▁Torre ▁attended ▁the ▁University ▁of ▁California , ▁Ber keley , ▁where ▁she ▁received ▁b ach elor ' s ▁and ▁master ' s ▁degrees ▁in ▁the ▁political ▁economy ▁of ▁natural ▁resources , ▁as ▁well ▁as ▁a ▁Ph . D . ▁in ▁Agricult ural ▁and ▁Resource ▁Econom ics ▁in ▁ 1 9 8 2 . ▁ ▁Career ▁De ▁la ▁Torre ▁was ▁a ▁professor ▁at ▁California ▁State ▁University , ▁Long ▁Beach ▁and ▁at ▁the ▁University ▁of ▁Arizona , ▁where ▁she ▁was ▁director ▁of ▁the ▁Mexican - American ▁Studies ▁Center ▁and ▁also ▁served ▁as ▁director ▁of ▁the ▁His pan ic ▁Center ▁of ▁Ex cell ence ▁for ▁the ▁University ▁of ▁Arizona ▁College ▁of ▁Medicine . ▁She ▁later ▁worked ▁at ▁University ▁of ▁California , ▁Davis , ▁where ▁she ▁served ▁as ▁professor ▁and ▁chair ▁of ▁the ▁Department ▁of ▁Ch icana / o ▁studies , ▁director ▁of ▁the ▁Center ▁for ▁Trans n ational ▁Health , ▁and ▁vice ▁ch an cell or ▁for ▁student ▁affairs . ▁De ▁la ▁Torre ▁was ▁named ▁the ▁president ▁of ▁San ▁Diego ▁State ▁University ▁on ▁January ▁ 3 1 , ▁ 2 0 1 8 , ▁and ▁assumed ▁the ▁presiden cy ▁in ▁June ▁ 2 0 1 8 . ▁ ▁She ▁writes ▁and ▁speak s ▁about ▁the ▁importance ▁of ▁helping ▁students ▁from ▁under priv ile ged ▁background s ▁with ▁issues ▁related ▁to ▁student ▁deb t . ▁She ▁is ▁also ▁a ▁co - editor ▁of ▁Spe aking ▁from ▁the ▁Body : ▁Lat inas ▁on ▁Health ▁and ▁Culture , ▁a ▁collection ▁of ▁personal ▁ref lections ▁on ▁health ▁care ▁experiences ▁from