Published:
Listen up: President Toro appeared on a recent episode of “Telling Our Story,” a podcast produced by the American Association of State Colleges and Universities (AASCU). Hosted by Leticia Maldonado, “Telling Our Story” highlights state colleges and universities that have taken bold steps to foster greater accessibility and affordability for underrepresented communities.
In this episode, Maldonado explores Success Central, the university’s peer-mentoring initiative that has helped students achieve academic and personal success for the last 10 years. Dr. Reginald Simmons, the faculty supervisor of Success Central, and student mentor coordinator Tori Wallington joined President Toro on the program and shared their thoughts about the role of mentorship in higher education.
In Toro’s view, it is a university’s duty to offer mentorship and support programs.
“I firmly believe that as an institution of higher education, we need to have plenty of mentorship programs. … I think that once the students come here, it’s our responsibility to facilitate their success,” she said. “Not only that, we are in the process of creating individuals who are able to give back, like Tori. Once they finish their degree with us, they feel that these programs have been so good for them, that they feel the sense and the responsibility to give back.
She added, “So, if you look at what we’re talking about here, it is a full circle.”
“Telling Our Story” is available to stream on Spotify, Apple, and other podcast platforms, or you can listen in on the series website.