Samuel Torres, the Superintendent of Catholic Schools in the Diocese of San Bernardino, and his son, Samuel Benjamin Torres, Jr., will graduate on Sunday, May 12th, 2019, from the same program with the same degree in Loyola Marymount University’s School of Education – a doctorate in Educational Leadership for Social Justice. Samuel Torres, Sr., is a first generation college graduate who followed a non-traditional path into Catholic Education. He first earned his business degree and was a small business owner, before transitioning back into education after earning his Master’s in Education. Samuel Torres, Jr., the oldest of his three children, will soon be a triple LMU Alum. The father and son shared with us their stories and experiences at LMU.
Q: What’s the title of your dissertation?
Sr: An Alumnae Perception of Sustainability at a Catholic Female Single-sex High School.
Jr: Beyond Colonization Epistemicides: Toward a Decolonizing Framework for Indigenous Education.
Q: What drew you to Loyola Marymount for your doctorate?
Sr: I was able to see first-hand the excellence of academics and spirituality that my son and daughter were afforded during their degree programs. When the time came to devote myself to the completion of my dissertation, I was able to commit to Loyola Marymount knowing that I would receive the same thoughtful guidance and instruction that my children were afforded.
Jr: This is my third degree from Loyola Marymount. I have a B.S. in Natural Science, an M.A. in Secondary Education, and now the Ed.D. in Leadership for Social Justice. Over the past decade, I have developed a deep and sacred connection to the Jesuit commitment to the promotion of social justice, intellectual development, and spiritual grounding. The doctoral studies in Educational Leadership embodied and personified the reliance on Social Justice.
Q: Were you able take a class together in the program?
Sr: We took one class together. At the beginning, we did not reveal that we were father and son, and it was not until later in the semester that a classmate made the connection. It was a privilege to share the classroom with my son as equals – both students of learning.
Q: What have you gained from the experience?
Sr: I began my career in business, but I longed for more opportunities to learn and was drawn to the field of education. This program in particular has not only fulfilled those learning goals, but has given me the tools to create access to Catholic education for many marginalized and underserved groups in my diocese of San Bernardino.
Jr: Loyola Marymount and the School of Education have been essential in the development of an understanding that the needs of our communities and the needs of our world must be engaged with dignity, compassion, and a fierce love. There has been no greater example of this understanding than my experience working with my dear mentor and dissertation chair, Dr. Antonia Darder.
Q: How do you plan to put your doctorate into practice?
Sr: I plan to utilize my new Ed.D. to broaden my audience in advocating for the sustainability of our Catholic Schools and improve the quality of Catholic education for all children, whether they are Catholic or non-Catholic.
Jr: I plan to further cultivate the insights and theories developed in my dissertation regarding decolonization and education as a writer and a scholar, beginning with publishing my dissertation as a book in the coming months.
Q: What does sharing Graduation with your son/father mean to you?
Sr: We did not plan to graduate on the same day, in the same year, at the same place, but I am incredibly honored that we will share this intimate moment together.
Jr: We are the first of our family to earn our doctorate degrees, and to be able to cross that stage together, on the same day, in the same program, is a proud achievement for us and an incredible testament to the resilience and spirit of our family.
