Andrés Garza is the Director of the Office of Career Services and the Student Employment Office at the University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC).
Andrés Garza is the Director of the Office of Career Services and the Student Employment Office at the University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC). He assumed this position in July of 1995 and leads a staff of eight who provide services to more than 25,000 students. His office is responsible for student career development programs, completing the hiring process for more than 3,000 student employees, assisting students in their transition from the University to professional life, organizing some of the largest college-sponsored career fairs in Chicago; and coordinating the recruitment activities of employers on the campus. During his tenure, the office has expanded its presence on the Internet and now uses Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn to reach out to students and employers; has established the annual Chicago Graduate and Professional School Fair (http://chicagogradfair.ocs.uic.edu) , the largest fair of its type in Chicago with 24 co-sponsoring institutions, more than 220 recruiters from across the country and abroad, and more than 1,000 students in attendance; and increased outside revenues by more than 200%. He serves on a number of campus-wide committees including acting as chair of the Martin Luther King, Jr. Scholarship Committee since 1998. He is a member of the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE) and has acted as co-chair of the last two Chicago area annual conferences of the Midwest Association of Colleges and Employers (MWACE).
Before his promotion to his present position, Andrés served in various positions in the Latin American Recruitment and Educational Services (LARES) Program for 12 years. He helped to establish a number of programs for Latino students that were later adapted by the campus for all students. Before working at UIC, he directed an immigration unit for Catholic Charities that helped obtain permanent resident status for thousands of clients.
Andrés served as a Vista volunteer for a number of years working on immigration issues in Pilsen. He has received numerous awards such as the MWACE Award for Outstanding Contributions, the Budweiser Hispanic Hero Award, the LULAC Council 313 Award, 2 Inroads Chicago, Inc. College Counselor of the Year Awards, and an Association of Latino Parents Award. He and two sisters, who also graduated from UIC, established the Raquel M. and Alfredo Garza Scholarship for Mexican-American Students at UIC.
Andrés has a Bachelor of Science in Political Science and a Master of Public Administration both from the University of Illinois at Chicago.
