The former assistant director of Hispanic Student Affairs, Nelson Santiago, announced his official departure from the Multicultural Student Affairs via e-mail Wednesday. 

In his e-mail, Santiago announced his departure and said he plans to stay in Raleigh, and preferably, at NC State.

“It is with mixed emotions that I share the news that after two years, I have left the MSA,” Santiago wrote in his e-mail. “Working with the amazing students and the many colleagues that I have built relationships with has made NCSU and Raleigh a home away from home.”

Interim Director of MSA, Jennifer Brown also issued an official email about Santiago’s departure from MSA.

“We would like to thank [Santiago] for his service to our students and Multicultural Student Affairs over the last 2 years,” Brown wrote in the email. “His last day with Multicultural Student Affairs was Jan. 21. We wish him the best in his future endeavors.”

In an interview with the Technician, Santiago said that although he will not be at NC State as the assistant director of Hispanic Student Affairs, he plans to continue to be an active member and supporter of the Latino community. 

Santiago said his greatest accomplishment during his time as assistant director was creating and sustaining Mi Placita, an informal weekly gathering of Latino students in Talley Student Union. 

“I think that Mi Placita became a way for the Latino community to be engaged, present and seen,” Santiago said. “I believe that with Mi Placita we have accomplished the sense of community that was one of the main requests when I first came to my position.”

Santiago said the aspect of his former job he enjoyed the most was his interactions with students, whether they were day-to-day interactions or helping students through difficult situations in their lives. 

Santiago expressed his passion of advising and mentoring students through one of his favorite sayings: “I’m going through today what you are going through tomorrow.”  He said this saying presents his role as an experienced adult who understands personally what students are going through and what they can expect in the future. 

In leaving his post as assistant director of Hispanic Student Affairs, Santiago said he is thankful for the experience he had with NC State students.

“It has been such a pleasure to serve the Latino student body, and it made work not seem like work, and that’s why I want to be part of the Latino community regardless of what my title is on campus,” Santiago said.