The EdUp Experience: Immigrant to President

Interview with Steve Stoute, President of Canisius University

Episode Summary

In this inspiring episode of The EdUp Experience podcast, host Dr. Joe Sallustio interviews Steve Stoute, President of Canisius University, about his remarkable journey from Trinidad and Tobago to leading a prestigious Jesuit institution, and his vision for making higher education more accessible and student-centered.

About Canisius University

Canisius University is one of 27 Jesuit universities in the United States, located in the heart of Buffalo, New York. With a 155-year history, Canisius is deeply committed to the Western New York community, focusing on providing economic development and socioeconomic mobility for students and families. As President Stoute explains, "When Buffalo is successful, Canisius is successful and vice versa."

Key Insights:

From Immigrant to University President

President Stoute shares his remarkable personal journey as a first-generation college student who immigrated from Trinidad and Tobago to play soccer at Seton Hall University. His path to leadership was shaped by mentors who provided opportunities for him to develop the necessary skills and competencies:

"I'm a first generation college student. My parents sacrificed so much to give me the opportunity to immigrate... I didn't go to college understanding that I could work in higher ed, that I could work at a university and make that a career."

Through roles at Princeton, DePaul, and experiences in law, athletics, and administration, Stoute built the diverse background that prepared him to lead Canisius, becoming the first person of color to serve as its president.

Eliminating Obstacles to Education

A central theme of Stoute’s leadership philosophy is removing barriers to higher education. Canisius has implemented test-optional admissions because their data showed standardized tests weren't accurate predictors of student success:

"Our perspective, our view is eliminate, not erect obstacles. So whatever we can do to eliminate obstacles to education and to this high quality transformative education at Canisius, that's the goal."

Stoute emphasizes that eliminating obstacles is only part of the equation—the university also builds support systems to ensure student success once enrolled. This student-centered approach focuses on outcomes rather than inputs.

The Value of Higher Education in a Skeptical Market

Stout addresses the concerning trend of young people foregoing higher education, noting that while high school graduates may find immediate employment, technological change guarantees those jobs will evolve:

"What education allows is it gives you these skills to think critically, to adapt, to be flexible, to be a lifelong learner. So that as technology changes, as your job changes, as your field changes, you can adapt and you can continue to progress in your career."

He laments that much of the world recognizes education's value in changing family trajectories, while in the U.S., there's growing skepticism about higher education's worth.

Community Impact Through Education

Following the tragic 2022 mass shooting at a Buffalo grocery store less than a mile from campus, Canisius partnered with the community-led Legacy 514 Foundation to create scholarships for local students. The university matches dollar-for-dollar the foundation's scholarships:

"When anything happens in this community, Canisius alums are involved... They came to us and said, 'This is what we're doing. We see education as a pathway to systemic change for our young people in Buffalo.' And we want Canisius to be a part of it. And that was the easiest question anyone's ever asked me."

This initiative exemplifies Stoute’s commitment to the Buffalo community and using education as a tool for healing and progress.

Innovation in Higher Education

Stout discusses the future of higher education, highlighting two key elements:

1. Partnerships over competition: "Nothing of significance was ever accomplished alone. Throughout all of human history, nothing of significance was accomplished alone."
2. True innovation: While innovation appears in every university's strategic plan, Stout believes the sector has been slow to change meaningfully. He sees current challenges as catalysts for real transformation:

"Because of all of those external pressures, I think there's a greater willingness... There's a clarion call for real innovation in higher ed. And I think that's what we'll see over the next few years."

Conclusion

President Stoute’s leadership at Canisius University exemplifies how institutions can remain true to their historic missions while adapting to serve today's students. His immigrant background gives him a unique perspective on education's transformative power, and his commitment to student-centered approaches offers a model for higher education's future.

As he puts it: "We frame it for our students as you can come here and you can go anywhere... Success is not what we determine it to be. It is what each student determines it to be."

The EdUp Experience is a podcast that makes education your business, hosted by Dr. Joe Sallustio and Produced by Elvin Freytes.