Victor Santana-Melgoza, 41, passed away on June 29, 2020. In 2008 he earned his B.A. with a concentration in organizational and corporate communication from UTEP and in 2015 graduated with a master's degree in Communication Studies along with a certificate in women's and gender studies. In his post-graduate studies he became a certified mediator through the university's Center for Conflict Studies. In fall 2015 he was selected as UTEP's representative to the Archer Institute of the University of Texas System and spent a semester in Washington D.C. as an Archer Fellow studying policy-making in government and working at a nonprofit social action agency.



He volunteered and worked on behalf of victims of discrimination and poverty in El Paso and in the cities where his career took him. He founded his consulting firm, Diversity Talks, and provided training on various human resources and social justice issues. He was a featured writer for the Hispanic Outlook in High Education, performing training at the U.S. Army Sergeant Majors Academy and speaking at the National Conference on Race and Ethnicity in American Higher Education.

Victor's career focus was in higher education. Beginning with his undergraduate days he honed his writing skills while working at the Prospector first as a reporter then a news editor and copy editor in his senior year. He also wrote articles for Minero Magazine for which he authored "The Woman Behind the Bun", A tribute to Diana Natalicio, one of which he was especially proud. He also became a resident assistant at Miner Village and later at Miner Heights. Upon graduating, Oregon State University was his next stop where he was a Resident Director of Sackett Hall and later became the Multicultural Resource Coordinator of University Housing and Dining Services. During his tenure there, Victor was one of three recipients of the Outstanding Social Justice Trainer/Mentor award presented by the Commission of Social Justice. Two year later he accepted a position as Associate Director of Multicultural Affairs at the University of Massachusetts at Lowell. Because of all the training he had done throughout his career Victor developed a deep appreciation and love for teaching.



Victor joined the instructional faculty at the Hugh Downs School of Human Communication at ASU in 2017. Courses he taught included public speaking, small group communication, leadership for social justice, and conflict and negotiation. This concluded the journey of his relatively short life.

Victor was preceded in death by his grandparents. He is survived by his father, mother, a brother and other relatives. Funeral services were held earlier this month. (Source: Arizona Republic)