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

[allgsacstudents at lists.ucr.edu]

*Congratulations, Fidel!* 🎉
So happy to see this well-deserved appointment. We work closely with Fidel
and truly appreciate his leadership, collaboration, and dedication. Excited
to continue working together and wishing you all the best in this next
chapter!


Jennifer Vaughan

Director of Payroll

Harvest Shared Service Center

CNAS Dean's Office

UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, RIVERSIDE







On Fri, Jan 9, 2026 at 1:39 PM Nikita McWells via Cnasdeptadministrators <
cnasdeptadministrators 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>
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> Cnasdeptadministrators mailing list
> Cnasdeptadministrators at lists.ucr.edu
> https://lists.ucr.edu/mailman/listinfo/cnasdeptadministrators
>
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