Prof. Debra Castillo, comparative literature, died over the weekend, according to a Monday email sent to the College of Arts and Sciences community by Peter Loewen, dean of arts and sciences.
Castillo, a Stephen H. Weiss presidential fellow, Emerson Hinchliff professor of Hispanic Studies and interim director of the Latina/o Studies Program, began teaching at Cornell in 1985, according to the email.
In the email, titled “A tremendous loss to our community,” Loewen expressed the impact of Castillo on the Cornell community.
“This loss is far reaching in our community and I hope all who knew Debra will do what they can to take care of themselves and one another,” Loewen wrote. “My condolences to you all.”
A separate email from the Latino Studies Program mourning the loss described Castillo as generous, energetic, kind, incredibly knowledgeable and fiercely devoted to her students, noting that “people across the hemisphere and the world will feel her absence.”
South Americans at Cornell also put out a statement on their Instagram mourning the loss of Castillo, who served as a faculty advisor for the club, calling her “a bright ray of sunshine.”
Over her tenure, the professor became involved with multiple departments and initiatives on campus.
Castillo was the director of the Cornell Migration Studies minor and held the Stephen H. Weiss Presidential Fellowship, which is the University’s highest teaching award.
She also worked in multiple initiatives involving students and community members in Ithaca and Tompkins County, including Teatrotaller, a Cornell theater troupe founded in 1993 that seeks to preserve Hispanic and Latino culture through theater. The group has performed across multiple stages in the United States and abroad, including Mexico, Canada and Belgium.
Additionally, Castillo supported local nonprofit organizations such as the Latino Civic Association of Tompkins County — an organization that supports the local Latino population in Tompkins county — and No Más Lágrimas, which seeks to support vulnerable members of the community to meet basic needs.
Her scholarship focused on migration, border studies and Latinx issues. She was a prolific scholar, publishing more than 150 academic articles and over 20 books as an author, editor or translator. Castillo also served as editor for many academic journals, including the Latin American Literary Review and Diacritics.
She was the former president of the Latin American Studies Organization and La Asociación de Estudios de Género y Sexualidades. She was also a member of several editorial board presses, including the Cornell University Press, the North Carolina Series in Romance Languages and Literatures and the State University of New York Press.
Castillo is survived by her daughter, Melissa, and her son, Carlos.
Castillo was teaching three courses this semester — one undergraduate course and two that were offered in both the undergraduate and graduate levels. According to the Monday email, students in these courses will receive separate guidance and additional information.
Individuals can have a diverse range of feelings, needs and reactions when facing loss. This information about Grief and Loss may be helpful to you or a friend. The Ithaca-based crisisline can be reached at 607-272-1616, and the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline is available throughout the U.S. Additional support resources are listed at mentalhealth.cornell.edu.
Students in need of professional support can email Student Support and Advocacy Services at studentsupport@cornell.edu or call Counseling and Psychological Services at 607-255-5155. Employees can call the Faculty and Staff Assistance Program at 607-255-2673.
Gabriel Muñoz is a member of the class of 2026 at the College of Arts and Sciences. He serves as city editor for the 143rd editorial board. He previously served as city editor for the 142nd Editorial Board and news editor for the 141st Editorial Board. He can be contacted at gmunoz@cornellsun.com.
