To step into the office of the new College of Public Service Dean, Dr. José Ricardo-Osorio, is to enter a space that is, quite simply, calming: Essential oil aroma fills the air, and Dean Ricardo-Osorio greets all who enter with a warm smile and an offer to take a seat and chat about not just academics, but anything that might be troubling.
In his role as Dean, one he took on after serving Shippensburg University in Pennsylvania for more than 20 years, he is focused on leveraging human connection, transferable skills, and storytelling to propel the college and its students toward a future of growth and engagement.
While he did have some reservations about UHD initially, Dean Ricardo-Osorio said those were washed away during his on-campus interview, during which time he had the chance to speak with campus stakeholders of all levels, the most impactful being his time spent with students. "That meeting I had with the students closed the deal," he said, “and I realized that UHD's identity as a Hispanic- and minority-serving institution aligned perfectly with my dream of serving those populations."
The new vision for CPS is simple yet bold, as Dean Ricardo-Osorio will seek to transform it into “a hub of learning and training” for both Gator students and the community at large. How? “We’re going to get back to basics and prioritize the human touch and interaction by being present with our students and by meeting them where they are.”
He believes the college's prime downtown location is a "multibillion-dollar billboard" that needs to be more visible. His plan involves a multifaceted approach that will incorporate leveraging existing high-impact practices (internships, study abroad, etc.), student-led recruitment via social media, a new storytelling campaign that will highlight student and alumni experiences, and a renewed emphasis on securing philanthropic support.
Beyond his vision for the college, Dean Ricardo-Osorio is an advocate for a return to fundamental human skills for the university overall. He is involved in UHD's Quality Enhancement Plan assessment subcommittee, where he will help the university measure the impact of its efforts to impart students with transferable skills in areas like technology, communication, professionalism, and decision making.
He is particularly concerned about the decline of communication and critical thinking in the post-pandemic age and plans to reintroduce the notion of "courageous conversations," where people can disagree without vilifying one another.
Too, this passion for connection extends to his own leadership style, as he encourages collaboration and rejects the "silo idea" that often plagues academia. His office embodies this idea, as it’s designed to be a welcoming space for anyone to feel heard and validated. As he puts it, "My name is José. Dean is a title. A title is not me, and anyone is welcome to come see me and engage with me as a human being."