Without our advisors, IEV would be lost! Current advisors for IEV are Patricia Joly and Luis Garcia and both work in the Migrant Student Services offices in Holden Hall.
Luis Alonzo Garcia
Office: C-249 Holden Hall
Phone: (517) 432-9900
Email: [email protected]
Luis Alonzo Garcia’s life experiences relate perfectly to the work he does at MSU Migrant Student Services (MSS) specifically for International Engagement in Mexico. Community service comes naturally to Luis Garcia, as he served over two years with Peace Corps in South America., designed to give the CAMP Scholars an incredible opportunities to learn the value of volunteering, community service and to improve the quality of life in communities that are less fortunate.
Currently, he is serving as the Director of MSU’s Migrant Student Services and oversees College Assistance Migrant Scholars Program (CAMP Scholars), High School Equivalency Program (HEP), MSU Identification & Recruitment Center (ID&R) and La Siembra. These projects along with other initiatives and smaller grants all focus on servicing Migrant/Seasonal Farmworker (MSFW) seeking to further their education.
Luis brings enormous skills and experience to Migrant Student Services and is pivotal in identifying issues related to farmworker families and their challenges. With his extensive knowledge and strong leadership skills he works closely with MSU, state, national and international leaders to ensure funding and engagement that supports MSFW issues but specifically advancing their education.
In his free time Luis continues to nurture the wonders of his garden and cooking with his very own vegetable and flowers. One dream of his is to teach a cooking class. Relaxing and spending time with his family is also an important activity.
Elias Lopez
Office: C- 249 Holden Hall
Phone:
Email: [email protected]
Elias grew up in both the Rio Grande Valley located in south Texas and Michigan as his parents migrated year after year. As far back as he can remember he has always been a part of the migrant stream which allowed him to participate in the migrant education programs in both Texas and Michigan. By the time Elias reached 12th grade he was given the option to drop out of high school because he did not have enough academic credits to meet his graduation requirements. Thanks to one of his Spanish teachers who was willing to go out of her way he was able to make up enough credits to meet the graduation requirement for one of the Texas schools that he attended. With no aspirations to continue higher education Elias went on to do what he knew. He once again migrated to work full time for Zelenka’s Nursery in Holland, MI and continue the migrant way of life just as his parents. Thanks to a disagreement with his supervisor Elias had the opportunity to meet a recruiter from the Michigan State University’s CAMP program which changed his life forever. Elias was a participant of the first CAMP cohort in 2001. He graduated from Michigan State University in 2006 and he is in the process of completing his master’s in Higher, Adult, Lifelong Education, Administration.