Expanding the Humanities at Trinity

Dania E. Abreu-Torres, Ph.D., came into academia with a simple but powerful motivation: to help create a deeper understanding of Latin America and the Caribbean and to shine a light on their cultural contributions around the world. 

As a junior faculty member, Abreu-Torres found ways to further her mission at Trinity by organizing and collaborating on events with guest speakers, like the Alvarez Seminar. Later, as the director of the Mexico, the Americas, and Spain (MAS) program, Abreu-Torres’ work grew by providing students with hands-on opportunities that deepened their knowledge and connection with these regions.

Now, as associate dean of the Carlos Alvarez School of Arts and Humanities, the heart of Abreu-Torres’ objective hasn’t changed—but it has expanded. 

“My work is no longer just about one region or one program; it’s about weaving the arts and humanities into the fabric of students’ lives and supporting faculty as they grow and innovate," she says. “With time, I’ve come to understand Trinity’s culture more deeply, along with our students’ needs and expectations. That understanding has made it easier to build collaborations and nurture stronger relationships across campus—relationships that place the humanities where they belong: at the center of a Trinity education.”

Abreu-Torres’ main goal as associate dean is to build connections and foster relationships between the arts and humanities, advising, career services, and experiential learning. Through collaboration with the Office of Academic Advising and the Center for Experiential Learning and Career Success (CELCS), Abreu-Torres wants students to see how their education in the arts and humanities equips them with skills that are essential in the workforce, in graduate studies, and in any other path students pursue after graduation. 

Abreu-Torres’s love for the humanities began when she was growing up in Puerto Rico. “I didn’t realize it at the time, but being surrounded by my parents’ books, visiting bookshops, participating in tertulias (informal intellectual gatherings), and reading in both English and Spanish was the start of my humanities education,” she says. “It opened my eyes to new experiences and to countless different worlds.”

To Abreu-Torres, the humanities are not only essential in our personal lives but also in any job, enterprise, or collaborative endeavor.

“At their core, the humanities are a practice of empathy and connection, allowing us to work with others, to listen, and to engage meaningfully with people in everyday life. At Trinity, and beyond, the arts and humanities provide a space where students can relate, dialogue, and imagine a new, inclusive world—one that is always ready for change,” she says. “That is why I love the humanities: they help others see the world, and themselves, in fuller, richer, and more human ways.”