Fatimah Muhammad Moody ’90 and Rosann Santos ’95

“I am honored to have both Fatimah and Rosann as our CBT co-chairs,” says assistant vice president Rachel Vassel. “They each have the positive energy, drive, and smarts to help us plan what will be an epic celebration of 150 years of Black and Latino success at SU.”

Building on the historic CBT 2017 reunion, which resulted in significant donations and attendance growth, Moody and Santos are committed to delivering an even more exciting reunion during the University’s sesquicentennial year.

The co-chairs will begin working on promotional plans, programming, fundraising ideas and special guests later this year. They will partner with student co-chairs (to be named in fall 2019) to promote the reunion among students and will also participate in monthly CBT planning calls with University staff, partners, alumni groups, students, and volunteers.

Following the high of the National Association of Latino Fraternal Organizations (NALFO) plaque unveiling at the Orange Grove during CBT 2017, Santos, a proud member of NALFO sorority Sigma Lamda Upsilon (SLU), would like to use her platform to welcome a greater number of Latino alumni and NALFO organizations back to campus. She is also planning to launch an SLU Our Time Has Come scholarship fund to support current students.

“The Latinx alumni population at SU is loyal, and we love our alma mater,” says Santos, career coach and director of strategic initiatives for student affairs at John Jay College and. “I am so honored to co-chair CBT 2020 and impress upon my community how important we are to the students coming after us. I want to do all I can to ensure that students have the resources and support they need to be successful.” Santos says even her 10 year old son is being groomed to attend SU one day. “He already knows I bleed Orange.”

The proud owner of a successful Washington, D.C., consulting firm, LinkVisum Consulting Group, Moody credits much of the goodness in her life to SU. “Syracuse University has given so much to me,” says Moody. “I’ve made lifelong friends, met the love of my life (husband and LinkVisum partner Keith Moody ’90), and learned how to follow my dreams, be a leader, and take risks.”

A longtime Our Time Has Come donor, Moody says that serving as CBT 2020 co-chair gives her yet another way to give back. “I want the opportunity to connect with students and alumni of color and ensure that the next generation of students have the opportunities that I had … and more.”

Moody is a member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, which raised $230,000 during CBT 2017, and she expects her sorority sisters to return to campus in full force. Additionally, her alumni family members, including her older brother Injil Muhammad ‘86, and extended family members Michele Vanderpool Muhammad ’87, Sade Muhammad ’12, and more will be on campus to offer family support.

Launched in 1983, Coming Back Together (CBT) became the first reunion of its kind in the country, strengthening Syracuse University’s reputation as a leader in diversity and inclusion. Over the course of four days, CBT aims to be at once, a targeted alumni reunion, a multidimensional career and culture conference, and a celebration of African American and Latino success.

With the next reunion taking place during the University’s sesquicentennial, Vassel promises many special surprises. “Oh yes, it’s going to be a very special CBT this time around, with many unique touches,” Vassel says.

While the reunion promises to be exciting for alumni, the focus in 2020 will be results. “Fatimah and Rosann understand that we have to break all records in attendance and giving because, at its heart, CBT exists to provide support to future generations of students through the Our Time Has Come Scholarship Fund and the OTHC Mentoring and Leadership Programs.”

CBT 2020, SU’s 13th African American and Latino alumni reunion, is scheduled for Sept. 10-13, 2020, and registration will open during the fall of 2019.