SUNY New Paltz will recognize the life and work of alumna Jane Delgado ’73 (Psychology) with an honorary doctorate of humane letters degree at the Saturday Undergraduate Commencement Ceremony on May 18, 2019.
Delgado will also serve as Saturday’s Commencement Speaker.
Delgado is among the most accomplished alumni of SUNY New Paltz: a health care advocate, researcher, author and clinical psychologist, widely recognized and admired in her field for her leadership in the movement to improve health outcomes and quality of life for members of underserved populations.
“This is a great honor made possible by my hardworking and devoted mother, Lucy Delgado; my first psychology professor and lifelong mentor and friend Dr. Bob Presbie; my husband, Mark Steo; and many, many others who were there during the tough times,” Delgado said. “Their love and support are essential to all that I do.”
Delgado was born in Havana, Cuba, and came to live in Brooklyn, New York, with her mother and sister when she was two years old. While her mother worked factory jobs to support the family, Jane showed prodigious talent in school, skipping the 8th and 12th grades and enrolling at SUNY New Paltz at the age of 16.
She graduated in 1973 and later earned a master’s degree in psychology from New York University, a master’s degree in urban and policy sciences, and a doctorate in clinical psychology from Stony Brook University.
After beginning her career working in a variety of roles at the beloved children’s TV show “Sesame Street,” Delgado entered public service. She served as senior policy advisor and special assistant on minority affairs at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, and made key research contributions to the 1985 “Report of the Secretary’s Task Force on Black and Minority Health,” which was widely credited with attracting national attention to vital issues of race and ethnicity in health care.
Delgado currently serves as president and chief executive officer of the National Alliance for Hispanic Health, a non-profit, science-based and community-driven organization whose members and affiliates provide services to more than 15 million Hispanics throughout the U.S. every year. She also serves on the Board of Governors for Argonne National Laboratory and on the Boards of the Lovelace Respiratory Research Institute, Keystone Policy Center, and the U.S. Soccer Foundation.
Delgado has authored multiple books, including “Salud—The Latina Guide to Total Health,” “The Latina Guide to Health: Consejos and Caring Answers,” and “The Buena Salud Guide” book series. She has also appeared as a commentator in major TV and print media outlets including CNN, The Washington Post and Spain’s El Mundo.
A proud SUNY New Paltz alumna, Delgado has dedicated herself to expanding opportunities for Hispanic students at her alma mater, making contributions that have proven incredibly valuable for the College’s growing population of Latinx students.
She has served as a member of the SUNY New Paltz Foundation Board and established the Lucy Delgado Scholarship Endowment in honor of her mother.
The Honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters is the highest form of recognition offered by the State University of New York, honoring exceptional scholarship, service and professional achievements that stand as an example for the many and diverse students attending SUNY institutions.
This year’s Undergraduate Commencement Ceremonies will be held on Saturday, May 18, and Sunday, May 19, 2019, on the Old Main Quad on the SUNY New Paltz campus. Both ceremonies will begin at 10 a.m.
The Saturday Ceremony honors graduates of the College of Liberal Arts & Sciences, and the Sunday Ceremony honors graduates of the School of Business, School of Education, School of Fine & Performing Arts and School of Science & Engineering.
The Graduate Commencement Ceremony will take place on Friday, May 17, at 6 p.m. in the Athletic & Wellness Center.
More information at https://www.newpaltz.edu/commencement/.
