Each issue of the Messenger, we provide a profile for one NNU faculty member, one staff member, one undergraduate student and one graduate student. Meet Maggie, our staff profile for Winter 2023 and NNU’s Director of Multicultural Engagement and Belonging.
NAME: Margarita (Maggie) Alcaraz
PROFESSION: Director of Multicultural Engagement and Belonging
HOMETOWN: Caldwell, ID
FUN FACT ABOUT YOU: I was the youngest in a local Idaho singing competition at 10.
FAVORITE THING ABOUT NNU: One of my favorite things would be how caring people can be. There is always someone that makes themselves available to help.
SOMETHING VALUABLE YOU LEARNED AT NNU: The thing you’ll remember the most is how someone made you feel. I may not remember every lecture or event I attended at NNU, but I do remember all the times I felt extremely cared for by professors and staff. I also remember all the times I bent over laughing at silly shenanigans that would go on. Someone will always remember how you made them feel.
PROUDEST ACCOMPLISHMENT OF YOUR TIME AT NNU: Graduating with my master’s in Social Work.
FAVORITE QUOTE: “In this life we cannot do great things. We can only do small things with great love.”—Mother Teresa
ADVICE YOU’D OFFER TO FUTURE STUDENTS: Always ask questions, and don’t create barriers for yourself that could have been solved by asking a question.
WHY YOU CHOSE CHRISTIAN HIGHER EDUCATION: Faith has always been a big part of my life. While I considered how 18-year-old Maggie needed to set herself up for the rest of her life, I wanted to ensure that faith was always included. When I could tour the campus, I felt like I was already a part of the community and felt a calling that I couldn’t process at the time. The reason I stayed after I graduated was that NNU became my home. It was hard to consider leaving the community here and God showed me that there was still a reason I should stay. So I consider being a part of Christian higher education a calling.
