Victor Alfonso Castillo joined the SSI team as the Assistant Director for the Rice Emerging Scholars Program (RESP) in August 2023. Born and raised in Bryan/College Station, TX. Victor earned his Bachelor of Arts in Communication from Texas A&M University (TAMU). After his undergraduate, he advised and ran programs supporting first gen and low-income student in the College of Science at TAMU for about 7 years. During this time, he earned a Master of Science degree in Educational Administration in Higher Education at Texas A&M University. Victor loves working with First Gen/Low Income students because he is that student. He uses a lot of his own experiences to help his students and tries to help them run a path that he himself had to create. 

Advising Philosophy: My primary role is to support and promote student success both inside and outside of the classroom. I am also responsible to my institution and to the professional advising community. In order to best support my students, my institution, and the advising community, I commit to the following:
I commit to meet the student where they are, nobody comes into college with all the tools and its our job to prepare our students.
I commit to act with compassion and empathy, regardless of a student’s situation.
I commit to embrace, respect, and support diversity.
I commit to ongoing professional development.
I commit to do everything in my power to help you achieve your dreams and aspirations.