Daily Targum - Fraternity grants scholarship, nurtures community spirit

Fraternity grants scholarship, nurtures community spirit

M. Aasin Pena

Staff Writer

A golden opportunity was presented to Franklin High School senior Ricardo Marquez Friday night when he was awarded a $1,000 scholarship. Marquez received his award courtesy of Lambda Upsilon Lambda, as part of their Noche Dorada fundraising banquet, held in Trayes Hall of the Douglass Campus Center, said the fraternity’s scholarship Chair Andy Yang, a Rutgers College senior.

“I did not even think I stood a chance to win but it was worth a try,” Marquez said. “I was at work when they called me and I actually had to get out of the office where I was at because I was so excited.”

This event helps reach out to high school students by giving them scholarship money and provides an enjoyable night at the University to help motivate them to further pursue their education after high school, Yang said.

“We are a minority-based fraternity group concentrating on helping the minority youth, so I hope this event helps out people who do not have many resources to come to college and get access to a higher education,” Yang said.

Marquez said he is grateful for the scholarship and plans on coming to the University to study to become an orthodontist. The proceeds obtained from the night are being given to a nonprofit organization called Waves of Health, said Macel Surriel, a member of the board of directors for the organization.The organization’s mission is to provide medical assistance to poor communities in third world nations and is planning their third medical mission to Dajabon in the Dominican Republic on Feb. 28, Surriel said.

Some fraternity alumni came out to show their support for the night’s events. “This event actually started in Buffalo back in the late ’80s,” said Nick Tovar, a University alumnus. “It is an event where the community gets together, has cultural events and just celebrates the [Latino] culture.”
Not only were alumni from the University present, but alumni from William Paterson Universty, Ramapo College and others attended as well, Tovar said. Tovar said Noche Dorada allows everyone of all backgrounds to come out and enjoy the festivities for an event that has spread throughout the fraternity’s chapters for years now.

Various students and groups performed at the “golden night,” including the a cappella group OrphanSporks and poets from Verbal Mayhem. These events present an opportunity to give back to the community in a unique way, said Treasurer of Verbal Mayhem Sean Battle.

“This is a way for me to speak my mind as well as add my two cents to the community,” said Battle, a School of Arts and Sciences sophomore. “Coming out to these shows and seeing residents of New Brunswick or students at the University is my way to basically add my ideas by entertaining and informing.”

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