MVNU celebrates Vazquez Family Collaboratory

Juan Vazquez addresses the crowd during the ribbon cutting for the Vazquez Family Collaboratory in the Stephen W. Nease Center on Friday, Oct. 17. Vazquez and his wife, Ines, funded the Collaboratory on behalf of their family.

MOUNT VERNON, Ohio — Mount Vernon Nazarene University officially opened the Vazquez Family Collaboratory, a transformative initiative supporting the Fairbanks Center for Global Engagement, in the Stephen W. Nease Center on Friday, Oct. 17. The Collaboratory was established through a generous endowment from Juan and Ines Vazquez and their family.

“This will stand as a living testament to the Vazquez family’s faith and service,” said Dr. Carson Castleman, President of MVNU. “We were honored to be joined by Juan and Ines Vazquez and family, whose lives have been marked with generosity, hard work, and unwavering commitment to God and the church.”

A Legacy Rooted in Faith

The Vazquez family story spans generations, beginning with Rev. Angel Vazquez, whose ministry in Puerto Rico set an example of faithful service. Juan and Ines Vazquez continued this legacy after immigrating to the United States in 1976, building a successful McDonald’s franchise business while maintaining their commitment to faith.

“In our life, church is first, home is second,” said Juan Vazquez at the ribbon-cutting ceremony. “The Lord will provide you with what you need if you put Him first.”

The family’s commitment to service extends through their three children, who continue this tradition in their own business and ministry endeavors.

Impact Across Communities

The Vazquez Family Collaboratory enables students to move beyond the classroom through project-based learning that unites students, faculty, and community partners to address real-world challenges locally and globally. Project initiatives include studying access to health resources to increase awareness and utilization of vital health services across Knox County, OH, exploring policing and public safety in Martin County, KY, introducing drone technology to farmers in Guatemala to address food security, and building an aquaponics fish farm in Mozambique to promote economic empowerment.

“The Collaboratory asks, ‘What are the needs in the world — and what can we, on our campus, do to first better understand and possibly partner to meet those needs?’” said Dr. Brenita Nicholas-Edwards, Director of the Fairbanks Center for Global Engagement. “Through the Vazquez Family Collaboratory, the Fairbanks Center creates strategic partnerships where MVNU students can learn from on-the-ground practitioners under the mentorship of faculty.”

Stephen Sickle, who serves with Nazarene Global Missions in Projects, Teams, and Partnerships, said, “This partnership with MVNU and the Fairbanks Center is deeply meaningful. The expertise of professors and the energy of students help leaders around the world find real solutions to real problems. But more than that, it transforms what could be a transactional exchange into a transformational relationship where everyone learns, grows, and contributes.”

Preparing Servant-Leaders

The endowment provides support for project staffing, grants, course development, and exploration of new partnerships, allowing students to apply their academic training while cultivating intercultural understanding and leadership skills. The Collaboratory complements MVNU’s Intercultural Studies co-major, which prepares students to serve in multicultural settings through classroom study and semester-long practicums in locations including the Philippines, Uganda, Kenya, Ecuador and Costa Rica.

“The Collaboratory gives students opportunities to not just study the world, but to step into it — listening, serving, and learning alongside others,” noted Dr. Nicholas-Edwards. “The story of the Collaboratory is still being written — but with every project, partnership, and practicum, students are discovering how education, service, and faith can transform lives.”

For more on the Vazquez Family Collaboratory and the FCGE, visit mvnu.edu/fcge.