Alex Garcia – Alumni Spotlight, Class of 2009

Alex Garcia (she/her) graduated from UW–Madison in 2009 with a Bachelor’s degree in Social Work and a certificate in Women’s Studies, followed by a Master’s in Social Work in 2010. After graduation, she worked in in-home and community-based hospice care in Milwaukee until 2012, after which she transitioned to the Emergency Department at UW Hospital and Clinics, where she worked until 2016. Alex then returned to UW–Madison to earn her certification as a school social worker and began working in Dane County schools in 2016. Currently, Alex serves as a school social worker at DeForest Area High School in DeForest, Wisconsin. In 2024, Alex was recognized as the School Social Worker of the Year in Wisconsin. This honor was made possible by the Wisconsin School Social Work Association.

How does Gender and Women’s Studies/LGBTQ+ studies matter in the day-to-day of your professional life? 

Gender and Women’s Studies, along with LGBTQ+ studies, are integral to both my professional and personal life. I firmly believe that every person has multiple layers of identity and intersectionality, and it’s crucial to recognize, affirm, and support —especially in children and young adults. Whether it’s holding a safe space for someone to explore their identities, creating inclusive and welcoming environments, or discussing consent and boundaries in healthy relationships, these issues are part of my daily work. I support youth who have experienced a wide range of traumas—racial, gender-based, cultural, generational—and understanding these complex traumas and grief help me provide more compassionate, informed care.

Do you have advice for students who may share your interests and may want to pursue a similar graduate degree and/or career?

My best advice is to start addressing any personal challenges or unresolved “gremlins” that linger in the back of your mind or shoved deep under your bed. Serving others while also processing your own lived experiences can be rough. Do this now, while you’re still surrounded by a supportive community.

Another key piece of advice is to find what feels like it’s not work—what comes naturally or easily to you. When you discover that, you’ve found your “golden ticket.” There will inevitably be tough days, struggles, and moments when you want to give up. But as long as you remain grounded in your “why”—your core purpose—those challenging moments become easier to navigate.

What do you remember fondly from the Department of Gender & Women’s Studies? Favorite class? Instructor?

I remember Freshman year taking Gen&WS 103: Gender, Women, Bodies, and Health class and being floored at ALL the things I didn’t know about my OWN body! My high school health class failed me! The classes I took in the GWS department made me want to be a strong advocate for others. One of my courses introduced me to PAVE (Promoting Awareness, Victim Empowerment) during a presentation and I immediately joined! What I learned and later presented on, I use to this day and throughout my almost 15 years in the field.

What, if anything, do you wish you could tell your undergraduate self?

Take all the classes! There are so many times that as a working adult I wish I could go back and take more classes at UW. There are so many opportunities to be really well rounded and lean into learning. Most importantly, slow down and really take it all in. Spend time walking the Arb, sit down on Bascom on a warm day, study next to the lake, enjoy coffee in Helen, stroll down State and listen to a stranger’s story, and attend all the multicultural events. Enjoy it!