This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at WPUNJ chapter.
Name: Catalina Fragoso
Hometown: Secaucus
Major: Fine Arts with concentration on Photography
Minor: Art History
Year: Senior
Involvement: TwillyP, Her Campus, Pioneer Times, GLBT, SAA
Fun Fact: My family is everything to me.
Favorite Quote: “Life is like photography, we develop from the negatives.” – Anonymous
Catalina Fragoso has a notable talent for capturing people in their best light. Her passion has kept her busy on campus, as she shoots for HCWPUNJ and the WPUNJ social media team. All of HCWPUNJ’s event photos showcase her talent. Catalina is also behind the new project Humans of WP, a site where university members are featured with a quote that lends some insight to their lives. This week Catalina takes her turn in the spotlight as we feature her as our campus celebrity!
HC: What is your favorite thing about WPUNJ?CF: Learning more about photography in my classes, being involved, and meeting new people every day.
HC: What has been your favorite class at WPUNJ, and why?CF: I have two; the first was my summer photography class which was all done in the darkroom with a film camera. And Digital Imaging & Lighting which I’m taking now because I’m learning how to set up studio lighting.
HC: You’re responsible for most HCWPUNJ’s gorgeous photos. Can you share about your journey with photography? CF: Basically, my grandfather bought me a DSLR camera in high school and since then I never put my camera down. I pursued it and spent all my free time learning how to improve my photo skills. He passed away a few years ago, and I wish he was here today to see how far my photography has come.
HC: We know that Humans of New York inspired Humans of WP, but what was it that convinced you to start the project? CF: Before I take any credit, my TwillyP coworkers were the ones that pitched the idea to me. At first I thought it would be a fun project, but after the first day of working on Humans of WP and speaking with students, I instantly fell in love with the project. I see everyone on campus differently; I’m eager to meet people and hear their stories. Humans of WP gives us and our community a chance to get to know each other as individuals. The stories I hear and the people I meet make me realize that everything in life matters, everyone has a story, and we’re here to give you a voice.
HC: What has been the biggest challenge with this project? What have you taken away from it? CF: Humans of WP itself hasn’t been challenging, but what I’ve taken from the individuals I’ve already met with has changed me as a person. I will approach people on campus, not knowing who they are or anything about them, and after 15 minutes I’ve learned something meaningful and significant about their life. Some of the stories may bring me and my coworkers to an emotional state where we’ll want to reach out and let them know we are there for them. Humans of WP brings the community to a whole new level. I respect everyone on campus. It doesn’t matter that I don’t know half of the community, but I respect everyone, and I’d love to share your stories.
HC: What do you hope to accomplish within the next year?
CF: I want at least half of the WP community to know about Humans of WP. I want it to make this community strong and show we are no ordinary campus but one that is accepting of everyone. And as a senior, I just want to graduate with honors. I’ve never been an honor student and ever since my first semester at William Paterson, I’ve made Dean’s List. It’s a big accomplishment for me. And above all, I want to make my family proud.
Make sure to follow Catalina as she continues to capture the beauty that can be found around WPUNJ! The official page for Humans of WP is humansofwp.tumblr.com.