Xóchitl C. Chávez – Professor, Music Department (CHASS)

"Dr. Chávez is an Assistant Professor at UC Riverside. As the current adviser of Ballet Folklorico De UC Riverside, Dr. Chávez led her team in sacrificing their costumes this year, turning 200 yards of dress fabric into face coverings for free health clinics serving immigrant communities in Coachella, as well as for other vulnerable populations across the nation. More than her role as a professor, she looks after the well-being of her students, mostly international students like me. I can attest to her excellence in her field of expertise, but all the more for going beyond her teaching description to look after her students. She is also a lead proponent of community-engaged research involving faculty and students at UCR."

Tamra Johnson – Staff, School of Business

"Tamra is known as the ‘American Mom’ to the international students in the School of Business. She helps us with finding on campus jobs, gives us tips on networking and simply makes us feel at home away from home. I'm an international student from India and she has done a lot for me, like giving me tips for getting into the Ambassador program. During these unprecedented times, it was very difficult for me to complete my internship requirement and if she didn't believe in me, I wouldn't have had anything in my basket. I've seen her go out of her way to help the international students with anything they need. She is someone I can vouch for. She has a big heart and she makes a difference in the lives of international students in the UCR School of Business."

Nael Abu-Ghazaleh  - Professor, Computer Science and Engineering/Electrical and Computer Engineering (BCOE)

Megan Harbert – Staff, The Well

"Since joining UCR, Megan has been a huge ally of international students. At every meeting and occasion, she is a voice in support of international students. During the Fall 2019 and Winter 20020, she included international students in Meal Swipe program offering over 150 meal cards to our students with food insecurity. She has been offering international students groceries and food out of the pantry and has allowed us to share some non-perishable snacks directly from the IA office. She has been instrumental in coordinating the first campus-wide financial aid assistance to international student in Spring 2020, awarding nearly 100 international graduate and undergraduate students with some financial relief. She is truly one of the most compassionate and an amazing colleague I have had the pleasure of working with at UCR."

Judy Lee – Staff, UCR Library

"Judy is a librarian who has been going out of her way to collaborate with International Affairs on many different projects over the last 3 years: poster sessions, library tours for international students, hosting a welcome session for new international students during orientation, and participating in the resource fair are just a few examples of Judy’s commitment to supporting international students and educating them on the resources available in the UCR Library."

Walter Aaron Clark – Professor, Music Department (CHASS)

"Beyond the fact that his own work as a researcher has impacted the whole Spanish/international musicology field, Dr. Clark is an extraordinary professor and advisor. Thanks to his support and guidance, I have reinforced my skills exponentially by achieving very important goals. In less than 4 years of work together, I earned important achievements such as been selected for national, regional, and international conferences, awards and grants, and developed a solid knowledge base which allows me to continue my own career. Wherever I presented my work, I always received wonderful compliments and important scholars are now interested in my work and waiting for my dissertation. Beyond all I said, I always found in Dr. Clark a lucid and critical mind, a colleague who takes your goals as his own ones: An astonishing human being ready to pursue with you  the next step for the next goal.

I believe he is that part of the faculty who makes UCR a strong reference."

Candace Jorgensen – English Language teacher at UNEX and ISS Cultural Conversations Facilitator

Bahram Mobasher – Professor, Physics and Astronomy (CNAS)

“Professor Mobasher is a significant advocate for International Affairs and a big supporter for all students, especially international students and Iranian students. He has been an active member of the Senate Committee on International Education and has initiated many innovative programs for CNAS and BCOE to bring international students to UCR. His willingness to ask questions and learn more about challenging situations facing international students and scholars is much appreciated.”

Covadonga Lamar Prieto – Professor, Hispanic Studies (CHASS)

"Professor Covadonga Lamar Prieto has been working as a Professor in the Hispanic Studies Department for the last seven years. During all those years, Professor Lamar has been constantly in touch with undergrad and grad students in order to help them to accomplish their goals at UCR. From the perspective of myself (an international grad student), Professor Lamar has been helping me to understand each of the steps I am taking in grad school, guiding me and counseling me because she was also an international student in an American grad school. Moreover, while helping students to reach their dreams, she just got her THIRD PhD while she keeps researching on the topics of her interest. She is a very active human being, kind, and available to listen to you 24/7."