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

[allgsacfaculty at lists.ucr.edu]

Wonderful news, Fidel! So very happy for you - Congratulations!

Sincerely,

Debbie Brown
Financial Analyst
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On Fri, Jan 9, 2026 at 2:26 PM Nikita McWells via Cnas_staff <
cnas_staff at lists.ucr.edu> wrote:

> 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>
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> Cnas_staff mailing list
> Cnas_staff at lists.ucr.edu
> https://lists.ucr.edu/mailman/listinfo/cnas_staff
>
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