UPAEP Class of 2022!
We need lay people who are formed well, animated by a clear and sincere faith, whose lives have been touched by a personal and merciful encounter with the love of Jesus Christ. We need lay people who take risks, who soil their hands, who are not afraid of making mistakes, who move forward." Pope Francis, June 17, 2016.
Dr. Emilio José Baños Ardavín, rector of the Universidad Autónoma del Estado de Puebla (UPAEP), used these words from Pope Francis to open his address to the university’s newest graduates at Centro San Juan Diego on October 28th.
This year’s celebration recognized nine accomplished women, five of whom graduated with a bachelor’s degree and another four with a master’s. The university awarded three additional students with a Cruz Forjada, given to active students with the highest GPAs in their particular bachelor’s programs.
Since 2012, Centro San Juan Diego and UPAEP, a private, Catholic university in Puebla, Mexico, have collaborated in offering higher education opportunities that may not be available or within reach otherwise. Through this partnership, and through the study, hard work, and dedication of the students, UPAEP and Centro San Juan Diego can carry out a shared mission to form lay leaders who are not afraid to move forward, leaders who advance their education to break down the barriers to daily living that prevent a more complete integration into the life of both the Church and greater society.
“I know that I am loved by God, that everything that has happened in my life is not a coincidence, but part of God’s perfect plan. My studies were a gift from God, and I know that he will use them to do his will through me,” said Maria Magdalena Renteria, who earned her Bachelor’s in Social Work. “He has a mission for each and every one of us, and there is nothing or no one that will take that away,” she went on to say.
Congratulations to all the graduates who have accepted God's call and are ready and willing to move our communities and our Church forward!
Farewell, Don Segundo!
Segundo Gonzalez, lovingly known as "Don Segundo" to the Centro San Juan Diego family, retired on November 12th, after nearly 20 years of service.
Segundo was hired in 2003, just weeks before Centro San Juan Diego's official opening and dedication in July of that same year. He has cared for the building, its visitors, and staff since then, making sure all the classrooms, bathrooms, and common areas were always clean and set up for the next class or event.
Beyond completing his janitorial duties, Segundo often enjoyed chatting with students and teachers before class, greeting visitors with a smile, and generally helping out any way he could.
While we will miss his presence and humble, hard-working spirit here at Centro, we wish him the best in his retirement! He looks forward to spending more time with family and friends between his home here in Denver and his beloved Yahualica, Jalisco, Mexico.
¡Gracias, Don Segundo, por su entrega, apoyo, y amistad a lo largo de sus 20 años con nosotros!
LatinasGive! Grant Award Celebration
LatinasGive! graciously invited awardees from its most recent grant cycle to a dinner and networking event on November 3, where organizations could meet with other groups doing similar work throughout the greater Denver community.
LatinasGive! is Denver's first Latina giving circle with a charitable fund at The Denver Foundation, whose members are committed to strengthening our stories through intentional community investment.
They donated a total of $3,000 to Centro San Juan Diego which will directly support the purchase of new laptops for student use and allow us to open up additional computer literacy classes both at Centro and in other key locations throughout the Archdiocese.
Over the past few years, Centro San Juan Diego has seen an increased demand for essential computer education. Since the start of the pandemic alone, there have been 545 registrations for computer classes, while new classes like 'Excel Intermediate' have been added to the existing curriculum. From 2020 to 2021, for example, the number of computer classes offered at Centro throughout the year doubled. By the end of 2022, that number will have nearly tripled while the waitlists for these classes continue to grow.
Since 2020, we have accomplished all this thanks to one dedicated teacher, a handful of volunteers, and 14 student laptops that are currently in use 6 days out of the week.
As we approach the end of this year and look forward to the next, we are confident that we will be able to expand our community impact through additional class offerings in 2023. Thank you, LatinasGive!, and to all the other donors who have contributed to this cause!
Happy Hour Fundraiser!
A big thank you to Reyna Ponce, mortgage loan officer at Luna Lending, Luke Faulkner, real estate agent at Keller Williams, and Jessica Barer, insurance agent at Goosehead Insurance, for organizing a Hispanic Heritage Month fundraiser to benefit Centro San Juan Diego. Thank you, also, to Raices Brewing Company for hosting the event on September 24th, and for donating $1.00 of each beer sold between 5-6 p.m. to Centro.
In total, the event raised nearly $600 to support the Sr. Alicia V. Cuarón Education Fund!! This fund provides partial scholarships to some of our most vulnerable students and, because the average scholarship for an adult education course like ESL, GED, or Computer is about $50.00, these $600 will go a long way towards helping several of our students. A seemingly small donation really can make a big impact! Thank you to everyone who came to the event and donated!
