Director for bridges Multicultural Resource Center and Recruitment and Retention Centers
Jose Fernandez (they/he) is the Director of the bridges Multicultural Resource Center and Recruitment and Retention Centers (bridges) Advising Team at UC Berkeley. bridges played a significant role in influencing Jose’s decision to pursue higher education professionally and academically. He has dedicated his career to building out ecosystems of support for first-generation, low-income students of color to build their agency to navigate higher education systems. Having navigated their educational journey as a first-generation, low-income student of color, Jose has dedicated his professional and scholarly life to transforming outcomes for students who mirror his identities. As an alum of UC Berkeley’s Ethnic Studies Program and UCLA’s Master of Student Affairs (MSA) program, Jose’s philosophy as a practitioner is grounded in cultivating spaces centered around justice, equity, and social transformation. His professional journey in higher education and college access spans an array of experiences in leading postsecondary outreach and retention initiatives with organizations such as UC Berkeley Destination College Advising Corps, UCLA Alumni Diversity Programs & Initiatives, and Alliance College-Ready Public Schools.