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“That kind of curiosity and confidence mean that as a teacher, there’s a lot of raw material to work with,” Delgado said.

Recalling the meeting, Delgado said during his interview that he could not remember her name. However, her conduct had left an impression on the new CLA dean.

Conversations like that afternoon chat have helped Delgado get a feel for campus. With students and faculty back on campus, those open conversations continue to occur.

Delgado’s learning began this summer. “I learned a good deal about the skeleton of the university,” he said. But with students and the majority of the faculty gone, he was missing Hamline’s heartbeat.

He lived in the Hamline apartments with his wife and two-and-a-half year-old daughter. His family wasn’t alone across Englewood Ave. Slowly, students (mostly athletes) started arriving. Among students, Delgado began to get a sense of what Hamline is. Their words were instructive and helpful, he said.

In other talks with students, a similar thread of topics comes up. Students he has talked to, regardless of year, Delgado said, are concerned with the economy and where they will work after college. Those concerns inevitably lead to students wondering, “how much debt am I going to carry?” Delgado said.

“Those are pretty adult concerns that are weighing on students’ minds,” he said.

The CLA, especially the faculty, is aware of these concerns, Delgado said. “They come here because they believe they will have a bright future, and we need to live up to that expectation,” Delgado said.

To better prepare students for life after college, Delgado said professors are making commitments to off-campus programs, such as internships, and pushing out-of-class work.

Next up for Delgado is strategic planning. During the lengthy process, his involvement will be twofold. Delgado will be part of the University Leadership Team, which will evaluate and assess work plans, and also work with the faculty to identify strengths and interests to develop the university.