President Lugo Talks Liberals Arts, DEI and Student Success at LVL Event

Ini-Oluwa Adegbayi ’28

News Editor

On Wednesday, Oct. 8, 2025, La Voz Latina (LVL), in collaboration with the Office of the President, hosted a keynote talk featuring Trinity College President Dan Lugo. The event drew students, staff and faculty from across campus for a conversation on Lugo’s educational journey and the broader significance of liberal arts learning. The talk was moderated by LVL e-board member Isabella Reynoso ‘28. 

During the talk, Lugo recounted his personal story as a first-generation college student and the son of immigrant parents who had not attended college. He spoke about his time at Carleton College, where he initially pursued a pre-med track before discovering new academic and personal interests that shaped his professional path. He explained how the flexibility of a liberal arts education allowed him to explore a variety of disciplines and ultimately discover his passion for higher education. Additionally, Lugo discussed his journey with identity, noting how he identified as just Black prior to coming to college, and then later took steps to embrace his Latino identity after going through his undergraduate experience. Lugo mentioned how important it is that students who come from underrepresented, multi-cultural backgrounds not put themselves into any particular boxes, but instead feel free to explore all parts of their identities and those around them.  

Lugo emphasized the importance and many benefits of a liberal arts education, describing it as “an opportunity for students to explore diverse disciplines, cultivate critical thinking and discover their passion.” He noted that through self-reflection and what he called taking a “personal inventory,” he realized that his true interests lay outside of practicing law. This realization ultimately guided him towards a fulfilling career in higher education administration. Lugo also noted the strong network that exists among Trinity students and alumni, saying that the “incredible culture of Trinity students opening doors for other Trinity students” continues to make a meaningful impact on graduates’ lives. 

The “transformative nature of my undergraduate experience was instrumental in helping me come to the realization that I would be more happy if I worked in admissions at a college,” Lugo said. 

Throughout his talk, Lugo encouraged students to remain open to new opportunities and to embrace the uncertainty that often accompanies personal growth. “A takeaway is that when you find your passion and true calling, life will find a way to propel you to be successful in that,” he said.  

Beyond academics, President Lugo reflected on the college’s ongoing work around diversity, equity and inclusion. He spoke about the need to continually assess progress and acknowledge where more can be done. “We have to think about whose identities haven’t been affirmed. There is clearly a lot more work to do,” he said. “We have an increasingly polarizing world and campus, so I’m looking forward to taking inventory of what’s been successful, reforming our approaches to be better and amplifying the things we didn’t do as well as we could have.” 

As he concluded, Lugo asked: “How do we become a model for the world?” He encouraged open dialogue and collaboration within the campus community, emphasizing that improvement will need shared effort and feedback. “I’m all ears for suggestions of things we can do better from students and faculty,” he said. “I think feedback is important. We’re all in this together. We have to support each other.”