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Latino Education Institute marks 25 years of empowering Worcester’s youth and families

Posted By Nancy Sheehan On In Our News | No Comments

The Latino Education Institute (LEI) at Worcester State University celebrated a major milestone on September 30, capping off a year-long 25th anniversary celebration with a special flag raising ceremony at Worcester City Hall followed by a panel discussion and dinner at Vejigantes, a downtown Worcester restaurant.

The flag raising event was attended by local dignitaries, including Worcester Mayor Joseph Petty, who proclaimed September 30 as Latino Education Institute Day in the city. “For 25 years, the LEI has been dedicated to helping underserved youth in Worcester excel in school and pursue higher education, especially English language learners,” Petty said.

LEI is a community-university partnership that aims to improve the academic and overall well-being of Latino students and their families in the City of Worcester through programs in education, health, college readiness, and civic engagement. 

Worcester State President Barry Maloney praised LEI’s work, pledging the university’s continued partnership and support. “The values and mission of the Latino Education Institute are more important than ever,” he said. “We, along with the Worcester Public Schools, will continue to closely partner with LEI to address challenges and ensure our students, especially Latino youth, have the support and opportunities they need to succeed in school and beyond.”

As the 25th anniversary flag was raised at City Hall, it celebrated not just LEI’s past achievements, but its promising future in empowering Latino students and families for years to come, said Maria Juncos-Gautier, LEI’s executive director.

The anniversary celebration continued with a special panel discussion and dinner at Vejigantes restaurant. Nivia Piña, co-owner of Vejigantes and a former teacher, highlighted the importance of LEI’s work. “I know firsthand the importance of the work organizations like this do to close the gap that too many of our Latino students face, opening doors of opportunity that change lives and generations,” she said.

Five people stand outdoors in business attire, with one woman in the center holding a certificate; buildings and greenery are visible in the background. [1]
Five people perform music outdoors; one sings, one plays guitar, one holds a tambourine, and two play drums. They are standing and seated on a paved area near a park. [2]
A woman stands at a podium with a microphone outdoors, smiling. The podium displays a sign celebrating 25 years of the Columbia Center for Oral History Research. [3]
A man in a suit speaks into a microphone at an outdoor podium during a daytime event. [4]
Two women are seated and smiling at the camera, while another person with long hair faces away in the background. The setting appears to be indoors with cream-colored curtains. [5]
Five adults, three men in suits and two women in business attire, stand together indoors, posing for a group photo near wooden doors. [6]
Four women sit at a round table set with water glasses and floral centerpiece, smiling at the camera in a well-lit room with white curtains. [7]
Five people stand outdoors in business attire, with one woman in the center holding a certificate; buildings and greenery are visible in the background.
(From left) President Maloney, Mayor Petty, LEI Executive Director Maria Juncos, City Councilor Khrystian King, and City Manager Eric Batista at the flag raising
Five people perform music outdoors; one sings, one plays guitar, one holds a tambourine, and two play drums. They are standing and seated on a paved area near a park.
A band performed at the flag raising in front of Worcester City Hall
A woman stands at a podium with a microphone outdoors, smiling. The podium displays a sign celebrating 25 years of the Columbia Center for Oral History Research.
A man in a suit speaks into a microphone at an outdoor podium during a daytime event.
Two women are seated and smiling at the camera, while another person with long hair faces away in the background. The setting appears to be indoors with cream-colored curtains.
Carmen Rosado and Dr. Mattie Casteil
Five adults, three men in suits and two women in business attire, stand together indoors, posing for a group photo near wooden doors.
President Maloney with the panelists
Four women sit at a round table set with water glasses and floral centerpiece, smiling at the camera in a well-lit room with white curtains.
Attendees at the panel discussion and dinner

The distinguished panel included Lorna Rivera, director of the Mauricio Gastón Institute for Latino Community Development and Public Policy at UMass Boston; Aldo Garcia-Guevara, professor of history at Worcester State; Timothy Murray, president and CEO of the Worcester Regional Chamber of Commerce; and Matilde Castiel, former commissioner of Health and Human Services for the city of Worcester.

Garcia-Guevara praised LEI’s holistic approach in answer to a question about continuing the institute’s work amid uncertainties about funding at the federal and state levels. “The answer for me is the LEI’s focus and impact on the community, on children, on K-12 and their families,” he said. “They go beyond traditional academics to address the issues of identity and bilingualism.”

Murray, who previously served on LEI’s board of directors as mayor of Worcester, spoke about the institute’s deep integration into the community over the past 25 years. “Having that institutional leadership and partnership, particularly with Worcester State University, we have seen that grow, and it just demonstrates how important strong institutional partners are on a regular basis,” he said.

Juncos-Gautier said plans are getting underway for building on LEI’s legacy so the organization can continue serving the Worcester community in the years ahead. “We’re preparing to start our strategic planning in fiscal ’26 for the next three to five years. So, some of the ideas that we hear today could possibly be used for this strategic planning,” she said.

The panel discussion concluded with a lively Q&A session, allowing attendees to engage directly with the panelists and share their perspectives on LEI’s impact and future direction.