Farewell to Dean Castro

By Adam Griffith | May 4, 2011 at 3:15 pm | News | 9 comments | |

During the summer, Assistant Dean of Students and Director of Residential Life David “Fid” Castro will be leaving Claremont McKenna College.   Castro, who will be sorely missed by CMC’s students and staff, plans on changing directions and earning his teaching credentials. The Forum spoke to Dean Castro about his impending departure, and found out more about his future plans.

Dean Castro, a member of the CMC class of ’99, explained that “when I came to CMC, I wanted to be a teacher.” After graduating, he put his interest in teaching aside for the time in order to work with current Vice President for Student Affairs Jefferson Huang who, Castro explains, “steered me towards administration”.  This led Dean Castro to work briefly at Oberlin College in Oberlin, Ohio and Lewis and Clark College in Portland, Oregon, before ultimately arriving at his current position at CMC.

In total, Dean Castro has been working with CMC for nine years and, as he told the Forum, “I have been doing this long enough.  There were fun parts and not fun parts. … I still love CMC but I have wanted to do this for a while.”

 

He went on to say that he hopes to become a teacher, specifically in high need schools.  He explained “I’m interested in working in elementary schools where they need the help.”  Specifically, he’d like to teach 4th grade, which he thinks is the age when students first begin “realizing there’s more to the world than themselves.” Although he does not have a job lined up at this time, he plans to return to school for his teaching degree before starting his new career.

Dean of Students Mary Spellman told the Forum that Dean Castro will be missed.  He “has been talking about leaving for some time,” and that he had made official his intentions this Fall.

She highlighted the positive impact that Castro has had on CMC, saying “Fid is one of the most caring individuals and he loves CMC and is committed to keeping essence of CMC alive.”

As of now, the search for Dean Castro’s replacement has already begun, and is being headed by Dean Spellman.  She told the Forum that two potential candidates have been identified and will be interviewed later this week.  Spellman emphasized that “students will be involved in the interviews.”  She explained that groups from both ASCMC and the RA staff will take part in the interview process.

Castro said he will miss many things about CMC, particularly working with the RA staff.  He gushed, “every year I think the RA’s are a great group of students.”

 

CMC is losing a valued member of its administration.  He will be remembered fondly both for his friendliness and willingness to help students out with just about any situation.  The Forum wishes Dean Castro the best of luck in the future, and hopes he finds both happiness and success in his new career as a teacher.

 

Ross Sevy CMC Class of 2012 contributed to this story