Meet the OSE Staff

Dr. Maricela Alvarado has over 18 years of experience in higher education in various Student Affairs areas, including Student Conduct, Upward Bound, Educational Opportunity Program, Summer Bridge, Student Life, and Fraternity and Sorority Life. In her previous role as the Assistant Dean for Student Affairs in the College of the Arts at California State University, Fullerton, she developed and led college initiatives related to student success, specifically in the areas of improving advising, retention, graduation rates, and closing the achievement gap of underrepresented students. Maricela was also instrumental in opening the college’s Student Success Center, which supports over 600 students annually. Currently, she serves as the inaugural Director for Online Student Experience where she leads a variety of initiatives and strategic projects that facilitates change and positively enhances access to Online Student Experiences at UC San Diego.

Dr. Alvarado is a first-generation college graduate, having earned a bachelor’s degree in human services with a mental health emphasis from California State University, Fullerton, and a master’s degree in public policy and administration from California State University, Long Beach. She earned a doctorate in Higher Education Leadership at Azusa Pacific University (APU), where she was the inaugural recipient of the Presidential Fellowship. Maricela worked directly with former President Paul Ferguson to conduct research to support university-wide strategic initiatives. Maricela’s research centers on issues of equity, transformational practices, and becoming a student-ready practitioner. As a scholar-practitioner, she has co-authored publications on becoming a student-ready educator. She believes educators play a critical role in student success, especially for historically underrepresented students. She is passionate and dedicated to serving students.

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