Milagros Concepcion,
Associate Vice President, Controller and Assistant Treasurer
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How long have you been at RIT? |
I've been at RIT for 25 years.
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| | Please describe your responsibilities at RIT. |
I lead the RIT Controller’s Office, which includes over 100 staff responsible for financial reporting, general and property accounting, payroll, accounts payable, procurement, treasury and cash management, endowment and gift accounting, debt management, planned giving, student financial services, post-award sponsored programs administration, tax compliance, travel, global programs accounting, and financial services for six of RIT’s nine colleges and Auxiliary Services. I also oversee the RIT Campus Store and the RIT Inn & Conference Center.
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What is it about your job that keeps you here? |
The people and the mission. As the first in my family to attend college, higher education changed my life. RIT gave me access to opportunities I never imagined. What keeps me here are the students and the colleagues I work with every day. I’m inspired by our students and some of my favorite daily interactions are with Controller’s Office student employees, they are bright, enthusiastic and full of ideas. I am also deeply grateful for the exceptional staff in the Controller’s Office. Every day, I’m reminded of the difference we make together.
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Would you share some of your professional journey? |
Before RIT, I worked in banking and the private sector, but I longed for work with purpose. My time as an RIT student was transformational, so I pursued a role here. I started as a Gift Accountant, then became the College Partner for Saunders College of Business, where I learned about academic operations. I moved into Sponsored Programs Accounting as Assistant Director, then Director, and later Assistant Controller, expanding my oversight to central accounting and financial reporting. As Associate Controller, I continued to grow, and when my predecessor retired, I applied for and was selected for my current role. Each position taught me something new and connected me with incredible colleagues who helped me thrive.
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Any advice for RIT students to help them enhance their college experience? |
Get involved—inside and outside the classroom. My student experience was enriched by participating in extracurricular activities like the Latin American Student Association, and by connecting with classmates. College is a shared journey, and engaging with others helped me learn, grow, and feel supported. That sense of belonging continues today in my role at RIT.
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What are some of your passions outside of work? |
Volunteering is a meaningful way I give back to my community. I’ve worked with the League of Women Voters to register voters, especially in Spanish-speaking communities. I’ve served on the board of St. John’s Home and the United Way’s Community Impact Cabinet. I am currently a board member for IBERO and Delphi Rise, where I am also the Finance Committee Chair.
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We are celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month. Are there any individuals that you admire and feel others should know about? Maybe even family members you have always looked up to? |
There are many Hispanic difference makers, but I deeply admire the resilient spirit of Puerto Ricans. We’re a small island with a big heart and our people, those in the mainland and the diaspora, continue to rise and thrive and make a massive difference in all sorts of spaces.
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Favorite spot in the Rochester region? |
Leonore’s on Park Ave—my husband and I go weekly. We love the food and especially the people. And we have special seats in the Chef’s counter that are reserved especially for us (that is how much we go there!).
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Do you have a pet and if so, please tell us about him/her. |
I have two golden doodles: Bindu (11) and Piruli (9). They bring joy—and occasional mischief—to our home.
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Any childhood memories that still bring smiles? |
Learning to swim in the Atlantic ocean at age 5. After kindergarten dismissal midday, my dad would take me to a beach in Palo Seco, Puerto Rico. The ocean is and will always be my happy place.
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If you were a professional athlete, in what sport would we find you? |
Long-distance running. I don’t run as much now, but it’s always been something I thoroughly enjoy. I completed a marathon in 2012 and trained with my best friend who works in RIT Admissions and a dear colleague who works in FMS. For 20 weeks we spent endless hours training – and all three of us had a great race! We are all still here at RIT and I am thankful for that time with them.
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You are invited to a potluck dinner. What is your go-to dish? |
My vegan mac & cheese is a crowd favorite—even among non-vegans! My flan is also a hit, though definitely not vegan.
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You are asked to give an impromptu speech on a subject you know a lot about. What is your topic? |
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Any books/podcasts/movies you would highly recommend to others? |
I’m currently reading Remarkably Bright Creatures—and loving it!
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We all have “to-do” lists. What have you “been meaning to do” but just haven’t gotten around to it—yet? |
House projects, there is always an endless list.
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| What would your friends or colleagues be surprised to learn about you? |
As an electrical engineering student at RIT, I did two co-ops at the Puerto Rico Electric Power Authority. In one, I taught electrical principles at a linemen school and was responsible for supervising their training exercises while in a cherry picker! I was the only woman there and while a bit apprehensive at first that this 20-year-old woman knew how to keep them alive, by the end, the students truly valued my guidance. Years later, I ran into one of my students and he told me, “What I learned from you has kept me alive many times.” That meant a lot.
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