Jorge Colazo, Ph.D., has been named the associate dean of strategic initiatives and research for the Michael Neidorff School of Business (NSB). Colazo is an associate professor and chair for the Department of Finance and Decision Sciences. His goal for this new role is to guarantee the NSB will continue its active community connections and experiential learning opportunities and remain focused on Trinity becoming a top 25 nationally-ranked university in the area of liberal arts. He will also manage the school’s AACSB International re-accreditation.
“Jorge has breadth and depth in administrative leadership both in the private and higher education sectors,” said Robert Scherer, dean of the Neidorff School of Business. Colazo has been instrumental in partnering Trinity with Dell, H-E-B, USAA, and other companies in and out of the classroom. He also emphasizes partnerships with local nonprofits to show students the real-world community impact of their class projects. His classes have worked with organizations such as RAICES (Refugee and Immigrant Center for Education and Legal Services), Goodwill Industries of San Antonio, the San Antonio Food Bank, and other nonprofits.
“By participating in community projects, our students are now making an impact on society because they are learning a lot more than statistics or finance,” Colazo says. “They are also learning, for instance, about the sociology and anthropology aspect of a project, as they work on local, national, or global issues that are clearly multifaceted.
“Our students are learning hands-on about the importance of diversity and of understanding people’s different needs, and about the value of giving back,” he continues. “They are being forced to step outside of their comfort zones, allowing them to gain new perspectives on life. That, for me, is the definition of learning.”