From First-Gen to VP: The Mentorship Model That Retains Mission-Driven Staff | Javier Flores

[0:00]  Behind every number is a soul, a student who is wanting an opportunity to earn a degree and to move forward. We all have our personal backpacks with things that have happened to us and make us who we are at that time, but that doesn't determine who we will be in the future. And so to really look at life with the lens of being a creator versus a victim. And that's really what I try to do with my students. Look, we can all feel victimized. This happened to me because I'm less than or whatever, versus I'm going to create my environment. I'm going to create who I want to be. Is there someone like you and I were refraining at some point waiting for us to invest so that 20 years, 10 years, whatever time it is down the road, they are the person that they want to be and they're giving back. My success is not built on Javier Flores. It is built on so many other people.

Welcome back to an episode here on the Heart and Hustle podcast. Our next guest, Javier, who grew up in a house that used to be a segregated school for Mexicans, and now you're actually leading enrollment management and student success at one of the most recognized universities in the country. When you still kind of sit with the full picture, what does it represent to you personally?

[1:54]  Well, first of all, your friend, I pinch myself every morning and I think, how does a kid from the barrio of Sonora, Texas end up leading enrollment management for one of the most premier universities, the only public women's university in the nation? And so what that looks like for me is I am living a dream each and every day, hoping that we are able to bring in students both at the undergraduate and graduate level so that they can also fulfill their destiny and their freedom and their dreams, right? And that is to be able to do whatever they want. We also, as a university, have one of the highest percentages of social mobility, moving students from one economic stratosphere into another one at the time of graduation.

[2:57]  I love that. And I'll tell you what, man, today and the first time that we spoke, your energy is like no other. That in itself just makes someone want to know more and gravitate to what it is that you're selling. Javier, but we'll kind of get to that. But this is not something that was just handed to you, right? You are actually the first to graduate in your family. Is that correct?

[3:19]  Absolutely. I am the first of my immediate family. On my dad's side, I was the first in the whole familia to graduate with an undergraduate degree and then go on for a graduate degree. On my mom's side, I was the second. I actually have a primo, a first cousin that graduated a couple of years before I did with his bachelor’s degree and went into the military. And then he earned his master's degree after I earned my master's. And once again, I'm the first in the family to graduate with a doctorate degree. I'll give you this short story because I'm so proud of my familia and my family. So today at Texas Woman's University, I have a family member who is the granddaughter of my first cousin. So our grandfather and grandmother are her grandparents.

[4:30]  Wow. Our grandparents never went to school. They were illiterate. They had no formal education. So here we are, what is that? Five generations later. Their grandson is working at TWW and their great-great-granddaughter is a student here in the performing arts and has an incredible voice. That same first cousin of mine has a sister that is also my first cousin, and her granddaughter is in our graduate program in nursing. So once again, you go back generations to individuals who had this dream, right? They were hoping that future generations would just do better than they are. And I can only think that Wita Mag and Wito are smiling at what we are doing and how we are using education to carry the name, right?

[5:40]  Yeah. When I say keep legacy alive, I mean you guys are literally keeping legacy alive. Did they pick that school because you were there, or what was the reason for the school that they selected?

[6:06]  Yes and no. They didn't really know about it, but of course being here, I'm like, "Hey, Prima, did you know we have this, this, and this?" And then all of a sudden it was like, "That's where I want to go."

[6:07]  Yeah. You know, it's always one of those things that you just don't know what you don't know, and which is why you're in the situation that you're in, right? To continue to educate others because a lot of times maybe our grandparents and our parents didn't know these things, but that doesn't mean that we just stop, right? At some point you have to take control and say, "Hey, I have to go learn these things for the family," right? And you've done that. But before we even kind of on this journey, you've had mentors, right, who refused to let you shrink. You talked about that. What were the people that actually changed your trajectory? Who were they? Like if they didn't show up, where does Javier even end up?

[6:46]  Yes, so great question. I spoke to St. Angelo ISD at their convocation a few years ago. I was their keynote speaker, which was a great event, and I spoke about people who had touched my life and changed the trajectory of my life because they were mentors. Starting from elementary school teachers to a fifth-grade teacher, Mrs. Barlaman, to an English high school teacher, Miss Kerbo, to my high school theater and literary arts teacher, Mr. Mars. Then I get to Texas Tech University and Dr. Judy Henry, who was the dean of students, certainly adds to the tapestry of my mentorship or mentoring me and my success. And then Mario Martinez, Dr. Mario Martinez at New Mexico State, who was the chair of my committee for my master's program and had worked for the governor's office in Arizona and was just phenomenal. Then I get back to Texas Tech University for my doctorate program, and Dr. Valerie Peyton is instrumental there. At the same time, Dr. Sherry Sparks, who's the president at Howard College in Big Spring, made me a cabinet member.

[8:25]  Wow. When I was in my 30s, just a few years after earning my master's degree, Dr. Brian May, who is the president at Angelo State, really always mentored me and brought out the best in me to my current supervisor, Dr. Fatton, Karim Fatton, who is originally from Belgium, speaks five different languages, and just has this vision of greatness. I just continue to learn from them.

[8:58]  You know, I just heard the saying again yesterday, and we've all heard it: "Show me your five friends, and I'll show you your future." Just having that circle and where you're at today shows that you surround yourself with good people, man. Surround yourself with those that you want to be like.

[9:48]  So, I was doing a little bit of everything, and that was in high school, right? I was on the technical aspect, but then I also had time on the stage as well, and really being able to be in character and, more than anything, just being able to tell the story, right? I think that is what I have taken from my days in theater. As a leader, storytelling becomes very important to me.

[10:21]  And I'll tell you something else. My son, who I am so proud of, has a terminal degree in pharmaceutical studies, is a pharmacist, but my son had a speech impediment when he was young, and that never stopped him from being in theater and being on stage as well. For our family, theater has really been that outlet to bring out our leadership skills, to hone those skills, and more than anything, to just be able to connect with people.

[11:06]  I agree, man. I think theater is what got me to do what I'm doing now. You know, I actually was before I even got into it. I always knew I loved it, but before I actually did anything like the drama club, I was singing. Don't ask me to sing now, Javier; that was my old days. You know, I loved the drama, I loved the acting. I never got to do like a main role per se; I was always like that background guy. But I always remember telling myself, "Man, one day I just want to be on a stage and I want to host." Well, this just, you know, sometimes be careful what you ask for, right? God has really given me the platform. This is the stage, and I'm hosting. So, you know, definitely in a cool way, but I think that allowed me to see so many different people from so many walks of life.

[11:53]  Like, I think that's what was so cool about theater is just you really got to see that and how we all just come together as family and how we poured into each other, right?

[12:17]  So, I think it was pretty early in my career, and it really started at Howard College serendipitously. Dr. Sparks asked me to lead the Southwest College for the Deaf, which was a part of Howard College. So, I was the interim provost there working with deaf students, whose stories just touched my soul because often they would talk about how they would see my interaction with my son and say, "You know, I never had that. I never had someone believe in me." Fast forward, I moved to Angelo State and really started working with students who experienced foster care. Once again, the message is, "I never really had anyone believe in me. I never had anyone invest in me." Those are students who still today remain in contact with me.

[13:55]  In fact, a couple of years ago, I had a student who had experienced foster care, and she called me one day and said, "I need help. I haven't completed my degree, but I think I need to do that, and I don't know what career I want to do." She wasn't even a student of mine anymore, but I was able to help her complete her degree, and now she is a teacher with Houston ISD and is doing very, very well.

[14:44]  Just being able to work with students on a one-to-one basis to say, "Hey, if a kid from the barrio can do this, you can do it too because I am not smarter than you."

[15:00]  Yeah. I know we all have our personal backpacks with things that have happened to us and make us who we are at that time, but that doesn't determine who we will be in the future. And so to really look at life with the lens of being a creator versus a victim. And that's really what I try to do with my students. Look, we can all feel victimized. This happened to me because I'm less than or whatever versus I'm going to create my environment. I'm going to create who I want to be. And I'm going to find those individuals that are going to invest in me and then give back because there's someone like you and I were refraining at some point waiting for us to invest so that 20 years, 10 years, whatever time it is down the road, they are the person that they want to be and they're giving back as well.

[16:08]  Yep. I think we started off even before the podcast talking about humanity, and that is truly it. It's like it's not even about us, right? Like, man, one day we leave this earth, and we're going to leave with all this knowledge. Like I'm willing to pour back in because I want to see someone like me. I want to see someone that didn't believe in themselves. I want to see someone that didn't believe in themselves. I want to see someone that didn't believe in themselves. I want to see someone that didn't believe in themselves. I want to see someone that didn't believe in themselves. I want to see someone that didn't believe in themselves. I want to see someone that didn't believe in themselves.

[16:52]  So, my very first role, thank goodness to Dr. G Henry, because I was graduating from Texas Tech, and I'm like, I don't know. Honestly, I thought I was going to go to law school and be a lawyer. My best friend is a lawyer now and a district judge.

[17:10]  Look at that. And he tells me every day, "You really have the best job of the two." And I'm like, "Yeah, I really do."

[17:17]  So, Dr. Henry helped me get a job at New Mexico Junior College in Hobbs, America, as director of housing and intramural sports. Parents that were moving in their students would say, "How old are you? And you're in charge of the residence hall?" I was just a little bit older than they. But that's no different than a high school coach, right? Who graduates college and goes into a high school environment.

[17:58]  That is funny. Um, what is your current role?

[18:01]  So, my current role is vice president of enrollment management at Texas Woman's University, which is the newest system in the state of Texas. We have a campus with a president chancellor on the Denton campus, a president on the Dallas campus, and a president on the Houston campus. Our enrollment's about 16,000 students, 90% female, 10% male. We are co-ed. Many of we were created in 1901 by the Texas state legislators. So, pioneers through and through. We were created as an all-women's college.

[18:55]  And of course, in 1901, women did not have their right to vote in the United States. There were many programs that were limited based on the lenses that society had of what roles women could have in society. Today we have five different colleges. The college of nursing is still probably one of our largest and strongest. We graduate over 600 bachelor of science students, and our pass rate is like 94 to 95%, one of the highest in the state of Texas and the nation. We have theater, we have musical theater. Ephrain, if you want to come and earn with psychology, we have business. Our alum are very successful. In fact, one of our alum created a business product that is in the market today and does very, very well.

[19:59]  That's amazing, man. Let's Javier, most people probably hear enrollment management and think spreadsheets and quotas, right? But when you talk about it, how do you define success in your role?

[20:13]  So, enrollment management is about numbers, right? But what I think I'm able to do is I'm able to every day remember that behind every number is a soul, is a student who is wanting an opportunity to earn a degree and to move forward. And I think the calling came from telling that story. So at Texas Tech, I was a student tour guide in the student organization that I was in, and I gave all the campus tours, and it was associated with the admissions office. So that was my introduction into admissions and enrollment management.

[21:02]  So now in enrollment management, we tell the story of what Texas Woman's University is like. What do we have to offer? And how can you fit in with us today and tomorrow? We've been here. We'll be here. And we can help you like our alums. Take you to the halls of Congress, take you to the Pentagon, take you to boardrooms, take you to the classroom. Whatever you want to do, we will help you do.

[21:40]  Javier, you're just so good at this. You could tell that you do this often, okay? Just listening to you just now, like, "Okay, okay, you selling me now." I love this. I love that you have this passion because it's not about you, right? Like we continue to say it's not about you.

[22:13]  Absolutely. So, you know, the way I think about it is I have a backpack that I carry with me all the time, and there are items in there that sometimes I bring out and sometimes I don't. So in my personal backpack is the story of my childhood, which I've often thought I need to write either a short story or a book about Los Santos elos gritos de barrio because there were both beautiful ballads and songs, and there were some very dark days in my childhood as well.

[23:03]  You know, included some things that you would hope no one would go through. Sexual abuse myself. A mom that was a very loving mom but had mental health issues. I remember seeing her at a very young age threatening to take her own life. Those are things that for many years I wouldn't speak about publicly. Those were in my personal backpack, but they are who I am, right? Supporting my colleagues here on campus that have support services for students. We have a phenomenal mental health and counseling center here at TWW.

[23:49]  Some of the other things, living in an abandoned schoolhouse, that's an item in my personal backpack that I don't always bring out because there are some settings where that's appropriate and there are some settings where that's not necessary. Like, no one cares that I lived in an abandoned schoolhouse. So, those are just some examples.

[24:25]  Hey, if you're getting value from this conversation, do us a favor and hit that subscribe button. We drop episodes like this regularly, and we don't want you to miss a single one. Now, let's get back to it.

[24:26]  I always love when people like yourself and others that we've come across are just very transparent in their stories. Because in reality, as you mentioned, it's who we were and not who we are, but it's still a part of us, right? Because we've forgiven, we've moved on, but we don't forget.

[25:11]  And I think I told you this. I'm in the space now even like with my mom that I resented my whole life to be able to give her the benefit of the doubt, right? And understand that we all go through something. And I can forgive her in a sense, but we all have a story. And when you share that story, you don't even realize the doors that open for somebody else because now they feel like, "Wait a minute, I'm not alone."

[26:23]  Transformational. All my experiences have transformed me into who I am and who I can be. And you speak about teachers; I often speak about my mom and females often become the first teachers for us. They teach us basic things when we're infants and so forth. My dad was illiterate, but my dad could pick up a harmonica or pick up an accordion, and he could listen to a song and start jamming with the accordion or the harmonica.

[27:11]  Every birthday, his gift to all of us that were his kids, grandkids, etc., he would call and he would play lasanas. Sing songs that told stories, especially Spanish songs. My mom, even though she only had an eighth-grade education, loved country music and would often talk about the Louisiana Hayride.

[28:22]  Yeah. It's so good, man. I just love your stories. Like when you talk about a storyteller, you could tell your story. Every time you go back into this childhood, you talk about mom and dad, and you start to bring up like I don't in my mind I can actually feel it. You know what I mean? That's how good you are.

[28:53]  So, you know, that is so important, right? Because there are less traditional age students that were born 18, 20 years ago. And so that's what's leading to the enrollment cliff. However, when you look at adult learners, individuals that are over the age of 25, perhaps all the way up to the age of 50 or so forth, they have some college credentials, but they do not have a degree.

[29:41]  And to be able to promote now after they have been working, they really need that college degree. Although employers now are beginning to recognize different credentials and experiences, colleges and universities are giving credit for some experiences with our military and others and so forth. But I think what I would say to students or on the topic of education is that we can never stop learning.

[30:24]  We always need to continue, and individuals have different learning styles, and we as institutions need to meet students where they're at.

[30:25]  Agree. Perhaps have semesters. I mean, does it really need to be 16 weeks in a semester? Can it be eight? Can it be five? We're seeing it now. Does the federal financial aid funding match with that?

[31:17]  And so, you know, we have to advise, and we need to look at how can we reduce some of the costs as well? I was recently in Washington DC and had the chance to hear from the secretary of education, who was really saying we need to better inform students on the investment that they are making and the different types of investments in institutions of higher education.

[32:10]  That can look different for all of us. But I think we always have to be looking at how can we do this differently. At the end of the day, it needs to be the students' best interest that is kept at the heart of everything that we do.

[32:56]  Right? Maybe from the high school level to I was actually talking to someone about enrollment, and I was like, you know, a lot of kids really don't enroll, especially if they have to fill out FAFSA. It kind of took me back to when I was that young kid and what it was like. You never seen this a day in your life.

[33:38]  But I've also had Javier where I would ask questions such as, "Mom, what is your annual salary?" and wouldn't be able to get that answer back because she felt like I don't need to give you that.

[34:26]  So I think we're at a level where we are doing a much better job of educating the parents as we are recruiting the students. And I'll tell you what I mean by that. So, here at Texas Woman's University, we have a parent portal that parents can sign up for free of charge at the time that their student is looking at us as a prospective student, and the parent can remain enrolled in this parent portal after the student enrolls and goes through.

[34:56]  So, we're really kind of guiding the students. And for me, that becomes important because when I first went to my university as an undergrad student, my mom paid through a money order her $20 to be a part of the parent association.

[35:46]  And the parent association at Texas Tech University started sending her newsletters, and she became a Texas Tech retention agent with Javier Flores. So, a woman with an eighth-grade education would say, "Miko, ya dot dot dot." Have you seen it? Have you gone to senior advisor?

[36:09]  And she would say it in Spanish. Mom, how do you know that with a newsletter? Have you gone to register for classes?

[36:22]  My point to all of that is parents, regardless of their educational level, are open to supporting their students. And we see that we have events at orientation, a breakfast just for parents.

[36:39]  That's dope. And it is attended in large numbers. When it's time to move the students into the residence halls, the parents are here in large numbers.

[37:20]  So, yeah, man. That is pretty cool. We talked about representation when we first spoke about, right, representation matters, especially for Latino students who may have never seen someone who looks like them in leadership roles. What do you say about that to that student directly?

[38:16]  So, that's where I see it as a responsibility, but that comes across very transactional, right? But my success is not built on Javier Flores. It is built on so many other people, and it is built on me as a kid looking at others and having that hope and dream that I could emulate them and be like them.

[39:12]  So, I'll tell you there is hardly a commencement ceremony that I miss, and I am sitting in my doctoral regalia that was a gift from my sister and my brother-in-law, who neither graduated high school. But when I earned my doctorate degree, they wrote that $1,300 check for that regalia.

[39:55]  I wear it because no one else may know, but I know who provided that for me, right? And that represents the support that I had. But when I'm sitting there, I hope that people are saying, "It doesn't matter," and I'm sitting on a stage that is very diverse at one of the most diverse universities in the nation.

[40:16]  And so, not only I think are they looking at me, but they're looking at the stage and they are saying, "Man, every one of those persons has a story, and I think I could relate to them, and I could be like them."

[40:46]  Come take it. Yeah. Here. I'm willing to give it to you. Man, I truly enjoyed this conversation and just listening to you. This is mission-driven work for you for sure.

[41:11]  What keeps you grounded, you think? What fills your cup so you keep pouring into others? Because as leaders, we're definitely good at pouring into others, but sometimes forgetting to pour into ourselves as well. What is that thing that keeps you grounded?

[41:16]  So I think probably the message from my mom is the last conversation I had with her before she took her last breath here on Earth. She told me, "Don't ever forget where you came from. And I'm so proud of you."

[41:34]  I've been given a gift, and it's up to me to do the most with that gift. I think that's what keeps me grounded is I am no different than any student that we serve, but I can make a difference in that student.

[42:02]  What’s so we really got to talk about Javier, thank you so much, by the way, just kind of being so vulnerable today as well. I'm an emotional person, so I'm trying not to cry with you because if not, then I'm sitting here crying with you.

[42:49]  But I want to have that conversation with her and say what you just mentioned. You can do it. Look what God did in my life. You can do it, right? But you have to also want it.

[43:35]  And I want to see people like you, man, it gives me hope, and I hope that other people can also feel that. Right? So man, this is such a good conversation. Then we got to start to wrap this up here.

[44:05]  So I think what I would say to the younger Ephrain, the younger Javier, the younger Alvita, Elvita is my sister. I'd say don't let anyone steal your joy. Share your dream. And if you can't find a champion that will let you know what those opportunities are, just email me.

[44:36]  There you go. That'll help you. And you don't have to enroll at Texas Women's University. I would love that, but you don't have to. I love it. But believe in you and believe in yourself.

[45:11]  So, I think the website is probably the best. Texasuniversity.edu or we are on all the social media sites. And if you express an interest, there may even be some messages that show up on your social media site because of geo-fencing or anything else. But definitely just Google Texas Woman's University, and I think you will be surprised. Come visit the chapel that was dedicated in 1945 by First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt.

[46:16]  And all of the stained glass windows were created by our students, and they depict the different roles that women had in society, and the stained glass at the altar is motherhood.

[46:18]  I love it. Javier, you have been such an amazing leader, such an amazing guest here today on the Heart and Hustle podcast. We thank you for your time. Guys, if you are still watching, make sure you do like, subscribe, and comment because this is the conversation that we have with amazing people like Javier. We thank you, man.