Xiomara López
Ed.D. Student-CANDEL Cohort 21
Background
Xiomara López (she/her/ella) is a higher education professional with over a decade of experience advancing equity and student success, particularly within Latiné communities. She currently serves as Director of El Centro and Latiné Student Success at UCSC, where she supports students through community building, culturally affirming programs, campus-wide advocacy, and initiatives focused on improving student retention and graduation. Xiomara holds a M.Ed. in Educational Counseling from USC and a B.A. in Legal Studies from UCSC. Xiomara’s passion for educational equity and racial justice fuels her desire to pursue the CANDEL program, strengthen her leadership, and engage in research that addresses these critical issues.
Research Interests
- Latiné student experiences in HSIs
- Intersectional servingness
- Impacts of cultural centers on student access and retention
- Culturally sustaining leadership frameworks
