Dr. Cassandre Giguere Alvarado is the Senior Associate Dean for Undergraduate Education and Teaching Excellence in the Moody College of Communication at The University of Texas at Austin. Over the last 25 years, she has designed and led student success innovations that have dramatically increased persistence and graduation rates at one of the nation’s leading public research universities. Most recently, Dr. Alvarado was one of the chief architects of UT-Austin’s recent 4-year graduation rate improvements and her work has been recognized by the Association of Public & Land Grant Universities, the National Academic Advising Association, and the National Resource Center on the First-Year Experience and Students in Transition. In addition to her national awards, Dr. Alvarado’s innovations in student success have been replicated across the country and within all academic institutions in the University of Texas System and Texas A&M System.
Dr. Alvarado is a Professor in the School of Advertising and Public Relations at The University of Texas at Austin and is a Fellow of the F.J. Heyne Centennial Professorship in Communication. She also serves as the Interim Director of the interdisciplinary Communication and Leadership degree, where she is also faculty. She teaches classes on communication, leadership, and student success research and strategy. Dr. Alvarado holds a bachelor, master, and doctoral degree from The University of Texas at Austin.
AWARDS & RECOGNITION
• National Academic Advising Association (NACADA) Outstanding Use of Technology in Advising
• UT-Austin President’s Outstanding Staff Award
• National Academic Advising Association (NACADA) Outstanding Advising Program Award
• Outstanding First-Year Student Advocate Award Winner – National Resource Center for the First-year Experience and Students in Transition
• UT-Austin Parents’ Association Staff Merit Award
• UT-Austin Eyes of Texas Award
• American College Personnel Association Annuit Coeptis Award
BOARDS & ADVISORY ROLES
• Chair, Student Experience in the Research University, North America Consortium
• Co-Chair, UT System Academic Advising Leadership Council
