Colby College has appointed Gustavo Burkett, who came to Maine as a high school exchange student, as the dean of the college following a national search.
Burkett, senior associate dean of diversity and community involvement at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, will begin his new role in July.
“Gustavo impressed us with his deep and genuine commitment to the student experience and his track record of making campuses places where all students can thrive,” said Colby President David A. Greene in a statement.
Burkett, originally from Argentina, attended Bangor High School and then John Bapst Memorial High School as an exchange student, according to Colby spokesperson George Sopko.
He graduated from the University of Maine in 2002 before earning his master’s degree in higher education administration and educational leadership from UMaine in 2005. Burkett expects to receive his doctorate in higher education and social justice this year from the University of Massachusetts-Boston.
Before joining MIT, Burkett worked at Boston College, the University of North Carolina at Charlotte and UMaine, where he was director of campus activities and student engagement.