A generous scholarship gift from alumna and Univision News Anchor Maity Interiano ’07 will assist students in Elon’s School of Communications. Her gift is part of the Elon LEADS Campaign.
Grateful for her experience in Elon’s School of Communications, Emmy Award-winning journalist Maity Interiano ’07 has made a generous gift to the Elon LEADS Campaign to provide scholarship funds to students in the university’s School of Communications.
The Maity Interiano Annual Scholarship will be awarded beginning in the fall with first preference given to Hispanic/Latinx students studying in the School of Communications. Interiano studied broadcast communications at Elon and credits the school and her faculty mentors with preparing her to succeed and join Univision Network in Miami following graduation. She was recently promoted to co-anchor of the weekend evening edition of the network’s national newscast, “Noticiero Univision.”
“I decided to make this scholarship gift because I want more young and diverse professionals to have the opportunity to go to Elon University and get the best college experience that will prepare them to be the citizens our world needs,” Interiano said. “Education for me is fundamental and it’s been key to achieve and accomplish all my goals.
“I also believe that Elon University benefits from having a diverse student body that encourages different conversations, with different points of view and opinions,” she said. “The Census Bureau estimates there were roughly 62.1 million Hispanics in the U.S. as of 2020, making up 19% of the nation’s population, and Elon should reflect that.”
Interiano serves as one of the four alumni co-chairs of the $250 million Elon LEADS Campaign, along with alumni Priscilla Awkard ’95, Christian Wiggins ’03 and Jack McMackin ’08. The four co-chairs are leading the final year of Elon LEADS, which will conclude on December 31, 2022.
“The Elon community is grateful to Maity Interiano for her generous support of scholarships and the commitment she brings to Elon LEADS,” said Jim Piatt, vice president for university advancement. “Maity is modeling the kind of alumni leadership that is vital to Elon’s future.”
Passionate about supporting Elon, Interiano has made annual gifts to Elon’s Greatest Needs, the Latinx/Hispanic Alumni Network, Phoenix Club and School of Communications. She encouraged all alumni to support Elon LEADS in the final year and not just meet the $250 million goal but to exceed it.
“As Elon alumni, it’s our turn to step up for the next generations,” Interiano said. “Elon LEADS is a comprehensive campaign that will secure the future of students who will soon be our leaders, and I want to make sure that we are providing them everything to succeed.”
Interiano’s gift was instrumental in inspiring donors to make Elon Day the most successful day of giving in the university’s history. On March 1, donors made 4,988 gifts that brought in more than $3.5 million to Elon LEADS. Interiano believes there’s never been a more important time to support Elon.
“We need to lead by example. These last couple of years have been challenging for many of us, but if there is one lesson that I learned, it is that life is now, not tomorrow, not yesterday, but today,” she said. “And everything you give to the world comes back to you multiplied.”
Interiano received Elon’s Top 10 Under 10 Award in 2012 and delivered Elon’s Commencement address in 2017. She is also a member of the President’s Young Leaders Council and returns to campus to mentor students in the School of Communications.
Prior to being named co-anchor at Univision News, Interiano served as a reporter, correspondent and host of the network’s flagship daytime Emmy Award-winning show “Despierta América,” “UNews,” and “Noticiero Univision Edición Digital.” In addition, Interiano has frequently been a Univision correspondent for a variety of events, including “Premios Juventud,” “Premio lo Nuestro,” the “Latin GRAMMY” awards, “Nuestra Belleza Latina,” the Golden Globes, the Oscars and Rose Parade among many others.
Considered one of Univision’s most versatile correspondents, Interiano has covered the migrant caravans reaching the U.S.-Mexico border and the resulting humanitarian crisis, as well as the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil, the royal wedding of Prince William and Catherine Middleton, the wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle from London and the canonization of Saint Mother Teresa in Rome.
About the Elon LEADS Campaign
With a $250 million goal, Elon LEADS is the largest fundraising campaign in the university’s history and will support four main priorities: scholarships for graduates the world needs, access to engaged learning opportunities such as study abroad, research and internships, support for faculty and staff mentors who matter and Elon’s iconic campus. As of March 9, donors had contributed $240.6 million toward the overall goal.
Every gift to the university—including annual, endowment, capital, estate and other planned gifts—for any designation counts as a gift to the campaign, which will support students and strengthen Elon for generations to come. To learn more about how you can make an impact, visit www.elonleads.com.