Hartford Business Journal

14 HARTFORDBUSINESS.COM | AUGUST 11, 2025 Daniel G. Lugo, the new president of Trinity College, was the first person in his family to attend college. He completed his undergraduate studies at a small liberal arts school in Minnesota, Carleton College. HBJ Photo | Steve Laschever Liberal Arts 'Evangelist' From first-gen college grad to higher-ed president: Lugo takes helm at Trinity College "I'm not going to be surprised by as many things as I was in my first tenure as a president, now that I'm here at Trinity in my second role as a president," he said with a laugh. In 2021, Lugo was selected as one of Charlotte's "Most Admired CEOs" by the Charlotte Business Journal. Lugo had a successful run at Queens, where he helped increase undergraduate applications by 50%, led a $25 million capital improvement plan and transitioned the university's 25 NCAA sports teams to Division I. In selecting Lugo for his new role, Trinity's board of trustees praised his "track record of accomplishments" and "deep commitment to the value of a liberal arts education," noting his "ability to steer institutions toward enduring financial strength while amplifying their brand and deepening campus pride." Liberal arts focus As Trinity enters its third century, Lugo said its work in the liberal arts realm is as important as ever. "I'm an evangelist for the liberal arts and liberal arts colleges, and for folks to get this type of education, because it is still the most agile way to approach problem-solving," Lugo said. "It will be the currency of the 21st century." Lugo supports Hartford's aspira- tions of being a college city, noting it has a plethora of cultural offerings like museums, theaters, restaurants and entertainment venues. "Hartford gives us tremendous advantages for our students to take full advantage of a capital city: a By Andrew Larson alarson@hartfordbusiness.com D aniel G. Lugo's journey from first-generation college graduate to entertainment attorney to higher-education leader has landed him at the helm of a top liberal arts college in Connecticut. Lugo became Trinity College's 23rd president on July 1, succeeding former President Joanne Berg- er-Sweeney, who concluded an 11-year tenure at the school. Lugo said Hartford-based Trinity has been on his radar since he was applying to colleges in the 1980s. He said he's impressed with the school's faculty, who excel in both scholar- ship and teaching, its bright student body, small classroom environments and an athletics program that punches above its weight. "It's a community that I'm drawn to because of the balance of excellence that we have across the curriculum, rooted in the traditional humanities and social sciences, but we have an incredibly impressive array of hard sciences, quantitative disciplines, including engineering, which is a standout offering from any of our peers in the traditional liberal arts, small-college environment," Lugo said. Born and raised in New York, Lugo's path to academic leadership began in an unexpected place. After earning his law degree from the University of Minnesota Law School, Lugo spent nearly a decade as an intellectual property and entertainment attorney. He ultimately found that the enter- tainment industry didn't align with his values "and personality particularly well," prompting a career pivot. "Apparently, I'm really motivated by making a significant social contribu- tion to communities, to young people and to the world, and that previous law work just wasn't doing that for me," Lugo said. "It wasn't waking me up in the morning feeling like I had found my purpose, and I thought back about what were the most important environments and institutions that made the biggest impact on my life, and it was my undergraduate college. It was Carleton College." 'Most admired' CEO Lugo's transition into academia began at his alma mater, the small liberal arts college in Northfield, Minnesota, where he earned his bachelor's degree in political science in 1991. Carleton tapped Lugo to serve as its assistant dean of admissions in 2004. He worked there for seven years, before taking new leadership roles at other colleges. From 2011 to 2015, he served as vice president and dean of admis- sions and financial aid at Franklin & Marshall College in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. Then he became vice president of advancement at Colby College in Waterville, Maine. In 2019, Lugo began his first role as president at Queens University of Charlotte, in North Carolina. DANIEL G. LUGO President Trinity College Education: Bachelor's degree in political science, Carleton College; Law degree, University of Minne- sota Law School Age: 55

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