on centre José Ruiz Is Milton’s New Dean of Students
Merilin Castillo ’12 Earns the 2012 Princeton Prize in Race Relations
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his year, Milton welcomes José Luis Ruiz as our new dean of students. José was most recently the associate dean of students and director of residential life at St. Mark’s School in Southborough, Massachusetts. He has been active in independent school life for many years in numerous, valuable roles. He graduated from the Westminster School in Simsbury, Connecticut, and has worked in independent schools for 13 years. He is looking forward to learning Milton’s culture, and to getting to know the students—in the Student Center at recess, while sitting in on classes and visiting practices, by joining club discussions during the activities period. “I want my office to be a comfortable place for students,” José says of his reenergized space in the deans’ suite. “I want them to feel like they can come to me about School-wide issues, about enhancing life at Milton, and I hope that they will use me as a resource. I want to generate conversation with them about anything, School-related or not.” As director of the residential life program at St. Mark’s, José supported a staff of 11 dorm heads and oversaw all aspects of dormitory life. He helped implement initiatives in student life, advising, discipline and health services. As associate dean, José worked most closely with the school’s student leaders, supporting them and overseeing their work.
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José has extensive classroom experience; he taught Spanish both at St. Mark’s and at Westminster. José majored in Spanish at Middlebury College and has completed work toward his master’s in education at Teachers College of Columbia University. As director of diversity at Westminster, José helped recruit faculty and students of color and worked closely with students of color and their families. He has several times led sessions at the National Association of Independent Schools People of Color Conference and has attended many widely known diversity and leadership institutes. During his years in education, José has served as an admission officer; football, basketball and track coach; advisor to various student groups; and member of many school committees. In his free time, José enjoys golfing, spending time with his family, and walking his Siberian Husky, Diamond. He lives on campus with his wife, Carol, and their two daughters, Adriana and Alyssa.
fter each day of classes at Milton, Merilin Castillo ’12 would travel to the Southern Jamaica Plain Health Center in Boston, where she worked until 7 p.m. on the Racial Healing and Reconciliation (R&R) project. Merilin is a founding member of the project, and her work earned her the 2012 Princeton Prize in Race Relations from Boston. The R&R project offers to youth groups and community leaders training and workshops on racism awareness and the effects of racism on health. In recognition of her hard work and dedication, she received her award in May, when she attended the Princeton Prize Symposium on Race held on the university’s campus. With a strong interest in public health and community organizing, Merilin started working at the health center the summer after her Class IV year at Milton. The health center’s program manager used a grant to launch the R&R project and asked Merilin to help develop the curriculum and launch the project. Today, the project runs numerous programs, and Merilin enthusiastically embraces the challenges. In the fall, the focus is on training volunteers who then work with local schools and community groups in the spring.
“We held a forum and conducted an inequity game, breaking up the room into four groups, and each group had a different set of life circumstances,” says Merilin. “Watching people adapt to their roles, and seeing how racism and inequity can come easily to people, even to those who normally would be the target of such attitudes in their regular life, is amazing. It’s a real learning experience.” The R&R project’s other programs include “SPEAK OUT!”—a forum designed to enable young people to speak honestly in a supportive environment about their feelings on race. In addition, the R&R programs advise city youth campaigns on issues such as sex education and jobs, and provide input to local health organizations working to improve the quality of health care.