First Generation Faculty and Staff

As we continue to identify ways to support first-generation college students we would like to also acknowledge and recognize our first-generation faculty and staff. If you were a first-generation college student, we ask that you complete our simple form to self-identify. We would like to keep you up to date on various events and opportunities for you to give back to your fellow first-generation Islanders.


First-Gen Faculty and Staff

First and Last Name 

Faculty/Staff 

Department 

Nicolas S. Rodriguez 

Staff 

Financial Aid 

Cheryl Cain 

Staff 

Marketing and Communications 

Danette Gutierrez Hibner 

Staff 

Recruitment & Admissions 

Keisha Bahr 

Faculty 

LSCI 

Zaira Garcia 

Staff 

CASA 

Rick Smith 

Staff 

Conrad Blucher Institute for Surveying and Science 

Renee Eastty 

Staff 

OSFA 

RJ Loa  

Staff 

Enrollment Management  

Jessica Romero 

Staff 

Office of the University Registrar 

Linda Buckley 

Staff 

Scholarship Services 

Donald Deis 

Faculty 

Accounting, Finance, & Business Law 

Kat Paynter  

Staff 

University Center 

Debbie Barak 

Staff 

Academic Affairs 

Sharon Polansky 

Staff 

College of Business 

Michelle Maresh-Fuehrer 

Faculty 

Communication & Media 

Andy Benoit 

Staff 

Enrollment Management 

Luisa Buttler 

Staff 

MARCOM 

Karole Schroeder 

Staff 

IT-OIS 

Roe Cantu 

Staff 

Mary and Jeff Bell Library 

Heather Herrera 

Staff 

CASA/TRIO SSS-STEM  

Stephanie Coello 

Staff 

Office of the University Registrar 

Newman Wong 

Faculty 

Psychology & Sociology 

Denise Morgan  

Staff 

PENS 

Martha Simcik 

Staff 

Islander Advising Center 

Kristin De La Rosa 

Staff 

Engineering 

Theresa Garcia-Ruiz 

Staff 

College of Graduate Studies 

Noelia Rios-Belmontes 

Staff 

Financial Aid 

Isla Schuchs Carr 

Faculty 

Department of Social Sciences 

Cristy Gonzalez 

Staff 

Accounting Services 

Angela Perez 

Faculty 

DINS 

Tammy McGarity 

Faculty 

Nursing Practice 

Michelle Eisenman 

Staff 

Research & Innovation 

Dorothy S. McClellan 

Faculty 

Department of Social Sciences 

Shane Gleason 

Faculty 

Social Sciences 

Peggy Valdes 

Staff 

TRIO-McNair Scholars Program 

Courtney Henderson 

Staff 

Student Activities 

Frances Johnson 

Faculty 

English 

Joseph S Mollick 

Faculty 

Decision Sciences and Economics (DSE) 

Ana Salazar 

Staff 

University Counseling Center 

Daniel Bartholomay 

Faculty 

Psychology and Sociology 

Lorena Newsome 

Faculty 

English 

Susan Murphy 

Faculty 

Office of the Provost 

Frank Lucido 

Faculty 

Curriculum, Instruction, and Learning Sciences 

Elvia Aguilar 

Staff 

Institutional Advancement 

Kaelum Messer 

Staff 

Career & Professional Development Center 

Leslie Mills 

Staff 

Career and Professional Development Center 

Alessandra Garcia 

Staff 

Physical and Environmental Sciences 

Cristela Flores 

Staff 

SSS-Teacher Prep 

Margaret Dechant 

Staff 

Academic Affairs 

Sofia Rodriguez Oropeza 

Staff 

SEAS 

Dr. Don Melrose 

Faculty 

Department of Kinesiology - Chair 

Corinne Valadez 

Faculty 

COEHD - CILS 

Andres Garcia 

Staff 

CASA - Tutoring & Learning Services 

Sondra Meyer  

Staff 

College of Business  

Maclovio Cantú IV 

Faculty 

Fine Arts  

Karl Mitchell 

Faculty 

Department of Interdisciplinary Studies  

Cristina Rubio 

Staff 

Recreational Sports  

Yolanda Castorena 

Staff 

Accounting 

Dora Garza 

Staff 

Student Support Services 

Eugene Billiot 

Faculty 

Physical and Environmental Sciences  

Leisha Martin 

Staff 

Life Sciences 

Stephanie Box 

Staff 

UC 

Brenda Martinez 

Staff 

University Police Department- Parking Services 

Kimberly Becerra 

Staff 

Institutional Advancement  

Lindsay Prothro 

Faculty 

PENS 

Esmeralda Vasquez 

Staff 

Learning Spaces IT 

Oscar Reyna 

Staff 

Recruitment & Admissions 

Alberto Hernandez 

Staff 

STEM Operation Success 

Jerel Benton 

Staff 

Office of Student Success 

Sanne Rijkhoff 

Faculty 

Department of Social Sciences  -  Political Science 

Claudia Ayala 

Staff 

Dean of Students Office - SEAS 

Diana K. Ivy 

Faculty 

Communication & Media 

Susan Garza 

Faculty 

English 

James Gibeaut 

Faculty 

Harte Research Institute 

Cindy Sheehy 

Staff 

COB 

Celina Garcia 

Staff 

College of Engineering NSF CREST-GEIMS 

D'Angelo Sands 

Staff 

College Access and Outreach 

Susan La Torre 

Staff 

Associate Dean of Students for Community and Belonging

Mohan Rao  

Faculty 

Decision Sciences and Economics  

Brian Tietje 

Faculty 

College of Business 

Patricia Hernandez 

Faculty 

Mary and Jeff Bell Library