Associate Academic Dean Ingrid Johnston-Robledo is a new face on campus with new ideas.

But she’s also quick to point out that one of the biggest early hurdles for a new hire is learning all the faces new to her.

 “It’s hard to be in a completely new community. Getting to know a whole new college and its blend is tough. It’s a challenge, but also an opportunity,” she said in an interview earlier this semester.

She also spoke about how happy she is to be here after relocating from the Buffalo area.

“It’s awesome. It’s a small community and everyone’s so nice. Castleton is a relationship based atmosphere and I’m getting to know a lot of people,” she said.

Once a director of women studies and an associate dean, Johnston-Robledo said she was ready to become a dean on a full-time basis, ready to change careers from teaching and get back to New England.

The reasons to apply for the job were both personal and professional, she said.

“Right away I felt like it was the perfect fit, the duties, the size of school and the region, it’s important to ask yourself how well does it fit you,” she said.

Johnston-Robledo said she’s still learning her role but sees a lot of opportunity and challenges, normal in any new job.

“This college is a great place to grow and has great leadership. My biggest goal is to make an impact and serve the college. It’s important to me to contribute in a positive way and push Dave and Tony’s plan,” she said.

She is also working on a new book to make transfer students’ transition to Castleton go more smoothly. It is also important to her, she said, to enhance the liberal arts experience, and is passionate about curricular and undergraduate learning.

 With all these goals and aspirations what are the downsides of the move?

“I’m going to miss teaching and students, and rearranging my time to a 12-month job when I want to do a lot of my own writing causing an identity challenge,” she said. “And also listening is going to be a challenge for me, I want to jump in talk and change things. I need to learn to be a listener,” she said.