WAYNE, N.J. — Carol Cuadrado, Associate Vice President for Government and University Relations at William Paterson University, celebrated her dual nationality during a ceremony on September 25 at historic Hobart Manor on campus, where His Excellency Luis Abinader, President of the Dominican Republic, personally administered the oath.

Carol’s oath was witnessed by First Lady Raquel Arbaje Soneh de Abinader, William Paterson University President Richard J. Helldobler, among other distinguished guests which included Congresswomen Nellie Pou (NJ-9) and Analilia Mejía (NJ-11); Assemblywoman Rosy Bagolie; City of Passaic Mayor Héctor Lora; City of Perth Amboy Mayor Helmin Caba; Dominican Republic Consul General José Francisco Santana Suriel of New Jersey; Dominican Republic Consul Lucilo Santos of Canada; and Dominican Republic Consul General Jesús Vásquez Martínez of New York.

Carol expressed her deep gratitude to José Francisco Santana Suriel, the Dominican Republic’s Consul General in New Jersey, whose leadership and efforts—in collaboration with Lucilo Santos, the Dominican Republic’s Consul in Canada—were instrumental in making President Abinader’s first visit to the Garden State possible as part of his visit to the United Nations. She also acknowledged Consul General Jose Francisco Santana Suriel and his Chief of Staff, Sarah Machado, for their efforts to help her fulfill her dream of obtaining dual citizenship, an achievement of profound personal and family significance that reaffirms her connection to her parents’ homeland.

Born in Paterson, New Jersey, to Dominican-born parents, Carol is a proud graduate of William Paterson University. She graduated under the name Carol Martinez Ortega, carrying the surnames of her father, Reynaldo Rhadames, and her mother, Ana Hipólita, respectively. The ceremony connected her American birthplace with her Dominican heritage at an institution deeply woven into her personal and family history.

Carol described the occasion as an especially meaningful and emotional full-circle moment. At age 17, she was photographed in front of Hobart Manor—the same historic building that now houses her office and served as the setting for her official swearing-in. She stood there not only as a proud alumna and university administrator, but also as a daughter honoring her parents’ homeland.

William Paterson was Carol’s home during her formative college years. As a student in the Educational Opportunity Fund (EOF) program, she participated actively in campus life, serving as a resident assistant, an executive board member of the Organization of Latin American Students (OLAS), and a member of the Student Government Association (SGA).

She also volunteered in the Office of Minority Education Students (OME) and contributed to The Beacon student newspaper and the EOF newsletter. Alongside her brother, Reynaldo Martinez, who served as president of OLAS, and fellow executive board members, she helped bring cultural activities and events to campus, including performances by Aníbal Bravo and the NY Band, among others.

She continued that commitment as an alumna: in 2012, she brought renowned merengue artist Johnny Ventura to Shea Auditorium and, on September 25, joined William Paterson University President Richard J. Helldobler in welcoming President Abinader to her alma mater.

Her connection to William Paterson extends beyond her own experience. Her siblings and other family members are also graduates of the university, making it a shared source of family pride. Returning to serve her alma mater as Associate Vice President for Government and University Relations added another chapter to that longstanding relationship.

The setting carried another personal connection: both the city of Paterson, where she was born, and her alma mater are named for William Paterson, the New Jersey statesman. That shared name links the city where her story began with the university where she studied, lived, and now works.

The ceremony took on added significance as President Abinader’s visit included a tribute to José Francisco Peña Gómez, who championed dual citizenship for Dominicans abroad and their children’s right to Dominican nationality as part of the country’s 1994 constitutional reform. That legacy held particular meaning for Cuadrado, whose parents immigrated to the United States in the late 1960s.

For Carol, that history became deeply personal: her Dominican nationality was recognized at the university where she forged lasting friendships, grew as a student leader, and built ties that endure through her family and her service to her alma mater.