RUTHERFORD, NJ – In honor of National Hispanic Heritage Month, Felician University recently hosted “Cuentos” (Stories), a special event featuring Sam Delgado, a retired Marine Corps Reserve combat communications officer and former vice president of external affairs at Verizon New Jersey. Held on the Rutherford campus on Monday, Oct. 7, the event highlighted Delgado’s family’s rich legacy within the Latinx community and his dedication to advocacy.

“The most successful people are those who mold their environment, and those who are proactive,” he told the audience. “Remember, if you don’t ask, you don’t get.”

Delgado spoke about his grandmother, who organized the first Spanish-language mass at her parish in the Bronx during the 1960s. Her efforts led her to hold rosary sessions with Puerto Rican families, registering nearly 50 families with the parish and raising significant offerings for the church.

Delgado also described his parents’ move from Puerto Rico to the Bronx during the Great Depression in search of a better future. Faced with challenging conditions in their housing complex, his parents took the initiative to clean each floor of the building, inspiring others in the Latinx community to take pride in their shared space.

As a designated Hispanic Serving Institution, Felician University is committed to honoring the cultural contributions and achievements of Hispanic and Latinx Americans throughout the year, as well as during National Hispanic Heritage Month.

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About Felician University

 Felician University is more than just an institute of higher learning. It is a community that inspires and engages over 2,100 undergraduate, graduate, and adult education students through programs in the Schools of Arts & Sciences, Business & Information Sciences, Nursing, and Education. Our commitment to our students’ success is evident in our rankings and recognitions. Over the past five years, Felician University has consistently ranked 3^rd among private institutions in New Jersey for best value according to payscale.com and has been recognized as the #1 Safest College Campus in New Jersey according to niche.com. Our Master of Science in Nursing program is ranked one of the best online graduate nursing programs in the nation by U.S. News and World Report. We are proud to be designated as a Military Friendly School (Gold Status) for the thirteenth year, a testament to our strong support for Veteran students. Our diversity as an HSI (Hispanic Serving Institution) and MSI (Minority Serving Institution), with underrepresented students comprising more than half of the student population, is a reflection of our inclusive and supporting environment. With campuses in Rutherford and Lodi, New Jersey, the Franciscan values of social justice, compassion, and respect for human dignity serve as an inclusive foundation for transforming the lives of tomorrow’s leaders. For more information, please visit https://felician.edu.