Luis Torres

Luis Torres was drawn to Empire State University for its flexibility and the commitment of its faculty. He also had the endorsement of a close friend, another student.

“I view SUNY Empire as a hidden gem,” says Luis of Brentwood, NY. “It offers a high quality, affordable education and boasts a dedicated staff.”

Originally from the Dominican Republic, Luis’ parents worked hard to save up to apply for residency status in the U.S. They believed it would provide Luis with the opportunity to have a better life than they did.

When he was eight years old, the family immigrated to the U.S. “Being dropped into a new school, new home, new country, and new culture definitely took some getting used to, but I learned at a young age that being able to adapt to new surroundings is vital,” he says.

While balancing full-time work and school, Luis accomplished his first goal of receiving his associate degree in business administration from SUNY Suffolk County Community College.

Luis soon realized he had a passion for computer programming and started looking for a bachelor’s program in computer science. He found his ideal program at SUNY Empire, where he received the Turner Family Scholarship as well as the Go Blue Scholarship.

Created by alumna Ann Turner ‘86 and her husband Bruce, the Turner Family Scholarship made its inaugural award to Luis in 2022. Luis was grateful for the support, which allowed him to spend more time on schoolwork, rather than “working overtime hours to make my tuition payments.”

After he completes his bachelor’s degree, Luis hopes to study abroad to pursue a graduate degree in software engineering. He plans to use software development for the betterment of mankind and focus his efforts on fighting climate change. “I firmly believe that technology is the secret to making the world a better place,” he says. “I hope my work will contribute to helping people live better, easier lives.”