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The Innovators podcast, a product of Harris Search Associates, features interesting conversations with global thought leaders in the areas of higher education and research, engineering, technology, and the health sciences and provides our listeners an opportunity to benefit from lessons learned from the national leaders changing the landscape of innovation and discovery. Visit the Harris Search Associates website here.

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  2. Lessons of a Salvadoran Refugee’s Path of Success in American Higher Education (with Susana Rivera-Mills, Ph.D., Provost & Executive Vice President, Ball State University)

Lessons of a Salvadoran Refugee’s Path of Success in American Higher Education (with Susana Rivera-Mills, Ph.D., Provost & Executive Vice President, Ball State University)

Jun 28, 2022

Hard work, family support, and education are often cited as key elements in the success of most of the immigrants to the United States. These hold true for many Hispanics and Dr. Rivera-Mills of Ball State and her experiences and success exemplify that formula. Her success affords evidence to suggest just how Hispanics can achieve similar results.

We spoke with Dr. Rivera-Mills and asked her to draw on her journey as a first-time Hispanic college attendee as well as her academic and administrative achievements to respond to the following questions: 

  1. The term “Hispanic” is “stretched” to encompass a multitude of nationalities and cultures of people in the United States. Does the term do justice to the complexity and diversity of persons to whom it is applied? Who is encompassed by the term?
  2. How do your experiences as a Hispanic woman compare and relate to what might be typical for today’s Hispanic students?
  3. How do Hispanic women fare in American higher education?
  4. Except for Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), the only other federally-designated ethnic or racial higher education institutions are the more than 550 Hispanic-serving institutions in the U.S. How critical a role do these latter colleges and universities play in advancing the educational opportunity and achievement of Hispanic students?
  5. If you were an advisor to an American president or state governor and had the opportunity to propose government focus and resources that you believe would accelerate the progress of Hispanic students at any level of education – primary, secondary, postsecondary – what would be your top three recommendations?

Dr. Rivera-Mills earned the B.A. and M.A. from the University of Iowa and the Ph.D. from the University of New Mexico. She joined the faculty of Oregon State University where she served as a department chair, associate dean, and vice provost. At Ball State, her work focuses on student success for ALL students, and ensuring equitable access to educational opportunities.

Innovators is a podcast production of Harris Search Associates. 

*The views and opinions shared by the guests on Innovators do not necessarily reflect the views of the interviewee's institution or organization.*