Lindner welcomes new director of Diversity and Inclusion

The Carl H. Lindner College of Business is pleased to announce Nick Castro as the college’s new director of Diversity and Inclusion.

Stepping into the role in June 2019, Castro joined the college from University of Cincinnati Blue Ash, where he served as assistant director of Inclusion and Involvement and coordinator of Hispanic/Latino Affairs. Previously, he served as president of the Dayton International School Board of Directors and as coordinator for Diversity and Inclusion for the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA). He earned his juris doctor from the DePaul University College of Law.

"From early on, I understood that, to the rest of the world, your zip code said a lot about the access you had to resources to be successful in life,” said Castro. “Navigating the waters of higher education can be challenging for anybody, so making systems and processes equitable, and then being a continuous source of support for students, is really important to me.”

Transformation came when Castro left his southeast Chicago community to attend the University of Michigan in pursuit of his bachelor’s degree.

“It was a bit of a culture shock, but the number one thing was finding and growing my support network,” said Castro. “That has shaped how I go about serving students.”

Castro will focus on strengthening and continuing to grow Lindner’s four Diversity and Inclusion programs — Business Fellows, iCats, Lindner Women in Business and Out in Business — through consistently valuable programming and creating student leadership opportunities.

Another characteristic of Castro’s approach is fostering a culture that recognizes the Diversity and Inclusion office as a resource for everyone. In his role at UC Blue Ash, Castro facilitated workshops for first-year experience and student success courses, which enabled him to connect broadly with students he might not have otherwise met.

“Part of our mission is to create global citizens who are culturally competent, emotionally intelligent business professionals,” said Castro. “Having conversations about identity, intersectionality and privilege can help all students build those competencies. It will help them and the organizations of which they will eventually become part.”

Castro succeeds Pierre James, who served as interim director of Diversity and Inclusion from September 2018 to June 2019. James was awarded the 2019 Lindner Way Award for stepping into the role and leading a transformational academic year. He will continue to serve Lindner as associate director of academic advising.