Salem State Adds New Assistant VP For Students Of Color Services Role

SALEM, MA — Salem resident Elisa Castillo has been picked to fill a newly created senior-level Salem State University role focusing on the school's growing population of Hispanic, Latinx and students of color.

Castillo will begin her role as assistant vice president of the Hispanic Serving Institution and Minority Serving Institution initiatives in July.

Salem State is the first state university of Massachusetts to launch a senior position focusing on HSI and MSI initiatives. Castillo will report to the vice president of diversity and inclusion.

"When we make things better for a group that has been historically underserved, we also make them better for everyone else," Castillo said in an SSU release. "I'm honored to help Salem State grow its capacity to serve the students of today and tomorrow, and to center that conversation on our growing intersectional Hispanic, Latinx and BIPOC student population."

Salem State serves a 22 percent Hispanic and Latinx student population with the expectation that the percentage will be 25 percent by 2025.

"I'm among many on campus who have long looked to Dr. Castillo for her guidance on a range of topics, from diversity and inclusion to closing opportunity gaps, addressing student health and well-being, and, of course, her invaluable counsel throughout the COVID-19 pandemic," Salem State President John D. Keenan said. "Dr. Castillo has a talent for identifying student needs and partnering across campus to drive change."

Castillo joined the university in 2005 and has worked in the student life division for nearly 20 years. She worked as the Associate Dean of Students for Wellness during the COVID-19 health crisis leading the campus's pandemic response. She is also credited with expanding mental health services and adding counseling supporting BIPOC and LGBTQIA+ students.

She grew up in Puerto Rico and is fluent in both English and Spanish. She is a graduate of the Universidad de Puerto Rico-Mayaguez and earned her doctorate at the University of Wisconsin.

"Salem State's diversity is its asset," Castillo said. "Being able to serve all students will also serve our community and the Commonwealth as well.

"I appreciate that Salem State's leadership understands the value of embracing our emerging HSI-MSI identity and is willing to dedicate resources to making this endeavor successful."

(Scott Souza is a Patch field editor covering Beverly, Danvers, Marblehead, Peabody, Salem and Swampscott. He can be reached at Scott.Souza@Patch.com. Twitter: @Scott_Souza.)