Dr. Cassidy

Dr. Cassidy (she/her) is a social justice scholar-practitioner with more than 15 years of experience designing and leading transformative programs that help students thrive academically, professionally, and personally. A first-generation college graduate, Dr. Cassidy understands the barriers many students face in higher education and has dedicated her career to ensuring equitable access to opportunities that open doors.

Dr. Cassidy holds an Ed.D. in Educational Leadership for Social Justice, an M.A. in Humanities with an emphasis in creative writing, and a B.A. in English. She currently serves as the Program Manager of Student Experience Initiatives at UCLA.

Before UCLA, Cassidy led the fellowships offices at Loyola Marymount University and Cal State LA, supporting students and alumni through highly competitive application processes for graduate fellowships, research experiences, and postgraduate opportunities. Her work has helped students earn prestigious graduate funding, including the Gates Cambridge Scholarship, McCall MacBain Scholarship, and National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship. In 2022, she broadened her global perspective through the Fulbright International Education Administrators Program in South Korea, collaborating with universities and government agencies to explore systemic approaches to education access and workforce readiness. Her leadership has consistently centered on building supportive infrastructures and helping students translate their passions into action.

As an adjunct instructor at multiple institutions, Dr. Cassidy has also taught courses on personal statement writing, leadership, college student development, and postgraduate pathways. Her teaching philosophy is rooted in culturally relevant andragogy and critical frameworks, designed to empower students from diverse backgrounds.

Her scholarship reflects this same commitment to equity. Dr. Cassidy’s mixed-methods dissertation explored community college and transfer student access to nationally competitive awards. She has presented her research at national conferences and published in academic collections. Her recent study, a content analysis on the Matthew Effect of Fulbright U.S. Student participants, examined themes of access and equity in international education, and earned an award at NAFSA in 2023.

Dr. Cassidy’s personal mission to eliminate barriers to higher education has driven her career, fueling a deep commitment to providing all students with the tools they need to succeed.