The Hostos Alumni Relations and Career Services offices, along with the Wellness Center and Professor Lizette Colón, teamed up to organize a seminar for future Hostos graduates on how to prepare for today’s job market.
Nydia Edgecombe, director of Alumni Relations at the College invited Hostos alumnus and Alumni Speakers Bureau volunteer, Luis Eladio Torres (’77), to serve as the keynote speaker. Torres is an elementary school principle in PS 55 in the Bronx.
The seminar offered three modules. The first, was a self-esteem workshop focused on developing assertiveness presented by Fabian Wander, director of the Wellness Center, with Lizette Colón.
Career Specialist Idelsa Méndez focused her talk on the importance of dressing right for interviews and the job. Her lecture included a competition which challenged participants to dress a male and female mannequin. The winner took home a $50.00 gift card from Burlington Coat Factory.
Lastly, Torres gave an inspirational talk encouraging the students to believe in themselves and to look at the positive side of life. He shared his story about growing up in the ghetto in the Bronx and how overcoming the many obstacles actually helped him grow along the way.
“My sad story was my winning story,” said Torres. “That’s the story I told at every job interview and how I overcame adversity and excelled in the field of education. Everything I am and have is based on speaking from the heart and being truthful about my life experiences and my community.”
Torres has stuck by his words as he has made a positive impact on the community. In 2011, at the 66th Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development Annual Conference, Torres received the 2011 Outstanding Young Educator Award.
“I am extremely pleased with the outcome of the seminar,” Edgecombe said “In higher education we plan and put things on paper, but it is more rewarding when you see those plans become a reality, especially when the event is a multi-divisional collaboration. The icing on the cake was having Principal Luis Eladio Torres, a member of the Alumni Speakers Bureau, return to Hostos to encourage graduates to reach for the stars.”
About Hostos Community College
Eugenio María de Hostos Community College is an educational agent for change that has been transforming and improving the quality of life in the South Bronx and neighboring communities since 1968. It serves as a gateway to intellectual growth and socioeconomic mobility, as well as a point of departure for lifelong learning, success in professional careers, and transfer to advanced higher education programs. The College’s unique "Student Success Coaching Unit" provides students with individualized guidance and exemplifies its emphasis on student support services.
Recently named one of the top 10 finalists for the 2015 Aspen Prize for Community College Excellence, Hostos offers 27 associate degree programs and two certificate programs that facilitate easy transfer to The City University of New York’s (CUNY) four-year colleges or baccalaureate studies at other institutions. The College has an award-winning Division of Continuing Education & Workforce Development that offers professional development courses and certificate-bearing workforce training programs. Hostos is part of CUNY, the nation’s leading urban public university, which serves more than 500,000 students at 24 colleges.