As a Hispanic-serving institution, William Paterson already has strong ties to the
community — both in student enrollment and collaboration with officials from countries
in Latin America.
That’s why VP for Enrollment Management George Kacenga and Associate VP for
Government Relations Carol Cuadrado jumped at the chance to go with Gov. Phil
Murphy during the recent economic and cultural mission trip, Nov. 6-9.
The mission — organized by Choose New Jersey in collaboration with the Statewide
Hispanic Chamber of Commerce of New Jersey — focused on deepening economic,
educational, and cultural partnerships between New Jersey and Mexico.
Murphy led the delegation in meetings with Mexican government and business leaders
to expand collaboration across manufacturing, technology, life sciences, and higher
education.
Kacenga and Cuadrado said their participation reflects WPU’s ongoing commitment to
international engagement and student opportunity — and provided an opportunity to
grow both.
“The connections we made during this trip with the U.S. Trade Commission and
Mexican institutions laid important groundwork for future enrollment agreements,
academic collaboration, and cultural exchange,” Kacenga said.
“These relationships position WP to further open doors for students on both sides of the
border and strengthen our role in advancing access and opportunity through
international education.”
The mission included focused discussions among university and academic leaders to
develop student and faculty exchanges, joint research, and culturally grounded
educational programming. These efforts aim to create a globally connected network
supporting students, workers, and businesses in both New Jersey and Mexico.
“Participating alongside leaders from New Jersey’s government, business and
education sectors, including the Statewide Hispanic Chamber of Commerce and
Choose New Jersey, demonstrates the strength of public-private collaboration in
advancing shared goals,” Cuadrado said. “The relationships built through this mission
deepen William Paterson University’s connections to key economic and civic partners
and reinforce our commitment to supporting New Jersey’s diverse communities. These
partnerships lay the groundwork for continued collaboration that benefits both our
students and the state’s growing international engagement.”
The trip built upon William Paterson’s existing partnership with the Mexican Consulate
in New Brunswick. In 2024 and 2025, the Consulate selected William Paterson for an
IME Becas award, a grant that supports higher education and adult learning for Mexican
students abroad.
