OSWEGO, N.Y. — Francisco Suárez, a communication studies faculty member at SUNY Oswego, was recently named one of 10 emerging Hispanic leaders and allies who are fellows for the 2025 Hispanic Leadership Institute (HLI) class.
“I’m excited but also feel a great sense of responsibility because it’s not just about me but everybody who supported me,” Suárez said in the SUNY Oswego announcement.
Those supporting him included Jennifer Knapp, dean of the SUNY Oswego’s School of Communication, Media and the Arts (SCMA), and Michael Riecke, who chairs the school’s communication-studies department, and everybody who wrote letters of recommendation.
“I think any new opportunity you have to grow, you should take it,” Suárez noted. “As a professor, I’m always promoting the idea of learning and finding ways to empower yourself.”
HLI is a “demanding,” nine-month experience which positions fellows to further develop higher-education leadership skills and proficiencies. HLI fellows participate in training sessions and webinars, speak with national and statewide leaders, and “master” personal assessment tools, SUNY Oswego said.
HLI creates a pipeline for professional opportunities across SUNY and ensures alumni are networking and receiving continuous support and mentorship, the school added.
The class of 10 are mostly people with administrative backgrounds, so he is happy to bring the perspective of the classroom into the cohort. Suárez also said the definition of leadership encompasses many things people might not normally consider.
Suárez is already active in campus and community activities, including supervising interdisciplinary SCMA projects; serving on his school’s Diversity, Equity and Inclusion committee; and continuing as the department’s Quest coordinator.
“I feel like there’s a lot more I’m ready to learn to really enhance my leadership skills,” Suárez said. He also sees this as an opportunity to learn how to create change in policy and culture for the university “to keep it moving forward,” per the school’s announcement.
One way Suárez has used his leadership and industry skills is in serving on the board of trustees of the new Pulso Central (Central Pulse), the first and only Spanish-only radio station in Central New York.
He is also well-known for his award-winning “From Suárez’s Basement” video podcast, where he interviews a variety of people — many behind-the-scenes in the entertainment industry, many of whom have worked on the most popular movies and TV shows and won prestigious awards.
With support from New York State, State Assembly, and Senate Puerto Rican/Hispanic Task Force, SUNY’s Hispanic Leadership Institute has supported 71 of SUNY’s brightest Hispanic faculty. Staff, and allies.
The program supports these leaders through “rigorous” executive training and provides a network to support growth in their positions, SUNY Oswego said.