Bio of Professor Edward Torres
He has been in the field of education for 39 years. He was conferred a Bachelor of Science in
Secondary Education with a concentration in English education in 1979 and 21 post-
baccalaureate credits in bilingual education (under the Bilingual Education Grant Project) in 1981
both from the Pontifical Catholic University of Puerto Rico. While working in the School District
of Philadelphia, he completed a Master of Arts in Bilingual Bicultural Studies from La Salle
University in 1986; a Master’s in Educational Administration from Cheyney University of
Pennsylvania in 1994, completing the Secondary Principal Certification Program; and completed
the Superintendency Letter of Eligibility Program from Arcadia University in 2000.
He initiated his teaching career in Ponce High School in 1979. In 1983, he relocated to the city
where he was born: Philadelphia. He held many full-time positions while he was working for the
School District of Philadelphia. He was a bilingual high school teacher, where he taught Spanish
as a first and second language, ESL and social studies; ESL middle school teacher, ESL
specialist; bilingual personnel recruiter for the Office of Human Resources; Administrative
Assistant to Regional Superintendent; Project Director of the Title VII Bilingual Education
Systemic Improvement Program, principal of Kensington High School; and area superintendent
of Kensington schools.
Besides those full-time jobs, he held part-time jobs: adjunct professor in
Community College of Philadelphia and Cheyney University’s Graduate School of Education in
the Principal Certification Program.
This is first time teaching at Inter American University, Ponce Campus. In 2002, he joined the
Department of English and Foreign Languages at the Pontifical Catholic University of Puerto
Rico in Ponce as a full-time English professor. In 2010, he was ranked as an assistant professor.
He also supervised the English education practicum students in the College of Education besides
teaching English in his department. Assistant Professor at the Pontifical Catholic University of
Puerto Rico, Ponce Campus. He taught at PUCPR from 2002 to 2018.
Throughout his professional career, he has been the recipient of various awards and recognitions:
Outstanding Work in the Puerto Rican community given by parents of LULAC; Professional of
the Year for the Puerto Rican Week Festival in Philadelphia; Scholarship Award for Graduate
Student of the Year for Educational Leadership in Arcadia University; Latino Educator’s Award
in Philadelphia given by the Resource Board; Outstanding Services to the TRIO Program at
PUCPR in the Student Support Services Program and Outstanding Work as Moderator for the
English Students Association. In 2016, he received the Marie Eloise Lifetime Achievement
Award conferred by PRTESOL.
He has been a member of Puerto Rico TESOL since 2005.
He has held the following positions on the Main Board and Southern Chapter Board:
2016, Nominations Chair, Main Board
2015, Immediate Past President, Main Board
2014, President, Main Board
2013, Vice President, Main Board; Immediate Past President in Southern Chapter Board
2012-2011, Southern Chapter President
2010- Vice President, Southern Chapter Board
Secondary Education with a concentration in English education in 1979 and 21 post-
baccalaureate credits in bilingual education (under the Bilingual Education Grant Project) in 1981
both from the Pontifical Catholic University of Puerto Rico. While working in the School District
of Philadelphia, he completed a Master of Arts in Bilingual Bicultural Studies from La Salle
University in 1986; a Master’s in Educational Administration from Cheyney University of
Pennsylvania in 1994, completing the Secondary Principal Certification Program; and completed
the Superintendency Letter of Eligibility Program from Arcadia University in 2000.
He initiated his teaching career in Ponce High School in 1979. In 1983, he relocated to the city
where he was born: Philadelphia. He held many full-time positions while he was working for the
School District of Philadelphia. He was a bilingual high school teacher, where he taught Spanish
as a first and second language, ESL and social studies; ESL middle school teacher, ESL
specialist; bilingual personnel recruiter for the Office of Human Resources; Administrative
Assistant to Regional Superintendent; Project Director of the Title VII Bilingual Education
Systemic Improvement Program, principal of Kensington High School; and area superintendent
of Kensington schools.
Besides those full-time jobs, he held part-time jobs: adjunct professor in
Community College of Philadelphia and Cheyney University’s Graduate School of Education in
the Principal Certification Program.
This is first time teaching at Inter American University, Ponce Campus. In 2002, he joined the
Department of English and Foreign Languages at the Pontifical Catholic University of Puerto
Rico in Ponce as a full-time English professor. In 2010, he was ranked as an assistant professor.
He also supervised the English education practicum students in the College of Education besides
teaching English in his department. Assistant Professor at the Pontifical Catholic University of
Puerto Rico, Ponce Campus. He taught at PUCPR from 2002 to 2018.
Throughout his professional career, he has been the recipient of various awards and recognitions:
Outstanding Work in the Puerto Rican community given by parents of LULAC; Professional of
the Year for the Puerto Rican Week Festival in Philadelphia; Scholarship Award for Graduate
Student of the Year for Educational Leadership in Arcadia University; Latino Educator’s Award
in Philadelphia given by the Resource Board; Outstanding Services to the TRIO Program at
PUCPR in the Student Support Services Program and Outstanding Work as Moderator for the
English Students Association. In 2016, he received the Marie Eloise Lifetime Achievement
Award conferred by PRTESOL.
He has been a member of Puerto Rico TESOL since 2005.
He has held the following positions on the Main Board and Southern Chapter Board:
2016, Nominations Chair, Main Board
2015, Immediate Past President, Main Board
2014, President, Main Board
2013, Vice President, Main Board; Immediate Past President in Southern Chapter Board
2012-2011, Southern Chapter President
2010- Vice President, Southern Chapter Board
