By Mackenzie Syiem ’23
Armando Llorente ’78 has been tenacious in his efforts to strengthen the Wofford community and connect alums in the Northeast — and he’s having a ball doing it.
“Our first Wofford Boston Red Sox gathering occurred some 17 years ago,” says Llorente. “ I was living in the area and thought we should get a group of people together to go to Fenway.”
Llorente, owner/manager of Llorente HR Consulting LLC, thrives on building meaningful connections. From serving on the alumni board to returning to campus and speaking with students about his experience in human resources, Llorente has made giving back to Wofford a priority.
“This year, we had a record attendance of 33 or 34 at the Boston event,” says Llorente of the July 13 gathering, which began with pregame festivities at The Bullpen Kitchen and Tap. “It was just special, and hopefully, next year we’ll break the number of total attendees.”
One of those attendees, Luke Willis ’23, checked an item off his bucket list with six of his Wofford friends.
“We’ve always wanted to go to a Red Sox game, and what better way to do it than with other Terriers,” says Willis. “As a younger alum, it really shows how strong our alumni network is that we can gather and connect in any part of the country. Armando did so much behind the scenes to make it an incredible event.”
While Llorente creates space for alums to have great experiences, he also ensures that current students have life-changing opportunities.
“Study abroad is something that my wife and I have really invested in at Wofford,” says Llorente. “We set up a scholarship to help students who are interested in studying abroad because I see it as a very significant, life-altering experience when you get to see more than the Wofford environment.”
Llorente is quick to emphasize that the on-campus Wofford environment is a “wonderful thing,” but he champions the college’s reach and wants to expand it.
“The Wofford experience is very unique, and it is truly a community, a family, where we all share a special bond,” says Llorente. “Same time next year. I’m already looking forward to it!”