For most alumni, returning to their alma mater is a chance to reconnect with old memories. For School Committee member Brian Castellanos, it became a moment of recognition years in the making when Framingham State University honored him with its Inclusive Excellence Alumni Award last weekend, celebrating his advocacy and commitment to equity and social justice for all students, both in the classroom and throughout the community.
“It’s the American dream to be able to get an education, which was so important and life-changing. So, to be recognized on some of those merits was critical — to have FSU even acknowledge me … this award came out of nowhere, I wasn’t expecting it, so it’s nice to be recognized,” Castellanos said.
A first-generation college student born in Venezuela, Castellanos graduated from Framingham State in 2013 with a bachelor’s degree in criminology. He has now served eight years on the Lynn School Committee as its first male Latino member, and works as the Northern Region Missing or Absent Specialist Supervisor with the Department of Children and Families.
In this role, he assists Boston-area specialists who “go off and do some really heroic things for children,” he said.
Castellanos said, “We deal with some of the hardest child abuse cases, pretty much known to man, we deal with human trafficking, sexual exploitation cases. We deal with tons of gang-affiliated cases, cases that just are obviously very, very difficult to take on by yourself.”
Castellanos is also a trustee of the Service Employees International Union Local 509, serving about 20,000 workers statewide.
The Inclusive Excellence Alumni Award is presented to an outstanding alumnus/alumna who has shown distinguished achievement in their given field, has championed issues of diversity, equity, and inclusion, and has supported the University community, said Daniel Magazu, Framingham State University’s spokesperson.
“Brian’s journey is a powerful reminder of what is possible when an individual’s potential, determination, and support come together. As a first-generation student, he found at Framingham State not only an education, but a community that helped him discover his voice and purpose,” said Framingham State University President Nancy S. Niemi. “Today, he dedicates his life to ensuring that vulnerable children, families, and students have the same opportunities to thrive. His commitment to equity, social justice, and public service makes him an inspiring recipient of the Inclusive Excellence Alumni Award.”
To receive this award, Castellanos was recommended by his former professor and mentor, Dr. Patricia Sanchez-Connally.
She wrote in a letter to the Framingham State Alumni Association and Foundation Board that Castellanos “embodies with both depth and breadth” the award criteria.
Sanchez-Connally said while at Framingham State University, Castellanos “took initiative in creating and leading multiple student organizations that fostered inclusive discourse and civic engagement on campus,” including the University’s Criminology, Sociology, and Psychology clubs. He also served as a BACCHUS Network Peer Health Educator.
Castellanos said Sanchez-Connally kept him “on track with the compassion that she provided me, and the empathy, and it led me into exploring public service deeper.”
In his award acceptance speech, Castellanos said, “This award means more to me than words can fully express because it represents something bigger than recognition. It represents possibility. It represents what can happen when institutions choose to invest in people who may have been overlooked by society.”
