Students and supporters of Political Science Prof. Luis Fraga — who announced in December that he would leave for the University of Washington after the current academic year — have organized a May 4 tribute to honor the beloved professor for the role he played as a mentor, teacher and friend.

“The tribute will be an event with performances, speakers and food to honor Professor Fraga and his contributions to campus,” said Melissa Morales ‘09, one of the students helping to organize the event. “It is going to be celebratory.”

“The film will show lots of really nice things but we wanted Professor Fraga to have something tangible to take with him,” she added.

A video containing clips of faculty, students, staff and alumni talking about their experiences with Fraga will be shown at the tribute. Talisman, Ballet Folklorico de Stanford and Mariachi Cardenal de Stanford will also be performing.

Fraga will also receive a reflection book — which will be a collection of letters and photographs submitted by faculty, students, staff and alumni expressing their memories and thanks — at the tribute.

“We have received some wonderful letters people have written about how much Luis Fraga has impacted their professional and personal life, not just their academic life,” said Claudia Aranda ‘99, one of the major organizers of the tribute and the book. “It has been a continued outpouring of support.”

Aranda could not estimate the number of submissions she will receive, because they are still coming in and will be accepted until midnight tomorrow.

A summer fellowship, for which fundraising is currently underway, is also being set up to honor Fraga. The Haas Center for Public Service will sponsor the fellowship, which will allow a student to spend a summer working on institutional change at a non-profit, private or governmental organization. Aranda said that the goal is to obtain funding for the first of three annual fellowships by this summer.

“We want to honor what Fraga taught us about the power of grassroots organizations,” Aranda said. “We are hoping that everyone in the community will donate [to the fellowship fund] in that spirit. We don’t want the money to come from just a few people; it is a chance for students to show their support.”

Morales said she got involved in the tribute after she participated in last fall’s protracted effort to keep Fraga at the University.

“I didn’t know Professor Fraga before last fall but was interested in the campaign because everyone has heard him speak within the Latino community,” she said. “He is the go-to for faculty support and the idea of losing that.”

All members of the Stanford community are welcome to participate in the tribute and fundraising efforts. Reflection book submissions can be sent to fragabook@gmail.com until tomorrow’s deadline. Everyone who submits a response is welcome to the tribute next month, for which the RSVP deadline is Apr. 20.