Exceptional OSU Latino graduates are found everywhere. Dr. Raúl Soto, a native of Puerto Rico and OSU Alumnus, is the Assistant Director of the Office of Career-Technical and Adult Education, Administrative Field Services Unit at the Ohio Department of Education. Dr. Soto obtained his Ph.D. in Comprehensive Vocational Education from The Ohio State University, an M.B.A. in Management and Marketing from Turabo University, Puerto Rico and a B.A. in Economics from the University of Puerto Rico.

After finishing his Bachelor’s degree, Dr. Soto realized that his major was not what he expected. His uncle, a school principal, recommended working in the education field, a suggestion that he followed and still pursues. After obtaining his M.B.A., Dr. Soto became Director of a Business School at the Puerto Rico’s Department of Commerce, but later returned to the Department of Education to continue his career as a Marketing teacher at a high school and as professor and chair for Marketing Technology at the Institute of Technology of Puerto Rico, San Juan campus, a two-year technical college. In 1994, he was accepted to pursue his Ph.D. at Ohio State. While at OSU, he was exposed to a comprehensive preparation, not limited to vocational education. Dr. Soto was able to customize his career with numerous courses in educational policy and leadership, marketing, and program evaluation. He explains that he was at the right place at the right time.

His experience in Career-Technical and Adult Education goes back over 20 years. Dr. Raúl Soto has experience at all levels of education, where he has taught business and marketing courses, and in higher education where he has teaching and administrative experience. He is also experienced in retailing, selling, economics, administration of business schools and adult education.

Dr. Raúl Soto is a scholar of the National Leadership Institute for Career-Technical Education (NLI), Ohio Career-Technical Education Leadership Institute Fellow (OCTELI), The Board of Examiners of the Ohio Award for Excellence (OAE) based on Baldrige Criteria, Association for Career and Technical Education (ACTE), Ohio Career-Technical Education Association (OCTEA), Ohio Career-Technical Education Directors Association (OCTA), and Omicron Thau Theta (OTT) at OSU. Dr. Soto holds professional certificates such as the Ohio Vocational Director, the Ohio Award for Excellence Examiner, the ISO 9000 Lead Auditor, and a Marketing Education Teaching Certificate.

Dr. Soto is currently enrolled in the OSU’s College of Education where he will complete the requirements for the School Superintendent license. He finds that his classmates are younger students differing from him in perspectives and views on current issues, but still enjoys having the opportunity to study and reflect on issues impacting education.

Dr. Soto explained that the Ohio Department of Education has as its goals to improve student achievement and close the achievement gap. The Ohio Department of Education Office of Career-Technical and Adult Education recognizes the importance of life-long learning and provides students with the academic and technical skills to transition into higher level careers. Dr. Soto’s key leadership and support role in the Ohio Department of Education is to provide guidance and clarify policies, rules and regulations, so that school districts can effectively use available resources. He plans, leads and conducts in-service training on administrative, fiscal, program evaluation, and monitors for fiscal compliance and performance accountability impacting 92 Career-Technical Planning districts, 46 Adult Programs and 26 two-year colleges in Ohio. Dr. Soto also enjoys playing the classical guitar.

Dr. Raúl Soto suggests to OSU students to “know who you are, value who you are, understand your roots, believe that you can do whatever you want to do and strive as high as you can.” It is clear that Dr. Soto is an example of his own motto.

At the closing of this issue, Dr. Soto was assigned by Dr. Susan Zelman, State Superintendent, as the Liaison between the Department of Education and The Ohio Commission on Hispanic/Latino Affairs. You can contact Dr. Soto at: 614-466-4835 (Toll free: 1-877-644-6338) or by e-mail: raul.soto@ode.state.oh.us.