Grads Recruiting Programs at Capital One, Cinthia Lopez feels like she finally found her calling. She prides herself on creating inclusive spaces where students and recent graduates can launch rewarding careers.
Cinthia has a unique connection to the programs she now oversees; she began her Capital One career right out of grad school and in 20 years’ time, she’s been able to make a huge impact on the lives of customers and new associates.
The journey to land her first job was rewarding but unexpected. Born and raised in Honduras, Cinthia moved to the United States to attend college. She initially wanted to use her degree to solve issues and work alongside industries focusing on where she had grown up, but it wasn’t meant to be. Shortly after graduating, Cinthia joined Capital One as a Product Manager and was thrilled that she was able to help customers establish healthy financial habits through her work.
Being from another country, Cinthia had almost no credit, so she understood her customers and their financial situations on a deeper level. From the moment she started, she fell in love with Capital One.
Over the years she has held several roles within the organization, but one thing remained constant; receiving the support she needed to explore her own career potential. Cinthia believes that others should have the same opportunity to build a career by trying new things and finding their passion.
Bringing her enthusiasm and connection to the programs she supports, Cinthia’s approach to recruiting students from schools across the country has helped to connect talented individuals to Capital One regardless of their background or experience.
“We want to make sure we’re showing Students and Grads that Capital One has plenty to offer them. From the innovative work they have the ability to do, the supportive culture they’re continuing to nurture and the multiple career paths that could stem from this first experience, my teams work diligently to set our hires up for a long, successful tenure. Our team believes in the power of their work and we love what we do,” said Cinthia.
With each new student or graduate hired, new insights and thought processes are brought to the teams across Capital One through students and grads rotational programs, pushing innovation and growth across the organization while allowing associates to explore different career paths. She encourages current students and recent graduates to embrace their vulnerability and be open to new opportunities that they may not have thought of before- sometimes they can be more rewarding than your original plan.
