Adriana Ruiz Alvarado Ph.D.
About
My scholarship focuses on improving the conditions and increasing the success of historically underrepresented students, particularly with regard to persistence to the baccalaureate degree and to experiences with the campus climate for diversity at both two and four-year colleges. Inherent in this work is also the role of institutional agents in helping students succeed. My methodological expertise lies in employing rigorous quantitative methods and handling large-scale national data sets to help illustrate experiences of the most marginalized.
Education
- Ph.D., Higher Education, University of California, Los Angeles
- M.S., Higher Education, University of California, Los Angeles
- M.Ed., Student Affairs, University of California, Los Angeles
- B.A., Social Welfare, University of California, Berkeley
Professional Background
- Association for the Study of Higher Education (ASHE)
- American Association of Hispanics in Higher Education (AAHHE)
- American Educational Research Association (AERA)
Publications
Ruiz Alvarado, A., Stewart-Ambo, T., & Hurtado, S. (2020). High school and college choice factors associated with high-achieving low-income students’ college degree completion. Education Sciences, 10(6), 153.
Ruiz Alvarado, A., & Hurtado, S. (2015). Campus climate, intersectional identities, and institutional support among Mexican American college students. In R.E. Zambrana & S. Hurtado (Eds.). The magic key: The educational journey of Mexican-Americans from K-12 and to college and beyond (Ch.8, pp.168-189). Austin, TX: University of Texas Press.
Hurtado, S. & Ruiz Alvarado, A. (2015). Discrimination and bias, underrepresentation, and sense of belonging on campus. Los Angeles, CA: Higher Education Research Institute.
*This brief was used as evidence in the Amicus Brief of Social Scientists for the Supreme Court Case of Fisher vs. The University of Texas.
Ruiz Alvarado, A., & Olson, A.B. (2020, April). Identity matters: Supporting the intersection of personal and professional identity. NACADA Region IX Conference, Palm Springs, CA. https://nacada.ksu.edu/Community/Regions/Region-9/Schedule.aspx (Conference canceled).
Ruiz Alvarado, A., & Olson, A.B. (Accepted, expected December 2020). Examining the relationship between college advising and student outputs: A content analysis of the NACADA Journal. NACADA Journal.
Hurtado, S., & Ruiz Alvarado, A. (2015). Realizing the potential of Hispanic Serving Institutions: Multiple dimensions of organizational transformation. In A.M. Nuñez, S. Hurtado, & E. Calderon Galdeano (Eds.) Hispanic-Serving Institutions: Advancing research and transformative practice (Ch.2, pp.25-45). New York, NY: Routledge.
Awards and service
- AAHHE/ETS, Outstanding Dissertation Award (2016)
- UC/ACCORD, Dissertation Fellow (2013-2014)
- UCLA Division of Higher Education and Organizational Change, Philip N. Clark Memorial Award (2013)
- UCLA, Graduate Summer Research Mentorship Program (2011)
Grants
- Ruiz Alvarado, A. (2019-2020). University of Redlands Instructional Technology Services Faculty Technology Grant, Flipping Educational Research, $3000.
- Olson, A.B., & Ruiz Alvarado, A. (2020). NASPA Region VI Research & Assessment Grant, Student Affairs Professional Identity: The Role of Social Identity in Professional Socialization and the Development of Professional Identity, $1000.
- Ruiz Alvarado, A. (2019, November). Reflecting on our response to conflict. Workshop presented as part of the University of Redlands Staff and Administrators Assembly Professional Development Series, Redlands, CA.
Areas of Expertise
Prior to joining the University of Redlands, I was a postdoctoral scholar with the Higher Education Research Institute (HERI) at UCLA and the lead researcher on a mixed methods project examining the college experiences of high-achieving students from low-income backgrounds. I also have professional experience with academic advising, intergroup dialogue, and student-initiated outreach programs.