Alva named inaugural director of First-Generation and Limited-Income Services
The University of Wisconsin–Madison has selected Desiree D. Alva, PhD, as director of First-Generation and Limited-Income (FGLI) Services, a new unit within Student Affairs. The office serves as a central hub for connection, support, and success for students who are first in their families to attend college and for those from limited-income backgrounds. Alva, a three-time Badger, began her role on Jan. 26.
FGLI Services resulted from last year’s recommendation by the Student Experience Ad Hoc Working Group under Chancellor Jennifer L. Mnookin’s direction to expand pathways to student success and belonging. The addition of FGLI Services reflects the university’s substantial investment in Bucky’s Tuition Promise and Bucky’s Pell Pathway and strengthens a long-standing network of academic and scholarship programs that have supported first-generation students.
“Desiree brings a breadth of experience, clear vision, and a commitment to supporting first-generation and limited-income students,” said Associate Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs Fernie Rodriguez, PhD, who oversees the new office. “We’re grateful that she and her family have chosen to return to Madison as she steps into this new role.”
Alva brings more than two decades of experience advancing student success at large public research institutions, including the University of Texas at Austin, the University of Texas at San Antonio, and UW–Madison. Her career reflects a deep commitment to first-generation and limited-income students, building ecosystems of support that honor their identities, meet their basic needs, and ensure they not only access higher education but truly flourish.
“These students are capable, resourceful, and motivated,” Alva said. “When institutions remove barriers, make expectations more transparent, and invest intentionally — like UW–Madison is doing — then first-generation and limited-income students can really excel.”
Alva’s personal experience navigating UW–Madison as a limited-income student from San Antonio shapes her approach. She remembers the culture shock, the initial feeling of not belonging, and the transformative impact of programs like the Summer Collegiate Experience and TRIO that helped her find her footing.
“Community is everything,” Alva shared. “My hope is that this office becomes a true home base — a welcoming, affirming space where students can ask questions, build community, access resources, and feel supported throughout their entire UW journey and beyond.”
Alva most recently served as director of student programming and assessment at UT Austin, where she provided leadership for transition and success initiatives serving more than 10,000 first-generation, limited-income, and underserved students annually. She represented her division on committees such as the Academic and Student Affairs Committee, Nontraditional Student Advisory Board, and First-Generation Campus Initiatives Committee, ensuring that the needs of first-generation and limited-income students remained central in institutional planning and policy development. A proud UW–Madison alumna, Alva earned a bachelor’s in legal studies, sociology, and women’s studies with a certificate in Chican@ studies; master’s in counseling psychology; and a doctorate in educational leadership and policy analysis.
She has fond memories of her time on campus — particularly enjoying Babcock’s chocolate chip cookie dough ice cream. Outside of work, she recharges by going on hikes with her wife and three children.
Reflecting on Alva’s return to campus, Rodriguez emphasized the timeliness of the new office. This year’s freshman class includes a record 26 percent Pell Grant recipients and the highest number of first-generation students in 20 years. “We look forward to the impact her leadership will have on students for years to come,” Rodriguez said.
Learn more about First-Generation and Limited-Income Services at fgli.wisc.edu or contact fgli@studentaffairs.wisc.edu.