RUTHERFORD, NJ – On January 5, 2023, Felician Alumnus Richard Mejia took his oath of service to the Clifton Board of Education at age 23, making him the town’s youngest ever elected Board of Education member. Mejia graduated from Felician University in 2021 and is currently the University’s Assistant Director of Undergraduate Admissions.

Distinguished by its dedication to the importance of community in the Felician Franciscan tradition, Felician University seeks to integrate all facets of campus life into an environment of mutual respect and support. Since his freshman year, Richard Mejia has upheld this ideal through his campus involvement both as a student and now, as an employee. After graduating in three years with a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration and a minor in Pre-Law, Mejia completed his MBA at Felician. During his undergraduate years, Mejia served as Felician Student Government Association President, implementing new campus outreach initiatives to connect students in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Getting involved on Felician’s campus was what later inspired me to seek to help more students in general, both at Felician and beyond,” said Richie Mejia, Clifton Board of Education member and Assistant Director of Undergraduate Admissions at Felician University. “I discovered the power of communicating as a liaison among students and faculty and found that opportunities for education and success only multiply when we work together.”

While pursuing his master’s degree, Mejia worked as a graduate assistant for the School of Education, a position he called a steppingstone to his current position on the Clifton Board of Education.

“Looking back, I can trace how the Felician University Community has taken me from an incoming freshman to someone who now gets to provide that same support for the next generation of Felician grads,” said Mejia. “It’s an honor. I want to provide the same remarkable experience that I’ve had at this university to as many people as possible.”

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About Felician University

Felician University inspires and engages more than 2,100 undergraduate, graduate, and adult education students through programs in the Schools of Arts & Sciences, Business & Information Sciences, Nursing, and Education. Over the past five years, Felician University has ranked 3rd among private institutions in New Jersey for best value according to payscale.com and #1 Safest College Campus in New Jersey according to niche.com. The Master of Science in Nursing program is ranked one of the best online graduate nursing programs in the nation by U.S. News and World Report. Felician University was designated as a Military Friendly School (Gold Status) for the ninth year recognizing its strong support for Veteran students. The university is recognized for its diversity as an HSI (Hispanic Serving Institution) and MSI (Minority Serving Institution), having underrepresented students comprise more than half of the student population. With campuses in Rutherford and Lodi, New Jersey, the Franciscan values of social justice, compassion, and respect for human dignity serve as an inclusive foundation for transforming the lives of tomorrow’s leaders. For more information, please visit https://felician.edu.