Wright State’s Amigos Latinos Gala Community Hero driven by family legacy of community service

Angela Fronista, a Wright State marketing alum and CEO and president of BTAS, will be honored at the ninth annual Amigos Latino Gala on Oct. 5 at the Wright State University Nutter Center.

Angela Fronista credits Wright State University for preparing her to become a successful entrepreneur.

For 30 years, the 1987 marketing alum has thrived as founder, CEO and president of BTAS, a trusted support contractor for Wright-Patterson Air Force Base. But Fronista learned the importance of making a difference long before her college years.

“My mother and father were a strong team with a heart of sacrifice to serve people. My parents involved all of us (kids) in community outreach,” she said. “Something subtle and profound happens to us when we give, share or serve others.”

The medical field was the launching point for her parents’ service. Her mother, Sylvia Acosta Fronista, moved from her native San Juan, Puerto Rico, to Dayton in 1953 to attend nursing school. She helped support World War II veterans and subsequently stayed in the area and married a Greek doctor. The couple opened the Huber Heights Medical Center, which served the community for 65 years.

Angela Fronista has continued her parents’ legacy as a strong supporter of Wright State’s Latino Center and various community organizations to foster the development of the Latino community.

For her volunteerism and contributions, she will be honored with the Community Hero Award during Wright State’s ninth annual Amigos Latino Gala on Oct. 5 at 5:30 p.m. at the Wright State University Nutter Center.

The event, scheduled during National Hispanic Heritage Month, invites community members, campus partners, alumni and philanthropists. With a theme of “Our Next Generation of Leaders,” Amigos Latino Gala will feature dinner, live entertainment and a silent auction.

Nine community members, faculty, staff and students will also be honored for their contributions to the Latino community. The award recipients are:

• Victor Aballe Mosqueda, medical student, Wright State Boonshoft School of Medicine: El Jefe Student Leadership Award
• Jazline Gomez, graduate student, clinical mental health counseling, College of Health, Education, and Human Services: La Jefa Student Leadership Award
• Charmica Abinojar, assistant director of visits and events, Division of Enrollment Management: Querida Amiga Staff Award
• Marissa Wynn, academic services director, College of Engineering and Computer Science: Querida Amiga Staff Award
• Ayşe Şahin, Ph.D, dean, College of Science and Mathematics: Querida Amiga Faculty Award
• Darryl Ahner, Ph.D, dean, College of Engineering and Computer Science: Querido Amigo Faculty Award
• Vicky Rodriguez, director, El Puente Educational Center: La Amiga Del Pueblo Award
• Aaliyah Seabrooks, multimedia journalist, WDTN Channel 2 News: La Amiga Del Pueblo Award
• Angela Fronista, CEO and president, BTAS: Community Hero Award

Tickets are $85 per person ($75 for those who purchase by Sept. 5) with all proceeds supporting Wright State student scholarships and the Latino Center.

Catherine Hernandez, director of Wright State’s Latino Center, said the event has sold out two consecutive years and she expects 350 to 400 attendees this year.

She said the gala celebrates a growing Latino community in Ohio while fostering the center’s mission to recruit, retain and empower Latino students at Wright State. The center maintains a spirit of inclusivity with its mantra of “Amigos Latinos, where you don’t have to be Latino to be a friend” and invites all to join it in its mission.

“This gala is about bringing incredible people together to provide support for students in pursuit of their degree that are poised to assume leadership roles in our community,” Hernandez said. “Latino students have distinct needs, and our center offers a community for them. It is really a holistic strategy that supports them from the time they are one of our prospective students to graduation and attaining their first job.”

Hernandez lauded Fronista for her longtime support of the Latino Center and involvement in various Latino community organizations.

“Angela has been a supporter and sponsor of the center from its beginning in 2012. She has also been involved in Dayton community organizations that assist young people in getting what they need to be successful,” Hernandez said. “Her efforts really embody the theme of our program.”

Fronista, one of her parents’ five daughters, said she also draws inspiration from her faith.

“My inspiration and motivation are by doing this, I am loving Jesus. So, I follow Him and those who are impacting lives by helping others,” she said.

Tickets to the Amigos Latino Gala are available are available at wright.edu/amigoslatinosgala.