Applause echoed throughout the Murray Room Saturday evening as Janely Cruz Fuentes stood to receive the 2026 Saint Oscar A. Romero Scholarship.
“I realized that so much of my experience has been shaped by that same call to be a person for others—a judgment value that closely parallels Romero’s example,” said Cruz Fuentes, MCAS ’27. “For me, that call has meant building community, advocating for others, and creating spaces for people—especially Latino students—to feel supported.”
Named for the Salvadoran archbishop and martyr who championed social justice, the scholarship recognizes a Boston College junior who has demonstrated outstanding involvement and service to the Hispanic and Latino communities on and off campus, according to its website.
Romero’s mission and commitment to the poor and oppressed Salvadorans inspired Cruz Fuentes to apply.
“What drew me to the scholarship was the life and witness of Oscar Romero,” Cruz Fuentes said. “His life reminds us that faith is not only something we believe, but something that we live through, how we stand with others, especially those whose voices are often unheard.”
Cruz Fuentes spent time in El Salvador through the University’s Arrupe program, where she studied Romero’s life and the country’s civil war.
Cruz Fuentes serves as co-president of the Mexican Association of Students and as a Bowman Advocate, facilitating conversations on justice and immigration.
“Romero believed that real change begins when people accompany one another and listen deeply to the realities of others,” Cruz Fuentes said. “In my own small way, I’ve tried to live that out through conversations with classmates, mentoring younger students, and advocating for spaces where Latino voices and experiences are valued.”
Cruz Fuentes was one of three finalists alongside Andrés I. García, MCAS ’27, and Naomi Sosa, CSON ’27, who will all receive a $1,000 gift certificate to the BC Bookstore. As the winner, Cruz Fuentes will earn up to $40,000 toward her senior year tuition, while García and Sosa will receive up to $3,000.
University President Rev. William P. Leahy, S.J., presented the award to Cruz Fuentes, reflecting on commitment to service as a part of Romero’s legacy.
“When we are at an event like this tonight, and we have three finalists who have excelled in doing good, we’re reminded about how we all contribute to the community around us together, we do great things,” Leahy said.
Hosffman Ospino, chair of the department of religious education and pastoral ministry at the Clough School of Theology and Ministry, delivered the night’s keynote address.
Ospino reflected on the need for educated Latinos in the 21st century in order to combat a “crisis of what it means to be human.”
“Education is a conduit to form people’s minds and hearts so they can flourish to the fullness of their humanity, while making the world a place where everybody can live with dignity,” Ospino said. “This is what transforming the world is all about.”
Ospino called the work of the finalists and the community supporting them examples of hope for a society built upon equality and human dignity.
“Live to your potential,” Ospino said. “Speak and act prophetically. Support the education of other young Latinos and Latinas.”
Yvonne Castañeda, BC ’18, received the Rev. John A. Dineen, S.J., Hispanic Alumni Community Service Award, which honors a BC alumnus who embodies Romero’s legacy and has a record of service to the Latino community.
The evening featured performances by MIT Casino Rueda, a dance troupe from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
Cruz Fuentes ended her speech by reflecting on her role as mentor to fellow Latino students at BC and reaffirming her advocacy for the Latino community, both at BC and beyond.
“Romero’s life reminds us that real change happens through courage, faith, and solidarity with others, and I hope to carry those values forward in my own journey,” Cruz Fuentes said.
