DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – Being a creative type, Cesley Tafoya wanted to be creative with her first donation to the Bethune-Cookman University softball program.

Tafoya, a Wildcats standout who was a part of three Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) championships, appreciates what her stay at Bethune-Cookman did for her, and is eager to begin the next phase of remaining a Wildcat by contributing.

After her playing days, which ended with her hitting a thousand in her last game as a Wildcat and being named to the 2012 NCAA All-Regional Team, Tafoya graduated and remained on as a Graduate Assistant for Sports Marketing. It was in that area that she played a key role in helping to develop the athletic department’s immensely successful social media program. Alas, the MEAC quickly swept in on a talent raid, and now she’s serving as the league’s Director of Multimedia/Marketing Coordinator.

“I wouldn’t be where I am today without Bethune-Cookman,” Tafoya said. “I want to see the softball team and those girls not only continue to be successful on the field, but to grow and reach their career goals. Working on the other side of the ball in administration has shown me what it takes to do that. And that’s why I’m going to do my best to write a check every year.”

In addition to showing pride in one of his former student-athletes, Vice President of Intercollegiate Athletics Lynn W. Thompson appreciates the significance of Tafoya’s contribution.

“It’s important that our young alumni recognize the financial challenges of maintaining a successful Division I athletics program,” Thompson said. “I’m delighted to see that Cesley appreciates the importance of giving back, and hope that vision spreads throughout that age group in particular and all the Wildcats Nation as well. For generations our school motto has been ‘Enter to learn, Depart to Serve’, and athletically we are now asking all former student-athletes to add a new dimension to the motto. With the help of people like Cesley, we call all proudly proclaim that ‘we entered to learn and departed to serve’ and now have returned the investment.”

Like Tafoya’s gift, all donations to Wildcats athletics can be ear marked for specific programs.

And at Bethune-Cookman, every student-athlete is special and unique in his/her own way. And that applies to people like Tafoya, which have and always will wear Maroon and Gold in their hearts forever – long after their playing days are over.