On Oct. 22, 2025, the University of Louisiana at Lafayette family lost a beloved leader, colleague and friend. Dr. Margarita Perez, associate vice president for Student Affairs and dean of students, passed away peacefully at the age of 50, after a long and courageous battle with cancer.
Perez devoted more than 25 years to higher education and student affairs, including the past decade at UL Lafayette.
As written in her obituary with Dignity Memorial, “Margarita was an exceptional leader, guided by empathy, integrity and an unwavering commitment to student well-being.”
“Her influence reached nearly every aspect of campus life and shaped the experiences of thousands of students. Colleagues and students alike admired her generosity of spirit and steadfast belief in the transformative power of education.”
Throughout her career at the University, Perez led with her heart, radiating joy and inspiring many with her kindness and positivity.
She went above and beyond her title and position and showed what it means to truly connect with the people in her community.
Kyle Duplantis, associate director of Student Engagement and Leadership, said, “Sometimes administrators at her level can be a little harder to reach, but I think she really flipped that script.”
Heidie Lindsey, associate dean of students and director of Student Engagement and Leadership, shared, “A friend of mine talked about when she went to go visit Margarita, maybe four or five days before she passed, and Margarita said, ‘Did I make a difference?’”
“She actually asked that. And that was crazy, because she’s pretty humble about it… I’m like… of course you made a difference.”
Wife to Perez and assistant dean of Graduate School, Stephanie Galendez, said, “She was giving so much of herself to everyone, and I really think she didn’t realize this to the full extent, but her impact touched everyone,… her impact made everyone strive to be a better person.”
Dr. Patricia Cottonham, vice president for Student Affairs, said, “She was a passionate student affairs professional. She loved students. She loved making a difference in the lives of students.”
Perez led a life of service, dedicating herself to serving her community, truly embodying the qualities of a leader, especially one working in the field of student affairs. She was a strong advocate for students, always putting their needs first and finding ways to meet them.
Among her areas of student research, Perez was particularly concerned with accessibility and resources. She founded the Campus Cupboard, a resource for undergraduate students, graduate students, faculty and staff who require short-term assistance meeting their food needs. She championed this program to support students in need.
Candice Dazet, assistant director of Student Engagement and Leadership, said, “She embodied what it means to lead with heart, she always showed up for students and her colleagues and she… offered grace. She found ways to lift others up, and her belief in the power of access, support and opportunity for every student was at the core of who she was.”
Perez’s student advocacy did not go unrecognized.
“Earlier this month, she received the Dan Seymour Award, the highest honor from the Louisiana Association of College & University Student Personnel Administrators in recognition of her lifetime of student advocacy,” according to a statement by Interim President Dr. Jaimie Hebert.
Aside from her professional career, Perez found joy in her love for her family and friends.
“She stayed close to this group of high school friends. I really admired that, and she really poured into all of those relationships,” Lindsey shared.
“She was a really good friend, and she was there… when their kids were born, when their kids graduated…” Known as “Ita” to the children of her dear friends and relatives, some of her happiest moments were spent making memories with them.
Lindsey described Perez to be childlike as she found great joy in partaking in activities where she could feel young again.
“Over Christmas break, she would always take them to Dave & Buster’s, really, so she could play the video games and ride on the… motorcycle thing.”
“She was a big kid,” Lindsey said.
Perez was also a big lover of holiday traditions and celebratory occasions.
“She had the love of Christmas and the love of Mardi Gras, everything Louisiana, but she loved her family the most, and she considered everyone she met along her life’s journey as family.”
Across all areas of her life, Perez spread love, joy, compassion, positivity and genuinity to everyone who was blessed enough to have crossed paths with her. She was a light and a gift. While she will be dearly missed, she will continue to live on in the hearts of those who knew her.
“It’s hard to find words to describe how much we’re going to miss her, because we definitely will miss her in a very big way. Her… absence is already felt, but we are grateful for knowing her. We’re grateful to her [for] being a member of our university community,” said Cottonham.
She continued, “We are grateful [for] the impact and influence that she had on students. So we’re going to… continue to work hard, dedicate ourselves to students, because we know that it’s exactly what she would want us to do.”
Throughout her battle with cancer, Perez remained strong and was present for her colleagues, students and loved ones for as long as her health permitted. “These last years since her diagnosis,… she stayed strong and she worried about us, worried about the University,” said Cottonham.
Galendez shared, “She fought her illness with grace, with courage and… a positive mindset. That’s truly what kept her going and continuing through all of her different challenges over the past three and a half years.”
A proud native of New Orleans, Perez was a graduate of Mount Carmel Academy. She earned a bachelor’s degree in history and secondary education from Loyola University. She was initiated into the Epsilon Mu Chapter of Gamma Phi Beta Sorority at Loyola University.
Perez later earned a master’s degree in higher education administration from the University of New Orleans, and received a doctoral degree in educational leadership from UL Lafayette.
Relatives and friends are invited to attend funeral services on Friday, Nov. 14, 2025, at Holy Name of Jesus Church, 6367 St. Charles Avenue, New Orleans, LA. Visitation will begin at 9 a.m. and a memorial mass will be held at noon. A private burial will follow.
According to the wishes of Perez, instead of flowers, donations are encouraged to be made to UL Lafayette’s Campus Cupboard in her memory.
Cottonham shared, “In lieu of flowers, she wanted people to donate to the food pantry. So I think… as in life, even in her death… she is still… speaking volumes about who she was, where her heart is… and what she wanted for the students here at the University.”
Give at bit.ly/M_Perez or mail checks to UL Lafayette Foundation, P.O. Box 44290, Lafayette, LA 70504-4290, noting “Perez Memorial Gift.” Memorial gifts can also be made to Mount Carmel Academy “Sue Buras Leadership Fund,” 7027 Milne Boulevard, New Orleans, LA 70124 or given online at https://www. mcacubs.com/giving/make-a-gift.