Q&A with Dr. José Luis Cruz Rivera
Get to Know NAU’s 17th President
Get to know Dr. Cruz Rivera with our Q&A
What was the last song you listened to on your playlist?
What book are you planning on reading next?
How Democracies Die by Steven Levitsky and Daniel Ziblatt
Where were you born and raised?
I was born in Bayamon, Puerto Rico 🇵🇷 to high school educated parents. I am the eldest of four.
I moved around quite a bit as a child — I lived in various places in Puerto Rico, California, Florida, and Honduras. I was an ESL student for the first couple of years in the U.S.
What was your dream job as a child?
Pediatrician
What was your worst subject in school?
Folk dance
What motivated you to pursue a graduate degree and what’s your most vivid memory of college life?
I was fortunate to have parents who stressed “education is the one thing no one can take away from you,” to have had the benefit of affordable, high-quality public higher education, and to have had faculty and staff who all along the way helped me reach higher.
Thanks to encouragement from faculty members, I pursued a doctoral degree in electrical engineering at Georgia Tech with the goal of returning to work at my alma mater.
My most vivid memory from college was the day my first son was born. I started undergrad studies in electrical engineering at the University of Puerto Rico-Mayaguez at age 16. I became a father at age 19 while still pursuing my undergraduate degree.
If you could tell your 18-year-old self one thing what would it be?
Keep striving and enjoy the journey.
What is an important life lesson for someone to learn?
If you are going to do something, give it your all.
If you could teach one subject in school what would it be?
History
How did you meet your wife?
I met my true love, Rima, over 15 years ago when we met as faculty members at the University of Puerto Rico. Rima interviewed me for a writing across the disciplines project.
Our first trip together as a couple was to Coconino County.
We were soon married and enjoying our academic life together — Commencement being our favorite time of the year.
We now lead a beautiful blended family of 5 children and 2 grandchildren.
What have you done that you are most proud of?
Helping to raise a family and working to expand opportunities.
Rima and I have spent our personal and professional lives working to advance educational equity and inclusive excellence, knowing full well — through our lived experience — the multigenerational power of higher education.
What’s the best compliment you’ve ever received?
Nice tie!
Describe your perfect day in 10 words or less.
Mind like water, family close by, colleagues killing it.
What is something you can’t do?
Dance (not for lack of trying)
How do you start your day?
Worrying it won’t be long enough
What superpower would you like to have?
To be in the present
If you could make a documentary about anything, what would it be?
Bingers
Do you have a motto?
Always be minding the gaps
Follow President Cruz Rivera on Instagram and don’t forget to say hello when you see him on campus!
