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n times where online communication and working from a computer are part of the new norm, the President of Albizu University, Dr. Nelson Soto, is convinced that being physically present is an essential part of his role. “It’s one of the things I have learned,” says Dr. Soto, “that there are times when I need to be present.” A year after taking office, the president talked to Albizu Magazine about his goals and accomplishments during his first year at Albizu University. The conversation took place on the first day of the new semester, and Dr. Soto was at the San Juan Campus at 7:30 a.m. to open the doors and welcome students and faculty members.
“there are times when I need to be present”
In the previous twelve months, he had been working with the university team on what he considers one of the university’s primary goals: to develop and strengthen alliances with other institutions to expand the knowledge and services Albizu can offer. “I realize how fortunate I am to be part of a community that gives so much to the world. When our founder, Dr. Carlos Albizu, created this, he had to make sure to show love by providing adequate services, and I am proud to say that in 2023, we are still doing that, maybe a little differently but still true to his founding mission,” said Dr. Soto.
“I realize how fortunate I am to be part of a community that gives so much to the world.”
During the last year, the president moved to Puerto Rico for the first time with his family, had his first experience dealing with a hurricane emergency, and initiated a new phase as the leader of our institution. He realized last year about his life on the island that Puerto Rico is pretty small, and everybody knows everybody. About the university, he has been focusing on projects that reflect what he wants Albizu to be known for, which are very close to his heart. “One of my priority projects is to add resources and expand services in Casa Albizu to advocate for the needs of victimized children. We have been receiving external funds, medical support, and pediatricians that focus on abuse and trauma, so kids do not have to go to the hospital but can be treated in Casa Albizu, which is a huge step for this project.”
Dr. Soto has also been focusing efforts on the island’s west side. “We know there is a need for Speech Therapy services, and we are receiving donations to have testing sites in Mayagüez. That is, again, our way of demonstrating love and support through services, and our students are being trained in the process, but they are doing it out of a place of love and compassion.” But Albizu University is also looking to spread that love beyond Puerto Rico. “We want to reach not only us but also Latin America, and for that, we have signed agreements like the one we have with the Dominican Republic.” Per that understanding, Albizu University will be helping law enforcement professionals in different human development aspects where there is a common interest, and there are plans to work on similar agreements with other countries and institutions. To mention a few, the university has partnered with Seminario Evangélico de Puerto Rico to provide mental health services to students, and a similar partnership with Texas Women’s College is currently in the works. Albizu University is also working to support drug and gender issues specialized courts with mental health counseling as part of a collaborative agreement with the Puerto Rico Supreme Court. This promising initiative makes President Soto hopeful.
Dr. Soto admits that there have been challenges along the way this first year. Space limitations might be the biggest one. “We need more space to provide more, especially in the San Juan campus,” he says. “We could do so much more, and we need to educate and train more professionals, so now we are looking to get more space, having conversations to repurpose existing spaces in the area to do that.”
“We want to reach not only us but also Latin America…”
There are other challenges, however, that not only Albizu but all higher education institutions are facing now. President Soto has given some thought to new possibilities emerging from artificial intelligence to use it for mental health education efficiently. “Anyone could Google something and have any kind of content available. It could make you wonder why even spend time and money on a career. But tools like Chat PT can only tell you so much. And we want to use it to develop courses and practices that prepare students to work in different scenarios and with different people. Our founder said that beyond knowledge, there is love, and our philosophy is that you need the knowledge to be able to spread the love. Artificial intelligence can be of great help to practice diverse working scenarios.”
Dr. Soto, president of Albizu University, was also recently chosen to join the Presidents for Latino Student Success. The organization comprises university presidents and vice chancellors of trend-setting colleges and universities. The educational leaders have joined forces to ensure the success of Latino students in higher education. Just weeks before, the U.S. Department of Education awarded $6.9 million in grants to Albizu University to fund two projects to train future professionals in behavioral sciences and other disciplines. This will create opportunities for mental health career exploration and offer scholarships for graduate studies and professional certifications. The goal is to reach more people, said Dr. Soto. The president is convinced that the faculty, staff, and students share that commitment. But he also wants to make sure that they understand and love their purpose, which is why being there and connecting with people is so important to him.
“On the first day of the semester, my goal was to ensure I was there. When I opened the doors, I noticed three lost students, and I helped them. But one didn’t have his first class until three hours later. I took him with me, we had coffee, and we talked. I wanted him to understand why he is here.” They are all there to reach out to people from a space of knowledge and love.
