Dr. Alejandro Castrillon Appointed Assistant Professor of Political Science in the Baylor Interdisciplinary Core

The Honors College is excited to announce that Dr. Alejandro Castrillón has accepted appointment as Assistant Professor of Political Science in the Baylor Interdisciplinary Core (BIC). He is set to begin service this fall.

"Dr. Castrillón will have an immediate impact on the BIC's Social World and World Cultures course sequences, among others,” Interim Director of the BIC Dr. Charles McDaniel said. “He strengthens the political philosophy expertise of our faculty, and, in terms of area studies, he greatly enhances the BIC's coverage of Latin America.”

Castrillón, whose family is originally from Colombia, earned his Bachelor of Arts with concentrations in Political Science and Philosophy, and in History, from Boston University; a Master of Arts in Political Science and a Master of Arts in Iberian and Latin American Studies from the University of Notre Dame; and his Ph.D. in Political Science from the University of Notre Dame. He also holds a Master in International Affairs degree from the Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies in Geneva, Switzerland. Castrillón’s ongoing research revolves around the work of Simón Bolívar and examines the reception and selective adaptation of the U.S. Constitution in nineteenth-century Latin America.

“With Dr. Castrillón’s knowledge of history and politics in both Columbia and Venezuela through his academic studies and life experience, we anticipate that his World Cultures V course on Latin American culture will be highly popular among BIC students,” McDaniel said. “We look forward to his contribution to our department and the impact he will have on our students.”

Dr. Castrillón, a recent graduate from Notre Dame, comes to the Honors College after beginning his career teaching at Holy Cross College. He is married to Kristen Drahos, who is a new addition to the GTX faculty, and they both look forward to living in Waco and joining the Baylor family.

“The Baylor Interdisciplinary Core is dedicated to a liberal education enriched by deep questioning and social responsibility,” Castrillón said. “This mission directly aligns with my own academic background, personal interests, and research agenda, and I am thrilled to begin engaging with a distinguished community of scholars and students this fall.”

Please join us in welcoming Dr. Castrillón to the Honors College!