As a Boricua Chicana scholar and mixed methodologist, Dr. Nichole M. Garcia is an Associate Professor of Higher Education at Rutgers University. Her research examines how Puerto Rican and Chicanx communities navigate structural violence—including labor exploitation, environmental harm, and educational exclusion—while cultivating intergenerational knowledge, family oral histories, and political resistance. Bridging Women of Color feminisms, Latinx sub-ethnic experiences, and higher education, her scholarship reimagines access, equity, and student success. Recognized by AERA, AAHHE, and Diverse: Issues in Higher Education, Garcia’s award-winning work and forthcoming books transform how institutions engage Puerto Rican, Chicanx, and broader Latinx communities across migration, memory, and education.
