Purpose and Progress
Celebrating a Year at CDU
Interview with Provost Torres-Ruiz
It’ s been just one year since Dr. José Torres-Ruiz stepped into the role of Provost. With a steady hand, a visionary mind, and a heart for our mission, Provost Torres-Ruiz has championed academic excellence across CDU’ s three colleges, strengthened cross-campus collaboration, and brought renewed energy to our commitment to social justice in medicine and health. In this interview he shares how his leadership has been defined by clarity, compassion, and impact.
Alumni Relations( AR): Dr. Torres-Ruiz, congratulations on your one-year anniversary at CDU! How has your transition been, both professionally and personally?
Provost Torres-Ruiz( JTR): Thank you! Transitioning from Puerto Rico to Los Angeles has been a significant change. I came from Ponce, a smaller, close-knit city, so adjusting to a major metropolis was a shift. But my wife and I have settled in Long Beach and enjoy the cultural vibrancy here. We love the water and palm trees that remind us of Ponce. Professionally, CDU’ s mission aligns closely with the values I’ ve embraced throughout my career. What stood out to me immediately was that the authenticity of CDU’ s leadership— diversity and community engagement aren’ t just a punchline or slogans here; they’ re lived values.
AR: What initially attracted you to CDU, and how has your perspective evolved over the past year? JTR: What initially drew me to CDU was research. I’ ve had ties with CDU through clinical research collaborations since 2016, especially via the Research Centers in Minority Institutions( RCMI) program. I was familiar with the quality of work being done here even before I officially joined. I had just concluded more than 30 years of service at Ponce Health Sciences University, where I served in several roles, including as Chancellor. But I wasn’ t ready to retire. This was a natural step. Initially, I was drawn by CDU’ s mission; now, having seen the commitment up close, I’ m even more impressed.
AR: What is your long-term academic vision for CDU? What unique opportunities lie ahead? JTR: There’ s so much potential here. This is truly fertile ground. We can grow in many directions— new academic programs, new ways of delivering education, maybe even expanding with satellite campuses. The opportunity is there.
Technology is also a big part of where I see us going. We need to invest more in tools that help us teach better, serve better, and reach more people. That includes things like artificial intelligence( AI) and expanding into online education. Online learning helps us reach those students who otherwise might not be able to attend.
That means reinventing some things, refocusing, and building a system that supports meaningful, community-centered research.
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