EDAD Welcomes Dr. Garcia to Faculty

24 Mar 2020    

The Department of Educational Administration is proud to announce that Dr. Crystal Garcia will join our team as an Assistant Professor of Higher Education, beginning in Fall 2020. 

As an EDAD alum, Dr. Garcia is excited to come home to Lincoln. 

“Accepting this position is like a homecoming for me,” Garcia said. “I am so happy to have the opportunity to return to EDAD.”

Dr. Garcia earned her Doctor of Philosophy in Educational Leadership and Higher Education at UNL and has since served as an assistant professor of administration of higher education at Auburn University. 

Her teaching interests include courses centered on college student experiences, qualitative research methods, student affairs, and institutional environments. Her teaching displays a strong commitment to social justice and equity and connecting research to practice. 

In her research, Dr. Garcia has authored/co-authored 16 journal articles, two book chapters, a newly accepted edited book proposal, and more than 30 reviewed presentations.

“My research agenda critically examines the mechanisms by which racially minoritized college students experience campus environments, specifically focusing on campus climates and the role of student affairs in student experiences,” Garcia said. 

She has developed this agenda by focusing on two strands of research: an examination of how student affairs professionals and upper-level administration affect campus climates for equity, diversity, and inclusion and critically interrogating the experiences of students within campus subcultures.

Professionally, she is engaged in ASHE, NASPA and a number of university and department-level service activities. 

Coming from Royse City, Texas, Nebraska can seem like a whole other world. However, Dr. Garcia doesn’t feel that way. 

“I had such a positive experience as a student that I now feel like Nebraska is home!” Garcia said. “I look forward to meeting students and finding ways to give back to the community that has given so much to me.”

Dr. Pace, chair of the department knows Dr. Garcia will be a strong addition to the EDAD family. 

“Dr. Garcia brings a wealth of teaching and research expertise to her work and has built strong relationships with students, scholars, and national organizations. She is passionate about education and how we can serve students more equitably and effectively. We look forward to introducing her to our Husker Scholars this fall!”