UTA Libraries Staff Spotlight: Alessia Cavazos

Helping people achieve academic success is what Alessia Cavazos has been tasked to do in her role at UTA Libraries serving as the Undergraduate Success Librarian. 

Since joining the library staff in 2019, Alessia has worked with professors to create unique learning opportunities to engage students in and outside the classroom through the Libraries' Experiential Learning Faculty Facilitators Program. 

"The aim and goal are to help professors look at their curriculum and identify where there can be change," Alessia said. "We want professors to say, 'I want my curriculum to be engaging.' So, we go in and help them do curriculum redesign. " 

The program enhances students' educational experience by utilizing the resources and technologies at UTA libraries.  

Faculty from any discipline can submit a syllabus from a regularly taught class to be considered for the program. 

If accepted into the program, library staff work to create or redesign curricula or assignments incorporating hands-on learning projects with the faculty member.  

The other part of Alessia's job at the library is where she teaches and serves as a liaison to a couple of different academic departments, such as English, Linguists, and the Student Success Center, on the introduction to college courses providing supplemental instruction. In this role, Alessia works to ensure that the material not only makes sense to students, but that they can relate to it. 

Alessia shared that helping students find success at the university is what motivates her to come to the library daily. 

“I like coming into work knowing that there is going to be an email in my inbox where a student is like, ‘hey, I am working on this project, but I don’t know where to get these resources or where to start. Can you talk to me about the direction and just discuss my thesis?’” Alessia said. “Anything like that is what drives me.”