Puerto Rico’s oldest educational project is paving the way the future of decentralized wireless connectivity.

The historic tree-lined courtyards and century-old architecture of Universidad del Sagrado Corazón in Puerto Rico have been the backdrop for generations of students. Today, Sagrado’s leaders are blending tradition and stewardship with innovation, building a decentralized, community-powered network to keep the campus and its neighbors connected–and resilient.

Modernizing the Campus with Helium

Since 1880, Sagrado has been a cultural and educational institution in San Juan’s Santurce district. Chief Information Officer Raúl Rosado Pagán joined the staff three years ago with a clear mandate to update the campus’ technology. With 15 years of experience in IT and finance, Rosado Pagán understood the importance of reliable infrastructure. His first project at Sagrado was a $3 million modernization effort, replacing outdated systems and laying the groundwork for a more robust network.

“We finished the infrastructure refresh last year,” he said. “Now, we’re able to leverage it, not just for the students, but for the broader community around us.”

The modernization effort included bringing the university online to the Helium Network via Helium Plus. The integration extends reliable coverage throughout classrooms, dorms, and open green spaces across the campus. Coverage also extends throughout the neighborhood, serving homes, small businesses and even a local sports complex.

By partnering with Helium, Sagrado turned its upgraded wireless campus infrastructure into a resilient, community-wide connectivity layer.

Redundancy for Stronger Networks

In Puerto Rico, building redundancy — that is, backup systems or duplicate connections that ensure continuity when one component fails — into network connectivity projects is critical. The island’s long hurricane season, fragile power grid, and limited fiber footprint make continuous connectivity challenging. When Hurricane Maria hit in 2017, many communities lost access to the internet and cellular networks for months.

Redundancy requires building multiple layers of connectivity. That’s why Sagrado is setting up multiple fiber lines into the university, as well as deploying Helium Hotspots and implementing Helium Plus across the campus. By offloading carrier data through decentralized Hotspots, the university gains an additional pathway for connectivity when traditional systems falter.

Why Helium’s Partnership Makes Sense

As an active member of the Puerto Rican Blockchain Association, Rosado Pagán was already familiar with Helium.

“I’m a tech guy, and I like to test new technology,” he said. “I saw that Helium had good reception through partnerships with major carriers, and I immediately understood its potential.”

His personal curiosity soon evolved into a campus-wide initiative. Today, Sagrado is one of the first higher-education institutions in Puerto Rico to integrate Helium Plus at scale. It’s an early proof-point for how blockchain-based infrastructure can deliver real-world value.

“Understanding blockchain or how network rewards work is hard, and people are skeptical,” he said. “But when the asset [HNT] is tied directly to the utility of the network, and users see that, it changes everything. When the cloud was new, people didn’t trust it. Now it’s everywhere. I see the same pattern with decentralized connectivity. It’s only a matter of time before it becomes the norm.”

A More Resilient Future

Sagrado’s IT team continues to expand Helium access across outdoor spaces and community hubs, using the university’s upgraded infrastructure as a platform for experimentation.

“We’re building for the long term,” Rosado Pagán said. “For us, it’s not just about technology. It’s about service. The more we can keep our students and neighbors connected, the stronger the whole community becomes.”

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