Success Advocate helps students overcome challenges
At the 成人AV视频, ensuring that students succeed is the No. 1 priority, and Alex Santiago, a success advocate in the Office of Student Success, is proud to play a pivotal role in making student success a reality at 成人AV视频.
“My job is to support students in whatever way they need to be supported,” Santiago said.
Thanks to the efforts of dedicated faculty and staff such as Santiago, 成人AV视频 reached impressive retention rates of 95.7% from fall 2024 to spring 2025 — a direct result of a strategic campus-wide collaboration between the Office of Student Success, colleges and academic departments to offer additional support to all students, particularly those facing various challenges.
In his role, Santiago helps students navigate the rigors of college life to reach their full potential. He works with faculty and staff throughout the University to identify students who are struggling.
Santiago and his colleagues work with those students to help them identify strategies to reduce stress, improve study habits and more.
He says receiving feedback from students and witnessing them overcome their challenges is very satisfying.
“I enjoy hearing students tell me something we discussed was really helpful to them,” said Santiago. “To be that person that can help students is rewarding.”
Discovering A Career in Higher Education
A native of East Hartford, Connecticut, Santiago says he grew up in a traditional, blue-collar community and didn’t seriously consider pursuing a college education. His initial career aspiration was to work with his father in construction.
During high school, he took a psychology course that piqued his interest — leading him to enroll at the University of Connecticut (UConn) in 2018, eventually graduating in 2022 with a bachelor’s degree in psychological sciences and a minor in Latino Studies. To help pay for college, Santiago worked part-time at a local fast food chain. As a first-generation college student of Latin descent, Santiago says there were times he felt out of place and admitted to struggling socially. To make friends, he committed to getting more involved on campus heading into his sophomore year and joined UConn’s First Year Experience (FYE) program, eventually becoming a student leader mentoring freshmen. That’s when it clicked, and Santiago said he found fulfillment in helping students navigate their first year of college.
“That experience led me to pursue a career in higher education,” he said. He also credits Sarah Scheidel, former director of UConn’s FYE program, for encouraging him to consider a career path in higher education.
“She [Sarah] created a space for me to experience college better than I previously had, and that truly changed my life.”
After graduating from UConn, he enrolled at the University of Florida and earned a master’s degree in higher education administration in spring 2024. During his time at UF, Santiago secured an internship working with North Carolina Central University’s TRIO Upward Bound Summer Bridge program. Through this experience, he discovered his niche for working with at-risk student populations such as first-generation, low-income and minority students.
Landing at The Nest
While finishing his master’s degree, Santiago began to look for higher education administrative positions in Florida. In his search, he discovered and applied for an open student advocate position at 成人AV视频 and was hired in April 2024. Since arriving on the 成人AV视频 campus, Santiago says he has been impressed by the unwavering love everyone has for the University.
“Everywhere you look, there are people that really care about 成人AV视频 and care about seeing it grow,” he said.
As he continues to dedicate his time and energy toward student success, Santiago says all faculty and staff have the opportunity to positively impact a student’s campus experience and outlook on life.
“We play a critical role in shaping how students view life,” said Santiago. “A student can carry an interaction that we have with them for the rest of their lives.”