Albertus Magnus College Issues Statement Remembering Willie Matos
New Haven, Conn., October 15, 2024 – It is with a heavy heart that the Albertus Magnus College community shares the sorrowful news from the Matos family that Wilfredo “Willie” Matos has passed away. The Albertus family prays for his eternal peace and that peace surrounds his family, friends, and colleagues as they gather to remember and celebrate his life of dedication, service, and care for all whom he encountered.
Matos was the founder and past Captain of Defense for the Young Lords in Bridgeport. He experienced a medical emergency during an Albertus panel event honoring the 60th Anniversary of the signing of the Civil Rights Act — as seen through the eyes of the Hispanic Community.
“Willie’s lifetime of dedication, vocal leadership, and advocacy in the fight for civil rights and equality will always be remembered for his impact,” said Albertus President Marc M. Camille, Ed.D. “An icon in our region’s journey toward equity and opportunity, he came to the College’s panel discussion to share his wealth of knowledge and experiences — he will be celebrated always for his dignity, passion, and courage.”
Dating back to the 1970s, Matos impacted the course of the civil rights movement in Bridgeport and Connecticut by standing up for the rights of poor families, tenants and workers, and later, for leading legal battles to diversify police, fire, and education departments. Throughout his life, his volunteer work and career aligned with his belief in protecting rights, engaging the community, and uplifting Puerto Ricans.
About Albertus Magnus College
Albertus Magnus College, founded in 1925, is a coeducational Catholic College in the Dominican tradition. As New England's most diverse Catholic College, Albertus' values- and liberal arts-based education is recognized by external rankings such as US News & World Report, Money Magazine, and The Wall Street Journal/Times Higher Education, and has been named a Top 10 Military Friendly School. For eight consecutive years, graduating classes at Albertus have achieved post-graduate employment and graduate school success at a rate of at least 95%. The College has an enrollment of approximately 1,300 students across its traditional undergraduate, accelerated adult undergraduate, and 12 graduate programs. Proud to enroll a student body where more than half of its students come from minority backgrounds with nearly the same percentage of undergraduates receiving Federal Pell Grants and being first generation college goers, Albertus is known for its innovative curricular offerings, recently launching new Bachelor's degree programs in Nursing, General Health Sciences, Interdisciplinary Studies, Public Health, and Supply Chain Management; among its graduate programs is the State of Connecticut's only Master of Arts in Art Therapy and Counseling program. Just two years from its historic 100 th Anniversary Year, the College is implementing its Albertus 2025: Lighting the Way to a Second Century strategic plan, which articulates an inspiring, bold vision to "be a destination liberal arts-based college, distinguished in its interdisciplinary and experiential approach to education, rooted in Dominican values, that prepares students for lifelong civic engagement and success." To learn more, please visit albertus.edu.