Cynthia L. Alvarez, Ph.D.

Dr. Cynthia L. Alvarez is a writer, scholar, educator, and practitioner who works to support the educational aspirations of other first-generation college students like her. Dr. Alvarez earned her Ph.D. in Higher Education and Organizational Change from the University of California, Los Angeles and her research focuses on college access for first-generation students, particularly on the issues families face when thinking and deciding about college. At UCLA, Dr. Alvarez worked as a Research Analyst for the Higher Education Research Institute, taught in the Department of Chicana/o Studies and the Center for Community Learning, and supported the First Year Experience Program in implementing programs that help students transition into the college environment and continue their journey toward graduation. She also served as UC Riverside’s University Innovation Alliance Fellow, where she oversaw a variety of projects focusing on first-generation student success via cross-campus collaboration. Currently, Dr. Alvarez is the Assistant Director of Student Success at the CSU Office of the Chancellor, where she supports Graduation Initiative 2025 efforts, as well as the CSU Student Success Dashboards and the Certificate Program in Student Success Analytics.