“It’s all aligned and connected.”

1. Can you share how your Hispanic/Latino heritage has influenced your academic and professional journey?

Well, first of all, I am Jorge Figueroa-Flores. I am the vice provost for Curriculum and Strategic Initiatives. So, thank you for the first question. I would say dramatically. My heritage is a very resilient heritage, and we always want to be better at dealing with the ups and downs of that as well. The influence that I have had through my academic journey has provided me with many opportunities and positively influenced me in achieving all the goals I have reached so far in my professional career. Therefore, there is a direct connection between my heritage—specifically a relentless Hispanic/Latino work ethic, I would say—that comes with that heritage, as well as having a strong background and influence from my parents. I am also Puerto Rican, so we believe that we need to move forward. “Siempre Pa'lante,” always forward, so it has definitely influenced my academic and professional journey positively. It’s all aligned and connected.

2. What challenges have you faced as a Hispanic/Latino individual in your field, and how have they impacted your experience?

Well, definitely, one of the things that we Hispanic/Latinos face is that there’s a lack of Hispanic/Latinos in leadership roles at universities. There’s a huge lack of Hispanic/Latinos with PhDs; there’s a huge lack of Hispanic/Latinos as presidents and chancellors at institutions. There’s a lack of Hispanic/Latinos in executive positions. So, one of the challenges has been seeing people who look like me in those roles go all the way up to those roles. So those challenges have been due to a fact of the deals that we have to live with, such as stereotyping, racism, and classism. So, a lot of ‘isms’ that have to do with those challenges. Also, I would say that depending on the institution's structure, sometimes it becomes a challenge. So, in higher education, I would say it is a challenge for any person from an underserved, underprivileged group to keep on growing or keep on going up because there are barriers that need to be removed, and we’re removing those barriers. So, challenges definitely, that each have to do with racism that exists, classism that exists as well, and I would say, lack of opportunities as well for Hispanic/Latinos to achieve those executive roles.

3. What research or projects are you currently passionate about?

Well, I will say our micro-credential initiative here at Texas Woman’s University. We have a micro-credential initiative that we started formally this year as a pilot. This is a two-year pilot program, and you can find it on our website. Micro-credential initiatives allow students to receive non-credit-bearing micro-credentials that are either curricular or co-curricular. It’s an opportunity for students and for the university to put something in place that demonstrates skills, but sometimes they are not in a curriculum or activities and skills that the student develops outside or in a curricular way. So, I’m excited about that initiative, and we are already awarding badges to students. We’re very excited about this initiative and how we move forward workforce-related and industry-related.

Another thing that I am really passionate about is strategic initiatives. Let me go to partnerships. So, we have a very strategic partnership, I mean, an initiative to our partnerships in which we are basically dividing Texas in a three-way route, or in a three-way highway of connection where we’re trying to get as many Hispanics and Latinos, specifically interested in Texas, from the university through articulation agreements that we’re doing. We are the biggest Hispanic serving system, primarily focused on women. So, I think that we have a responsibility to do that. We’re working with a lot of partners already, community college partners all the way to South Texas. Each of these has its own name and focuses. We also have this initiative called Rompiendo Barreras (Breaking Barriers) in North Texas. We have the initiative called the Stino Houston, which is, of course, in the greater Houston area, and we have one called Ruta 35. So, that initiative also connects the way from over here to South Texas, and we are developing all these partnerships and creating influence. I would say a presence in the South Texas area that has a lot of Hispanic/Latinos needs to be served, and institutions over there they’re not enough to serve the Hispanic/Latino population.

4. How do you incorporate your cultural background into your work or research?

I am a firm believer in critical pedagogy and also in culturally sustaining pedagogy. So, I intersect culture with second-language acquisition and, at the same time, emerging technologies. That has been my triangle in approaching research. So, as a bilingual educator or someone who trains future bilingual teachers, culture is engaged in it. Understanding culture is essential to it. Everyone who comes to my office knows who I am, where I am from, and how proud I am of it. Now, in academics, I definitely explore the intersection of culture and, of course, second language acquisition and American technologies. You can see that path, specifically in how I’ve been integrating cultures throughout my dissertation.

6. Are there specific resources or support systems at our university that you recommend to these students?

Oh, definitely. Student Life has many opportunities. Becky Rodriguez runs the Center for First Generation Students. They’re doing fantastic work. I can also say that they have various programs that are catapulting students’ success, and I will say that the student organizations have strong support regarding support mechanisms at the university. So, I recommend students explore student organizations. Explore the curricular options. Explore the Jane Nelson Center for Student Leadership options, which I think is fantastic—the work that Lawrencina (Mason Oramalu) is doing. So, there are plenty of options.

7. How does mentorship support Hispanic/Latino students?

Having people who look like you, have gone through the same struggles, and understand you is extremely important for students and staff. It is a two-way form to showcase who you are and create a mentorship connection. What I will say is people also need to know how to detect false mentors. There’s a certain approach to false mentorship. Mentorship provides accurate opportunities and help, but at the same time, it tells you and gives you recommendations for not going through this route or that route based on what you’re doing. A mentor also listens. So, there are so many aspects. Now, there’s false mentorship in which sometimes mentors might take advantage of the mentee for their own agenda. Mentorship, along with many other programs we have around the nation, supports Hispanic and Latino students.

8. Can you share a story about a mentor or role model who has significantly impacted your journey?

When I think about a mentor, I had one who didn’t look like me. I’ve never had a mentor that really looked like me. I went to the (United) States to do my master’s, and this person helped me in the field I was studying. But it wasn’t until 2013 that I had a mentor who looked like me. Having a mentor is not the same as having a college or a peer or just a person going to give you a task and that is going to report. As I was saying, having a mentor who looked like me and understood the path I was going through–someone who would tell me, “Hey, you should do better in your resume; you should do better on your cover letter. These are some tips; let me connect you with these people.” See, a mentor also helps you as a network that creates a network for you. My mentor was through the New Leadership Academy at the University of Michigan. His name was Dr. Hein; he was one of the deans at Texas State University. So, I still communicate with him because he’s been my great mentor. I also had the opportunity to serve under the leadership of Dr. O. Finley Graves, our former executive vice president of Academic Affairs and Provost. His approach to leadership, specifically empowering me and mentoring me to become a better leader, is something that I will always appreciate. I still keep in touch with him as well.

9. What aspects of your culture do you believe should be celebrated more within the academic community?

You know, why are we not celebrating more? We’re a Hispanic-serving institution. We’re almost going to be a minority-serving institution with everything that’s happening. Hence, we need to celebrate that we are becoming a minority-serving institution and that we’re really celebrating our diversity. We cannot be ashamed, and we cannot continue hiding that we are a diverse university. We need to celebrate more culture in the academic community because culture is aligned with many things, so it’s not a one-month thing. It is an everyday thing.

10. How do you celebrate your heritage, and what traditions do you hold dear?

I would say celebrating Epiphany. For us, we call it El Día de los Reyes Magos. It is celebrated on January 6th. It is amazing. I remember my dad holding a party in Puerto Rico that was open to the whole street, and it happened often because our family is festive. So I hold the tradition dear. It is unfortunate that here in the States, on January 6th, we’re already working. Another tradition I hold dear is sports. Every time we have any sport-related event involving a Puerto Rican fighter, boxer, baseball team, or anything like that, we stop everything to enjoy it.

11. What changes or advancements would you like to see in the academic community to better support Hispanic/Latino students?

I think more opportunities for undergraduate research are needed, and I would like to see more opportunities for career advancement. I would like to see more programs that mentor Latinos to become higher education executives.

12. What advice would you give Hispanic/Latino students navigating their academic journeys?

Look for mentors; look for people that want to support you. Go to organizations like HACU and AHI. These organizations are great organizations for Hispanics and Latinos as well. Most importantly, keep moving forward. There will be barriers, and there will be rocks; look for a way to jump them. To all the Hispanics/Latinos, always remember that you have a role. The role is to serve and also to continue the good path so others can see and can be reflected and can reflect what you’re doing and can be motivated as well.

Page last updated 11:44 AM, October 29, 2024