Stephanie
Márquez-Villafañe 3L

PERTH AMBOY – Stephanie Márquez-Villafañe is attending Rutgers University with a double major in Latino & Caribbean Studies and Labor Studies with an intention of entering the civil rights/social justice field. Ms. Márquez-Villafañe is the founder and President of the United Messengers of Peace, an advocacy nonprofit organization for educational rights. 

As Founder and President of United Messengers of Peace, Ms. Márquez-Villafañe’s responsibilities included making volunteer schedules, attending meetings with community members, attending different community meetings, advocating, creating plans for events, writing letters, writing emails, and planning tutoring sessions. She also is responsible for maintaining the organization’s website and helping to organize the annual Lung Cancer Awareness Flag Raising in Perth Amboy, Highland Park and Middlesex County and corresponding events.

She is the Latino Student Council Multicultural Chair at Rutgers University, a position she was elected to in 9/17 and currently holds. She also currently serves as the Educational Opportunity Program Student Association (EOPSA) Vice President at Rutgers University since 5/18. She was Head Volunteer Tutor at Cathedral Community Development Corporation summer camps from 7/15 – 8/17. She volunteered with the CDC Summer Camp as the Head Tutor where she helped students retain and fortify knowledge learned during the school year. Stephanie serves as the President of the Rutgers Unión Estudiantil Puertorriqueña, the oldest and currently only Puerto Rican student organization in New Jersey. Serving as the Parliamentarian for UndocuRutgers, Stephanie has helped the undocumented population at Rutgers (all three campuses), the surrounding area and Perth Amboy. Over the summer Stephanie began her role as a legislative intern for the District 19 legislators: Senator Joseph Vitale, Assembly Speaker Craig Coughlin and Assemblywoman Yvonne Lopez. She remains interning for the office.

Stephanie Márquez-Villafañe offers a unique perspective and a different angle to the problems and challenges facing our youth. She is highly respected from those who know her, and she doesn’t take “no” for an answer. Working with various church officials, local politicians, community leaders and others, Stephanie created programs and established relationships to serve the community in various roles. She has volunteered in feeding the community, assisted in summer camps, and has even lead her organizations free Tutoring Program.

If elected, Ms. Márquez-Villafañe will work with the Board of Education, the School Administrative Staff, School Personnel and respective City Officials to do what’s best for Perth Amboy’s students, guardians and staff.