Advancement
In 2012-2013, the BULAC E-Board worked to create an endowed scholarship fund for Latinx students at Brown. The scholarship was created in order to provide financial support for Latinx students, opening a world of possibility and purpose through Brown education. The Brown University Latino Alumni Council Endowed Scholarship Fund granted its first scholarship in the fall of 2013 to Juan Carlos Mora ’15.
In May of 2018, Mercedes Domenech, MD PhD, retired from her role in the Office of Admissions, where she worked for nearly 30 years. Mercedes is a beloved figure in Brown’s community, particularly among Latinx students and diverse alumni who identify her as the reason they chose to come to Brown. In response to requests from BULAC leadership and other Latinx alumni, the BULAC Endowed Scholarship Fund was renamed May 2019 in Mercedes’ honor. Thanks to a campaign led by alumni, including Sue Rivera ’91, P’22, Graciela Gerace Cerda ’93, P’22, Victor Cerda ’92, P’22 and many others in the alumni community, the scholarship met its goal of raising $1 million in June of 2023. Cauria Duarte Lutton ’20 and Laura Munoz ’20 were the first recipients since the scholarship was renamed to honor Mercedes Domenech.
Having reached the $1 million milestone, with the support of the Inclusive Philanthropic Engagement team at Brown, BULAC launched the Mercedes Domenech BULAC Brown Annual Fund (BAF) Scholarship that provides immediate current-use support for students, furthering the impact of Mercedes and her legacy! Every dollar raised going forward will go directly to student scholarships awarded in the Fall following the date of donation. The endowment fund will continue to exist and, with its annual return, fund one to two scholarships designated for Latinx students per year. But we now have the opportunity to exponentially grow the number of yearly awardees through direct-use donations.
Those of us who Mercedes reached during her time at Brown experienced firsthand the transformative impact of her work in admissions and her deep care for who we were, where we came from, and who we became. All of us since then have been touched by her legacy. Now, the Mercedes Domenech BULAC BAF Scholarship will sustain the mission first set in 2013 while simultaneously continuing to honor an exceptional mentor, colleague, and friend. If you would like to provide additional support for the scholarship, you may do so via our online giving form. Please note that you will be taken to Brown University’s secure online platform to complete your donation.
Alumni Reflections On Mercedes’s Impact on the Latinx Community
On December 15, 2020, BULAC held a celebration for Mercedes Domenech as she prepared for her retirement from the University. Alumni across five decades were invited to speak about the impact Mercedes had on their lives and how her work changed the landscape for Latinx students at Brown University. You can find a copy of the recording here.
