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Approximately 100 William Paterson University alumni, family members, and friends returned to campus on September 25 for the second annual Latin Alumni Celebration – Unidos, Somos Más (Together, We Are More) – an evening of cultural pride, reconnection, and giving back that raised $3,400 to support student leadership and cultural programming.
Held in the University Ballrooms during Hispanic Heritage Month, the celebration brought together alumni representing Latin and multicultural fraternities and sororities, student organizations, and the broader University community for an evening of Latin cuisine, music, dancing, and shared memories.
Beyond the festivities, the event reflected a commitment to investing in future generations of Pioneers. Funds raised will support the Center for Latinidad's inaugural Student Cultural Ambassador with a $2,000 stipend.
An additional $1,000 raised at the Latin Alumni Celebration will support the Center for Latinidad's Café con Leche program, a longstanding University offering that brings students together and connects them with mentorship, resources, and a welcoming community – over coffee and snacks.
The Center for Latinidad, housed in William Paterson’s Center for Diversity and Inclusion aims to support students while creating opportunities for connection, learning, and engagement across different backgrounds and experiences.
The vibrant Latin Alumni Celebration featured keynote speaker Maribel "Mari" Rodriguez, who spent 18 years working at William Paterson, first as a Resident Director and eventually as associate director of Campus Activities, Service, and Leadership.
Rodriguez helped establish Café con Leche, serving as a founding Madrina (godmother) alongside founding Padrino (godfather) Francisco Diaz, now the University's associate vice president for student development.
Introducing Rodriguez at the event, he reflected on her lasting influence at William Paterson. Although she was not herself a WP graduate, he noted, Rodriguez played an integral role in helping many of the alumni gathered in the room earn their degrees. A defining characteristic of her leadership was her commitment to helping students and colleagues alike recognize and reach their potential, he added.
For Rodriguez, returning to campus was an opportunity to celebrate the community that shaped so many lives while encouraging alumni to extend that same support to today's students.
"Student success takes a village," she told attendees. "Somebody helped you get here."
She then challenged the audience to consider a new question: "Who are we going to help get there?"
Reflecting on Café con Leche, Rodriguez emphasized how investments in student support can have an impact that extends far beyond any single program or generation.
"Café con Leche didn't just become a program. It became a legacy," she said. "And a legacy isn't about what we started. A legacy is about what continues because we started it.”
Rodriguez encouraged alumni to consider how they, too, could make a lasting difference in the lives of current students. "Our greatest measure of success isn't simply how far we go," she said. "It's how many people we help bring with us."
Rodriguez put that message into action, pledging $250 toward the evening's fundraising goal and encouraging others to join her in supporting the next generation of Pioneers.
By the end of the celebration, approximately $3,400 had been raised, surpassing the evening's $3,000 goal, to help not only sustain but expand the connections and resources that have benefited generations of Pioneers.
“As a fellow Latina and new member of the University’s leadership, it’s deeply meaningful to celebrate our Latino community, such a vital part of William Paterson, alongside alumni who are investing in the next generation,” says Sandra Diaz, PhD, Vice President of Institutional Advancement. “Their generosity shows that the connections formed here last a lifetime, and that the WP experience is something our graduates carry forward for the students who follow them.”
Explore more moments from the celebration! View the photo gallery →
