Guillermo Vásquez de Velasco is a steadfast advocate of the liberal arts and for good reason. As dean of the College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences at DePaul University, students emerge from his college’s programs with a foundation that enables them to think, solve, lead and live. To inspire us to spread our own wings, he shares his personal journey from Peru to the United States and how he discovered the true power of a liberal arts education in his talk: “The Liberal Arts and the Making of T-Shaped People.”

Vásquez de Velasco also is a professor of art, media, and design in the College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences at DePaul. He has combined professional practice with teaching, scholarship, and academic administration into a career that celebrates design, multidisciplinary collaboration, and innovation in education. He previously served as vice provost and dean of the College of Architecture and Planning at Ball State University, and as executive associate dean of the College of Architecture at Texas A&M University. Vásquez de Velasco earned his bachelor’s degree in architecture and urban planning from Ricardo Palma University in Lima, Peru, his master’s degree in architecture from the University of Toronto, and his doctoral degree in architecture from Delft University of Technology in the Netherlands. Vásquez de Velasco is dean and professor of art, media, and design in the College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences at DePaul. He has combined professional practice with teaching, scholarship, and academic administration into a career that celebrates design, multidisciplinary collaboration, and innovation in education. He previously served as vice provost and dean of the College of Architecture and Planning at Ball State University, and as executive associate dean of the College of Architecture at Texas A&M University. Vásquez de Velasco earned his bachelor’s degree in architecture and urban planning from Ricardo Palma University in Lima, Peru, his master’s degree in architecture from the University of Toronto, and his doctoral degree in architecture from Delft University of Technology in the Netherlands. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx