SJM_One Last Thing_0423FINAL.qxp_OLT 4 / 25 / 23 4 : 08 PM Page 1 ONE LAST THING ers whenever I have the time . I’m hop - ing to take the opportunity to cook some of my favorite Brazilian dishes for our students , faculty and staff sometime A Man with a Plan soon ! I [ also ] admire and collect art from AS CHANCELLOR OF RUTGERS UNIVERSITY — CAMDEN , Brazil , Cuba , South Africa and many ANTONIO D . TILLIS WANTS TO ELEVATE THE other places around the globe . I am a EDUCATIONAL STANDARD . BY PETER PROKO concert baritone and had the pleasure of performing Handel’s Messiah as part ince taking over as chancel - a welcoming and inspiring place to of a choir in New York City this past hol - lor or Rutgers University — work , live and study . Our faculty are ea - iday season . S Camden in July of 2021 , ger to serve as mentors to everyone Antonio D . Tillis , Ph.D . , has led the from first - year students to Ph.D . candi - charge to help raise the bar . Within dates , which is why our students partic - THE FUTURE OF RUTGERS - CAMDEN … his first year as the school’s chief execu - ipate in hands - on research earlier and Since I arrived here in July 2021 , I have tive , he established his “ 15 in 5 ” initia - more often than they could at most oth - seen so much progress made possible tives , consisting of 15 strategic pro - er universities . Our staff is attuned to by so many brilliant and hardworking grams to be im - the unique needs of students at a Mi - individuals . The speed of transforma - plemented over a nority Serving Institution like Rutgers – tion can be dizzying at times , but the re - five - year span . Camden , making sure they have the sult is worth it . Tillis also oversaw academic , social and financial support Maintaining and elevating our Rutgers — Cam - needed to navigate collegiate life and Carnegie R2 research classification is den achieving earn their degrees . When I speak to folks paramount to our success , and our fac - status as a Minor - on campus , I see that they are united by ulty produced a remarkable quantity ity Serving Insti - a deep love for the Camden community and quality of research in 2022 . Looking tution , a note - and its residents , whether it is their at upcoming initiatives , I would like to worthy designa - hometown or — as in my case — their see our students receive even more in - tion given by The adoptive home . ternships and scholarships not just lo - Department of cally and nationally , but also interna - Education to help EVOLVING WITH THE WORLD OF tionally . Fulbright scholarships are an provide increased EDUCATION … important priority . The partnerships access to higher It goes without saying that technology with international universities that I learning for underserved students . has changed the way we study , teach mentioned earlier will continue to grow Tillis , who most recently worked at and communicate . It has been fascinat - in number and widen in scope . the University of Houston prior to join - ing to witness the evolution of the tools ing Rutgers — Camden , has a great pas - today’s students can access ; it gives me THE MOST REWARDING ASPECT OF THE sion for academics . A first - generation a lot of hope for what they will be able JOB … college student , he has been involved in to achieve in the future . I have dedicated my career to serving the world of education for decades , be - As my career has progressed , I have public universities where a high per - ginning his career as an associate pro - been able to meet and exchange ideas centage of students are individuals of fessor at Purdue University and working with more and more scholars outside color or the first in their families to at - in various teaching and administrative the United States — part of that comes tend college . I see myself in those stu - roles at other schools like Dartmouth from international partnerships Rut - dents because I was that student when I University and College of Charleston gers – Camden has forged with universi - started my journey in higher education . along the way . ties in Paraguay , Egypt and other coun - The most rewarding aspect of my job is We spoke to Tillis about what he’s tries . This goes hand in hand with the seeing those students succeed . I have learned during his time thus far at Rut - increased emphasis we have seen on di - also encountered many students over gers — Camden as well as how he likes to versity , inclusion and multiculturalism , the years who may look very different spend his free time when he’s not busy which I believe has transformed acade - from me on paper , but who have shared trying to help shape today’s students for mia for the better . Our university is al - common bonds or introduced me to lton the world of tomorrow . e ways looking to emphasize the comple - new perspectives that I so much appre - Sh s mentary concepts of “ local impact and ciate . One of the thrills of academia is ugla A GREAT PLACE TO BE … global reach , ” both of which have been the sheer variety of people and situa - Do f It is difficult to choose just one aspect of easier for higher - ed institutions to tions one is exposed to in daily life — dif - o sy Rutgers University in Camden that im - achieve as my career has gone on . ferent languages , races , ages , geography , urte presses me most , but I would have to fields of study , etc . I thrive on the unpre - co ph say the community environment is ex - UNWINDING OFF THE CLOCK … dictability of my work , and I look for - ogra ceptional . Everyone at the university I love to try new cuisines from around ward to transforming a new challenge Phot ? plays a role in making Rutgers – Camden the world , and I enjoy cooking for oth - into a new success each day . SOUTH JERSEY MAGAZINE volume20 issue 1 SouthJerseyMagazine.com 64 |