MARIST
Fall 2016
ISSUE #13
CENTER FOR
MULTICULTURAL
AFFAIRS
QUARTERLY NEWSLETTER
IN THIS ISSUE:
STAFF:
Hispanic Heritage Month
CMA Students in the Spotlight
Important Hispanic Figures
Gladys Negron-Collier
Pedro L. Figueroa
P.
P.
P.
P.
P.
1
2
4
5
6
Iris Ruiz-Grech
Director
Mary Canto Rice
Assistant Director
Karen Tomkins-Tinch
Coordinator,
International Student Programs
Angel L. Arriaga
Counselor/Tutor
Coordinator
Terrance Harris
Counselor
Pam Baker
Administrative Assistant
Kelsey DePue
Educational Assistant
Cara Sebest
Student Editor
Cailin Byrne
Student Media Assistant
CONTACT:
Center for Multicultural Affairs
(CMA)
Cannavino Library
Suite 337
845.575.3204
[email protected]
Visit us on Facebook at
Marist Center for Multicultural Affairs
www.facebook.com/maristcollegecma
HISPANIC HERITAGE
MONTH
Each year, from September 15th to October
15th, Americans come together to observe National
Hispanic Heritage Month. The observation began
in 1968 as Hispanic Heritage Week under President
Lyndon Johnson. In 1988, President Ronald Reagan
expanded it to cover a 30-day period. During
National Hispanic Heritage Month, we recognize
and celebrate all of the contributions made by
Hispanic and Latino community in the United
States. September 15th is a significant date because
it is the anniversary of independence for the Latin
American countries of Costa Rica, El Salvador,
Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua. Mexico
and Chile celebrate their independence days on
September 16th and September 18th respectively.
Hispanics have had a profound and positive
influence on our country through their strong commitment to family, faith, hard work,
and service. They have enhanced and shaped our national character with centuries-old
traditions that reflect the multiethnic and multicultural customs of their community.
Today, 55 million people or 17% of the American population are of Hispanic
or Latino origin. In observance of Hispanic Heritage Month, the CMA hosted a
Film screening of “3 Americas,” on September 18th. The film focused on the life
of 16-year-old America and her struggles to find her place after being sent to live in
Argentina with her Anti-American grandmother. On October 18th, the CMA invited
Dr. Maritza Stanchich to give a lecture about the organic farming movement in Puerto
Rico and Hawaii.
By Cara Sebest
1
CMA STUDENTS IN THE SPOTLIGHT
Five CMA students studying media were
invited to participate in the Multicultural
Talent Pipeline Forum on September
29 in New York City. MCTP brings
multicultural students and industry leaders
together for an informative, engaging oneday educational immersion into the media,
marketing, and advertising business.
Photo credit: Desmond Murray
Left to right: Veronica Grech, Shellie Sampson,
Mitchell Marrero, Shadie Williams, Francisco Navarro
Darriel McBride (L) and Marissa Zuleta (R)
were Tarver Scholars this summer, an internship
program that partners interns with a Hudson
Valley nonprofit organization. They presented to
the campus community about their experiences
on September 28.
Francesca Treglia, a junior
HEOP student studying
psychology, presented her
research on Orthorexia
Nervosa at the New England
Psychological Association
Conference in Worcester,
Massachusetts on October 15.
2
EVENTS:
Look for our events on posters around
campus, in your e-mail, in the Marist
Portal, or by visiting our Facebook at:
facebook.com/maristcollegecma
COMMEMORATIVE DAYS:
Indian Graduate students share their
cultural traditions with the campus on 10/19.
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
September 5
September 7
September 7
September 11
September 15
September 15
September 15
September 15
September 15
September 16
September 18
September 24
October 1
October 2
October 3-4
October 10
October 12
October 26
October 30
October 31
-Labor Day
-Independence Day (Brazil)
-Summer 2016 Paraolympics begin
-Eid-al-Adha begins
-Independence Day (Costa Rica)
-Independence Day (Guatemala)
-Independence Day (El Salvador)
-Independence Day (Hondoras)
-Independence Day (Nicaragua)
-Independence Day (Mexico)
-Independence Day (Chile)
-Heritage Day (South Africa)
-Nation Day (Hong Kong)
-Gandhi’s Birthday (India)
-Rosh Hashanah
-Columbus Day
-Yom Kippur
-Labour day (New Zealand)
-Diwali (India)
-Halloween
COMING UP NEXT:
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
November 1
November 8
November 11
November 11
November 19
November 24
December 24
December 25
December 26
December 31
-All Saints’ Day
-Election Day
-Veterans Day
-Remembrance Day (UK)
-Puerto Rico Discovery Day
-Thanksgiving
-Christmas Eve
-Christmas Day
-St. Stephen’s Day (Ireland)
-New Year’s Eve
3
NOTABLE HISPANIC FIGURES
ELLEN OCHOA
(1958-)
ASTRONAUT
•Received Masters and Doctorate from Stanford University
•Became world’s first Hispanic female astronaut in July 1991
•Served on a nine-day mission aboard the Discovery shuttle
•Has since logged over 950 hours in space
•Specializes in flight software and computer hardware
development and robotics development, testing and training
PIRI THOMAS
(1928-2011)
POET AND WRITER
•Grew up facing racism, which he later wrote about in his
poetry
•As a teenager, he was sent to prison and took that time to
write his first book, Down These Mean Streets, an
autobiography
•After his release, he joined the Youth Development
Incorporated, where he helped young gang members get out
of that life
•He has also gone on to write a number of other
autobiographies and many poems
RICKY MARTIN
(1971-)
SINGER AND ACTOR
4
•Was a member of the singing group Menudo for 5 years
before going solo
•He is a multilingual artist, having recorded 10 solo albums,
and 13 albums with Menudo, in Spanish, English, and more
•He has made many appearances in TV and stage
productions, starring in the 1996 Broadway production of
Les Miserables
•Came out as gay in 2010 and has become an activist for
human rights
GLADYS NEGRON-COLLIER
The Marist Upward Bound Program was founded in 1966 and is
celebrating their 50th anniversary this year. It is a federally funded
college preparatory program designed to generate in its participants the
skills and motivation necessary to persist in completing their secondary
education and enter and complete a program of postsecondary education.
Director of Upward Bound and Marist alumna, Gladys Negron-Collier,
was a participant before her time at Marist and was eager to give back
to the program. We spoke with her to learn more about her work with the
program. Congratulations on 50 years of success!
Can you tell us a little bit about the work you do?
“As director, I supervise the Upward Bound program and support the
academic goals of high school students. These students are either first
generation, do not meet financial requirements, or are at academic risk. I work with a wide range of
students who are genuinely interested in going to college. We work to build academic and social skills by
offering tutoring, counseling, and college tours.”
What is the most rewarding aspect of your career?
“When our students come back and tell us they earned a degree. Sometimes they pay a visit or write
to me online. This year we are celebrating our 50th anniversary and recently hosted an alumni event for
our past students. I work with the same students for 4 years in high school and help them get into a 2 or 4
year college program. For 50 years Upward Bound has been successful despite the fact each year we have
vastly different students coming to us with different needs, but that’s why I like it. It’s never the same. I
always want to do better and work with students and parents. I help them stay afloat not get lost.”
What made you want to work for Marist?
“I was a first generation low-income student who came to Upward Bound. I wanted to come back
and help other students. I can remember the moment when I was suddenly hit with all of this writing,
reading, and research. I was overwhelmed. I came back to Upward Bound to make sure students were
informed about the challenges and obstacles of a college campus. All of the Upward Bound staff is first
generation, so we’ve all experienced these challenges firsthand. We teach our students how to deal with
homesickness, manage their time, and learn the ins and outs of college.”
How have you seen the college change?
“Marist has grown a lot. It’s a beautiful campus with the best student interest at heart. There are great
support services and mentoring systems in place. There is a lot of creativity in student affairs and services.
Marist runs a tight ship, but it is genuinely interested in everyone’s success.”
Interview conducted by Cara Sebest
5
PEDRO L. FIGUEROA
Marist 1993 Graduate and HEOP alumnus, Pedro L. Figueroa,
has been recently promoted to Divisional Head at E. D. & F. Man
Sugar, Inc., the world’s largest sugar, coffee, & molasses trading
multinational company. The Center of Multicultural Affairs
would like to highlight Mr. Figueroa as one of our many CMA/
HEOP success stories. With more than 20 years of experience in
various areas of the international and U.S. sugar trade, he has led
subsidiaries in Puerto Rico, Dominican Republic, Haiti, Mexico,
and most recently in the USA sugar market. Congratulations,
Mr. Figueroa, for all of your hard work and accomplishments.
Tell us about yourself as a student at Marist
“I grew up in the Bronx and went to Marist in 1989
through 1993 as a student in the HEOP program. I studied
Communications, Media Studies, and Spanish Literature. My original plan was to work for ESPN or
Univision. I applied for jobs in radio that were very far away and not enough pay. Through a series
of various circumstances, I found myself in the international business field with zero Marist business
classes. All that was required of me was being bilingual, having a college degree, and ambition. I decided
to give it a chance considering it was much closer and the pay was better, and here I am 22 years later.”
How did you end up in your current profession?
“I graduated from Marist with the intention of going to graduate school. I got accepted into a few, but
one day I received a phone call from my priest who had heard of an opportunity for me. He informed me
of someone he knew who was looking for a graduate to go into international business. Thinking that it
was worth giving a chance, I went to an interview in Rockefeller Center and it went very well. It was an
opportunity to travel plus economic stability. They would teach me all ins and outs; all I needed to bring
was my ambition. I postponed my plans for grad school and took the job.
It was hard in the beginning. I had to learn everything from scratch and wasn’t always treated with
respect. It was truly a wake up call. I at first believed that because I had a college degree a world of
possibilities would be open to me, but later realized that it’s only your ticket into the game. It doesn’t
guarantee you anything. You need to separate yourself by how well you do your job. That’s what I do. I
didn’t have any connections so I had to work hard for every promotion. Success comes from what you
put into it. It is important to work harder than anyone else. Stay late when no one else does. You become
valuable. They give you more responsibility and benefits will follow.”
What was the biggest challenge you came to face at Marist and at work?
“At Marist, it was challenging to handle the initial culture shock of being a minority from New York
City and coming to Marist’s mostly Caucasian demographic. The shock was what I needed though. It helped
me to adapt in the working world. I could relate to all kinds of people. It forced me to look at the world in a
different way. It helped me in my time abroad too. The world is must bigger than New York City.
6
At work, I struggled because
business wasn’t my passion.
Initially, I made the decision to
do well financially, but staying
professionally motivated can
be challenging at times. It is
important to find balance between
fulfilling work and finances.”
What is the most rewarding
aspect of your career?
“During my travels around
the world I am able to get to
know many different people.
Social media helps. I also love
mentoring and giving advice.
Being able to help people in my
network is rewarding for me.
Getting to know students is part
of the Marist experience. It is
Pedro Figueroa met with two Marist CMA/HEOP students when they were both important for alumni to come
back and share their experiences
abroad studying in Cuba in Spring 2013. On the Left is Shileen Cruz, Hearst
Foundation Scholar and Marist Grad 2015, and on the right is Esmeralda Diaz, with current students.”
Marist HEOP 2014 grad.
What advice do you have to give to current Marist students?
“Go abroad. The internet doesn’t give the world the justice it deserves. Everyone should live history
firsthand and open him or herself up to the diversity of today. Do not lock yourself in a box. Experience
different cultures, people, and food. Learn another language and take advantage of your Marist education.
You will come out with a tremendous educational background that prepares you to work with many
different people.”
Mr. Figueroa’s daughter is a sophomore at Marist studying biology who joined us for the interview.
(To his daughter) Why did you choose Marist?
“Both my parents graduated from Marist, so it was the first college I looked at out of 12 schools. After
talking to Marist’s students and teachers I couldn’t help but to compare every other school I looked at to
Marist. It was also sentimental to me because of my mother and father, so it already felt like it was home.”
Interview conducted by Cara Sebest
7
For further information:
Contact the Marist College
Center for Multicultural Affairs
E-mail: [email protected]
Facebook: www.facebook.com/maristcollegecma
Instagram: @maristcma
Phone: (845) 575 3204
Fax: (845) 575 3195
www.marist.edu/academics/multicultural
Marist College
Center for Multicultural Affairs (CMA)
A Division of Student Academic Affairs
Cannavino Library Suite 337
Poughkeepsie, NY
12601-1387