Give Me Five with Jason Buitrago ’07, ’14W (MS) & Lizette Pérez-Deisboeck ’87

What inspired you both to take on the role of co-chair for this campaign—and what does this initiative mean to you personally?

Lizette: I have enjoyed the benefits of a great education and the lifelong friendships formed during my undergraduate years at URochester. Just as gratifying have been the new connections I’ve made with alumni, students, and leaders since graduating. Whenever I can pay it back—and forward—I jump on it. So, it was an easy “yes” when I was asked to take on this role.

Jason: Serving as co-chair of the Engagement Initiative is the ultimate way to honor the University that gave me the keys to redefining my own lifelong pursuit of curiosity. The Meliora spirit is at its best when it isn’t a solo pursuit. This initiative is about reaching back to pull others forward, tending to the garden that grew us, so the next generation of researchers, artists, and innovators has even richer soil in which to plant their dreams.

How did your URochester experience influence the way you think about connection and engagement today?

Jason: My time at URochester is not just a detail on my résumé. It is the very fabric of my life during the last twenty years and is woven through my experience as an undergraduate and graduate student, as a staff member, and as a patient at the Wilmot Cancer Institute. My journey with the University has taught me that engagement isn’t a singular act of participation, but a profound, lifelong commitment of mutual support and shared purpose. I learned that true connection thrives when we show up for one another in our most triumphant and most vulnerable moments.

Lizette: I had never lived in the continental U.S. until I arrived at the University as a first-generation college student. At first, I had no network of friends or familial ties, but eventually that changed. My engagement as a D’Lion, a resident advisor, and a member of Phi Sigma Sigma and SALSA gave me my first taste of the fun and satisfaction that come from connecting with others through shared experiences and interests.

What excites you most about the future of alumni engagement and how alumni can continue to get involved?

Lizette: I’m excited about the network effect of alumni involvement. Our community spans the globe, and our paths cross more often than we realize. If each of us brings one or two others back into the fold—as mentors to current students, attendees at a reunion, or participants in regional events—our connected alumni community will grow exponentially over time. We will be ever better for it.

Jason: What excites me most is the shift from passive spectatorship to active, global partnership—where we aren’t just names in a database, but the living, breathing pulse of the University in every corner of the world. I urge fellow alumni to look beyond the occasional reunion and consider mentoring a student or leading a regional gathering. Our beloved University legend, Dr. Paul Burgett, had a way of asking the quintessential question: “If not you, then who?” Now is the time to answer that call.

If you could spend one more day on campus, how would you spend it?

Jason: The Rush Rhees stacks have a distinct, almost sacred scent that immediately transports me back to my undergraduate years. I’d spend hours in the Department of Rare Books, Special Collections, and Preservation, tracing the ink of Frederick Douglass’s letters or marveling at the Susan B. Anthony papers, feeling a profound connection to the reformers who shaped our world.

Lizette: I would love to be on campus on the first warmish Friday of spring—after the snow has cleared, the ground is dry, the air is crisp, and the sun is bright. I would park myself on the grass on the Quad across from Rush Rhees, soak up the light, read, and hang out with friends. Simple, perfect, and exactly what I’d want.

What’s the most unexpected place you’ve run into a fellow alum?

Lizette: The doctor’s office! Boston, it turns out, is full of physicians who attended the University of Rochester—either as undergraduates or medical students. Seems the Meliora spirit has a way of finding us, no matter where we land.

Jason: For me it was inside a consultation room at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. Ten years ago, I was facing a personal battle with cancer and had sought out one of only two surgeons in the country renowned for the specific, life-saving procedure I required. As we discussed my care, I mentioned that I lived in Rochester, and his entire demeanor shifted. He lit right up and smiled broadly, revealing that he had completed both his residency and fellowship training at the University of Rochester. Reminiscing fondly on his time in our city, he looked me in the eyes with genuine sincerity and reassured me that I was going to be okay and that we would beat this together. The confidence he poured into me that day provided the strength I needed to persevere. Today, I am cancer-free and forever grateful that a fellow alum didn’t just share my alma mater, he saved my life.