Magdalena L. Barrera

Magdalena L. Barrera is an author, educator, and university leader with 18 years of experience in higher education. A former first-generation college student, she currently serves as Vice Provost for Faculty Success at San José State University (SJSU), providing thought leadership on all aspects of faculty recruitment and professional advancement within a Hispanic Serving Institution context. Prior to joining the Office of the Provost in 2020, she was professor and department chairperson of Chicana and Chicano Studies. Dr. Barrera’s research focuses on the experiences of historically underserved students and faculty in higher education; her work has appeared in a wide range of journals, edited collections, and higher education news outlets. She is the co-author of The Latinx Guide to Graduate School (Duke University Press, 2023), which offers graduate students in humanities and social sciences fields a roadmap for surviving and thriving in advanced