Maria Bortolucci-Lao ’21

Maria Bortolucci-Lao

Maria Julia Lao moved from Brazil to the United States in 2017. She began her life in the US by taking English classes at Gwinnett Tech and then enrolled at University of North Georgia (UNG). For the first two years, Maria completed her associate’s degree in political science. Then, she transferred to the Dahlonega campus where she completed her bachelor’s in international Affairs with concentration in Latin America. During first two years at UNG Gainesville, Maria was an officer at the Student Government Association and participated in various clubs while she worked at the Multicultural Student Affairs office. Then, when she transferred to Dahlonega, she joined the Honors Program on campus and began focusing on research as she also worked at the National Institute for the Study of Transfer Students (NISTS).

In her first semester of college, Maria Lao met Boy with a Ball representatives at a community engagement fair and began volunteering for the organization. Maria fell in love with the mission and continued to volunteer which led her to become involved in the beginning of small groups that were formed in the neighborhood, such as the tutoring center. In 2020, Maria began interning for Boy with a Ball with their Love Your City program in Gwinnett. In 2021, she was hired to work with the Velocity Mentoring Program, and now Maria works as the Program Director for Love Your City at the local Gwinnett team. Now in her current position, Maria has the opportunity to work closely with UNG faculty, staff, and students to fight for the dreams of the next generation. Maria currently lives in Suwanee, GA with her husband Waylon, whom she met volunteering with Boy with a Ball.