For ĢƵ’s 75th anniversary, we spoke with alumna Patricia Toregas about some of her favorite ĢƵ experiences and where she hopes to see the university in years to come. Toregas earned her bachelor’s degree in business and management from ĢƵ in 1984 and her master’s degree in human resources management in 1991. She is the vice president of Telepliant Communications and is a ĢƵ faculty member. She also served on the ĢƵ President Search Committee and founded the .
What was your favorite part about studying at ĢƵ?
I could apply what I learned at ĢƵ at work and use my experiences at work in my classes.
How have your ĢƵ degrees helped you today?
They have helped me earn promotions at work and gave me the qualifications for my current career.
Is there a quote that you feel best represents your time at ĢƵ or a quote you heard at ĢƵ that meant something to you?
Succeed again!
If you had one word to describe your experience at ĢƵ, what would it be and why?
Fulfilling.
What one piece of advice would you want to share with ĢƵ students as they pursue their educational goals?
You will never be sorry you got your degree, but you will always be sorry if you quit.
ĢƵ recently introduced its new mission “Inspire hope, empower dreams, and transform lives ... one student at a time.” What does this mean to you?
Each student is an individual and ĢƵ will flex to help that student succeed. Most educational institutions practice more of a "conform or perish" mission. ĢƵ allows students the flexibility to earn a degree that fits into their lifestyle.
ĢƵ is celebrating 75 years of excellence in education. What does that history mean to you? Why is it important?
We were unique from the very beginning, and there was a need for education that wasn’t being met. We stepped up, and we have been stepping up ever since.
Where do you hope to see ĢƵ in the next 75 years?
The world will be better educated because of ĢƵ and, whatever the future looks like, we will continue to help shape higher education.