Savannah Garcia (pronouns she/her/hers) has served as the Director of the Academic Success Center at University of La Verne since 2020, formerly serving as an Assistant Director of Writing, where she emphasized writing across the disciplines, assignment design consultation, and developing robust writing and research support for graduate students. Under her leadership as Director, she inaugurated classroom support via Student Learning Assistants, typically supporting 30 classes per semester, as well as an Academic Coaching program that has been built into university processes such as early alerts, academic warning, and academic probation; a peer mentoring program for first generation students; Black and Latinx Living Learning Communities; and academic reinstatement contracts. Savannah’s teaching experience includes research and writing courses as well as a sophomore experience class centered on values such as Ethical Reasoning, Diversity and Inclusivity, Lifelong Learning, and Civic and Community Engagement. Savannah holds a Masters degree in English Literature from University of Toledo, and her research interests include holistic student growth and development; intersects among race, sexuality, gender, socioeconomic status, and culture; power, privilege, and dismantling systemic forms of oppression; and theoretical analysis related to equity, social justice, and diversity within higher education. Savannah’s work is driven by the belief that students should be met where they are, nurtured and supported holistically, and that given the appropriate tools, all individuals have the capacity to be successful and to make their deepest desires a reality.
sgarcia5@laverne.edu | 909.448.4381 | WL 168
Briana currently serves as the Associate Director of the Academic Success Center at the University of La Verne. With her educational background in Animal Science and professional experience in teaching and recruitment/pipeline programs, Briana brings diverse experiences that enable her to consider various aspects of the student experience and perspective before making decisions. Her passion lies in holistic student success, motivating her efforts in her work, such as co-creating the Black Brilliance Initiative, which focuses on fostering community among first-year students at the institution. Briana firmly believes that by prioritizing the human aspect of our students, we can gain deeper insights into their needs, ultimately knowing how to effectively support them both within our i institution and beyond. Transitioning from teaching at the college level to academic support, Briana now reaches students outside of the classroom, allowing for a more profound impact. Briana values equity, social justice, inclusivity, and diversity, driving her commitment to student success.
bsmith3@laverne.edu | 909.448.4611 | WL 167