Aguedo Mojica.... A Brief Biography

     Aguedo Mojica's  name echoes within the campus of the University of Puerto Rico Humacao beyond the graduation ceremony.   When I was a student of the English BA Program, I encountered his name when in the graduation ceremony, the student with the highest average of our institution received the Aguedo Mojica medal.

     Nowadays, Aguedo Mojica's name is heard beyond the graduation ceremony.  Since 2009, UPRH library is named after this outstanding man. Wile his contribution has been of great importance to our university, few are the people in contemporary times that know about his accomplishments and legacy.

     This year, my daughter began pre-school.  My routine changed as a new stage in her life began.  I now usually park near the passive area where Aguedo Mojica bust stands.  Almost every morning, I am greeted by this work of art  as the trees softly whisper a welcome to a new day accompanied by the singing of birds.  And it is now that I question myself, who is Aguedo Mojica beyond stating that he was an important person in our institution.  And so I began my research and shamefully I admit, I knew nothing at all of the contributions this extraordinary man made not only for Humacao, but for Puerto Rico.  Here is just a glimpse of who was Aguedo Mojica.

     Aguedo Mojica was born beginning the 20th century on March 16, 1908 in Humacao. He was the youngest of eight children.  He came from a poor working class family.  Even with this economic disadvantage, he completed primary and secondary studies in his hometown.  He completed undergraduate degrees at the University of Puerto Rico, Río Piedras Campus.  Afterwards he completed doctoral studies in France as well as in Spain.  He also studied in Italy and lived in Dominican Republic as well as New York.

     He taught himself English, Latin, Greek, German, French, and Italian.  He decided to undertake learning these languages to read the universal classical works in its original language.  He also learned on his own to play several instruments: violin, cello, guitar and piano.    He also composed music and wrote poetry.  And Aguedo Mojica was also interesed in the field of math.

    He also worked as a university professor and chaired the Philosophy Department in UPR Rio Piedras campus. He also was a legislator.  His greatest contribution as a legislator is the university reform that became law in 1966.  This reform made possible the establishment of the regional colleges being the now University of Puerto Rico at Humacao, the first of these regional colleges.  These regional colleges made more accesible undergraduate studies for those who came  from families that did not possess the economic means to travel to Río Piedras campus.

UPRH Library



     Aguedo Mojica passed away from this physical world on June 19, 1982 in Anton Ruiz Humacao.  But his spirit lives on.  Every time, a student who otherwise would not have been able to study if of regional colleges now universities had not existed, and completes his/ her degree, Aguedo Mojica's spirit lives.  Each time, we dream and achieve our goals and overcome the challenges that life can bring, we celebrate Aguedo Mojica's legacy.  He was a man, who did not let the circumstances mold his life, but he as a sculptor who transforms a piece of rock into a work of art, he created a life full of accomplishments that still today we enjoy.