Staff Member of the Year: Elizabeth Torres

Elizabeth Torres is the 2022-2023 Staff Member of the Year. The Staff Member of the Year is nominated by and voted on by HSU employees. Winners are announced annually at the Faculty-Staff Appreciation Luncheon. 

Elizabeth Torres joined the Hardin-Simmons University family in 1999 and has been an integral part of the campus ever since. She serves as the Payroll Manager and Assistant Director of Human Resources. 

Having been at HSU for 24 years, Elizabeth has experienced many changes to her daily work, such as changes in technology and rules and regulations, which required her to keep learning constantly. “I just took everything one step at a time. Whenever I faced any problems, I took it and figured out the solution by taking one step at a time,” she shared. 

Elizabeth with members of the HR team.

Mrs. Torres has built many relationships around campus and with her team. She is thankful for how well her department works with other departments on campus. 

She continues to be motivated by the people on campus to be the very best she can be. “I had great mentors that allowed me to learn. I was given the freedom to learn new things, ask questions, and make mistakes which made me better,” she explained. She is constantly reminded by people on campus how much her work matters. 

Another part of her job that she loves is working with numbers. She said, “I love working with numbers, and using what I love to help people encourages me.” 

She enjoys spending time with her family, traveling, and trying new things in her free time. “I love spending time with the people I love,” she shared. 

The importance of time management for success cannot be overemphasized. Mrs. Torres manages her time appropriately by tracking when things are due. “I allow my team to help me and remain open to changing things,” she explained.  

Her advice to students at HSU chasing their dreams is “find what you love. Just keep going. You are still moving forward, even going one step at a time. You will get to the other side, and before you know it, you are doing what you love.”