UW–Madison alumna Nicole Contreras-Garcia is the recipient of the Richard M. Romano Dissertation of the Year Award from the Council for the Study of Community Colleges (CSCC).
Contreras-Garcia earned her PhD from the School of Education’s Department of Educational Leadership and Policy Analysis in 2025 and is now an assistant professor of higher education leadership at Florida Atlantic University.
Her dissertation, “‘Dodging Around It’: A Mixed Methods Study of How Transfer-Aspiring Students of Color Navigate and Experience Racialized Institutional Conditions,” examines the racial inequities students of color faced while transferring from a Midwestern community college. Using surveys and interviews, Contreras-Garcia found that financial obstacles, racially biased interactions, and unequal access to college resources often slowed students’ transfer progress. Quantitative findings identified where disparities exist, while qualitative findings illuminated their systemic and intersectional nature and highlighted students’ resilience and agency. Students and educators also shared their vision for a reimagined “people’s college” that truly embodies democratization and racial equity.
“It is a privilege to have my work recognized, and the award feels like coming ‘home’ full circle, having been a community college student who finally found and felt at home in education there,” says Contreras-Garcia. “That experience is what inspired me to pursue a PhD.”
She adds: “This award carries even more meaning for me because I was nominated by my mentor and doctoral advisor, Dr. Xueli Wang. Her work on, with, and for community colleges has been inspiring and reinvigorating, and she continues to be a truly supportive home base for me.”