Jennifer Lopez, an adjunct at Wilmington University, plays a key role in coordinating MickeyFest, an annual music festival to raise awareness and funds to research Sanfilippo Syndrome, a rare genetic condition that causes childhood dementia and fatal brain disease.
Now in its fifth year, Lopez is one of the main coordinators of the fundraiser, responsible for volunteers, marketing, and meeting minutes.
“I’ve been there since the very beginning,” she says. “It’s important for us as individuals to help other people in this world.”
Lopez is close friends with Donny and Molly Merrill of Newark, Mickey’s parents and the founders of the Save Mickey foundation, a nonprofit organization. Mickey and her younger brother Declan both have Sanfilippo Syndrome. Their sister Maya does not have the disease.
An adjunct at WilmU for 11 years, Lopez teaches Humanistic World View and Contemporary Global Issues.
“It’s about problems that we see in the communities and finding solutions,” she says.
Lopez also teaches full time in a dropout prevention program in the Christina School District.
“We all have such busy lives—but it’s essential to find the time to volunteer and make a difference,” she says.