Lorinda Tercero, who recently took on the role as Director of Admissions at The University of Texas Permian Basin, has been part of the Falcon family for 3 1/2 years, but she’s worked in education for more than two decades. It comes as no surprise that Lorinda was recently named as one of six nominees for the 2022 LULAC/Hispanic Heritage of Odessa Don Quixote Award.
“I was very appreciative. I have worked in education for 22 years. It’s always rewarding to see the students that you have helped along the way succeed in education, their career, and in the community.”
In addition to her nomination, Lorinda serves on the planning committee for a new event: the West Texas Higher Education Summit. The idea for the summit started when a few members of the Texas Association of Chicanos in Higher Education (TACHE) wanted to give back to their community.
“The event is put on for West Texans by West Texans. We are proud of our region and really want to see our West Texas students succeed. I am on the planning committee for the summit. We will provide information on financial aid, college admissions, and there will also be a college fair for the community with several surrounding universities participating.”
The West Texas Higher Education Summit will take place on Saturday, October 29 from 10am-2pm in the Zant Community Room at Odessa College. Be sure to register if you’re interested in attending the free event.
What also makes my heart happy is working in the community and sharing my passion to help prospective students with the college process and sharing what UT Permian Basin offers.
Lorinda is passionate about giving back to her community, which includes her home at UT Permian Basin.
“The colleagues in my department make my heart happy. Not only do they work hard for prospective students, but they also help each student through the admissions process. They always strive to make our admissions process more efficient. What also makes my heart happy is working in the community and sharing my passion to help prospective students with the college process and sharing what UT Permian Basin offers.”
When it comes to students choosing their next steps, Lorinda encourages them to explore how much the UTPB campus and the Falcon community has grown and changed over the last several years.
“UTPB has so much to offer. We have great academics, student life, internships, Falcon Free tuition support, scholarships, and so many other opportunities for our students to learn and grow. We are the academic heart of the region.”