[Allgsacfaculty] Important Announcement: Director of Graduate Student Advising Appointment in GSAC

[allgsacfaculty at lists.ucr.edu]

Dear CNAS Faculty, Students, and Staff -

I am very excited to share that Fidel Rivas has officially accepted the
role of Director of Graduate Student Advising in the CNAS Graduate Student
Affairs Center. We are thrilled to move forward with Fidel in this
permanent capacity and grateful for the leadership, stability, and vision
he brings to GSAC.

As Fidel transitions into this role, his current position as Employment and
Scholarship Manager will become vacant. I am actively working with HR to
begin the recruitment process, and we anticipate the position posting soon.
In the meantime, we are being intentional about continuity and support.
Fidel’s official first day as Director will be February 1, 2026, and we are
developing a transition plan that allows him to onboard the new Employment
and Scholarship Manager while remaining heavily involved in both areas
until the new hire is fully settled. Fidel will remain in both roles,
concurrently, until we successfully fill the Employment and Scholarship
Manager position.

For those who may not know his background in full, Fidel is a seasoned
higher education professional with over a decade of experience in graduate
admissions, student advising, and academic support. For the past nine
months, he has served as the Interim Director of Graduate Student Advising
in the College of Natural and Agricultural Sciences at UC Riverside, where
he has led a team of six advisors and overseen graduate admissions,
academic advising, degree milestones, and policy compliance across multiple
departments.

In this role, Fidel has served as a key liaison among graduate students,
faculty, department leadership, and the Graduate Division, supporting
consistent, student-centered advising practices. He has led efforts to
strengthen communication, recruitment, and engagement initiatives, while
also supporting leadership with reporting and the development of systems
related to graduate student funding and employment. Fidel is a
first-generation alumnus and holds a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from UC
Santa Cruz. Certified in people management, he brings a collaborative,
data-informed, and deeply student-focused approach to advising and
leadership.

Please join me in congratulating Fidel on this well-earned appointment. We
are excited about what’s ahead for GSAC and grateful for the continued
dedication of this incredible team.

Fidel's contact information is below:


*fidel.rivas at ucr.edu <fidel.rivas at ucr.edu> | fidelr at ucr.edu
<fidelr at ucr.edu>(951) 827-5688 | (951) 827-5688*
Warm regards,

*Nikita McWells, MBA*

Assistant Dean

CNAS Enrollment Management Center and Graduate Student Affairs Center

CUSP/BB2P Grant Executive Administrator

1140 Batchelor Hall | CNAS Graduate Student Affairs Center

nikita.mcwells at ucr.edu | Tel: (951)827-6746

*On campus* Monday and Wednesday from 8:00am – 4:30pm

*Remote *Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday from 8:00am – 5:00pm

Schedule a time to meet here <https://scheduler.zoom.us/nikita-mcwells>
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