A note of appreciation for Luis Garcia | Undergraduate Education

After decades of dedicated service, Luis Garcia, the longtime head of Michigan State University’s Migrant Student Services (MSS), has retired from his position as director of MSS. In his 40 years at MSU, Luis has built a legacy defined by deep commitment, transformative advocacy, and an unwavering belief in the potential of every student he served.

Luis’s work always focused on creating pathways and growing opportunities for students and their communities. MSU’s farmworker students navigate unique educational, economic, and social challenges. Their journeys into MSU often began with Luis’s steady presence, his ability to listen, and his refusal to let structural barriers determine a student’s future. Under his leadership, MSS grew into one of the most respected programs of its kind in the nation, offering students not only academic support but a genuine sense of belonging and community.

Portrait image in a circular frame. Subject is looking at the camera and smiling, seen from the chest up. They are wearing a blue suit jacket and light blue collared shirt with dark framed glasses and short, grey hair.

Through initiatives such as the College Assistance Migrant Program (CAMP), the High School Equivalency Program (HEP), and the National Migrant Scholars Internship (NMSI) program, Luis and his colleagues in MSS expanded opportunities for students to enter and thrive in higher education. Their efforts helped MSU build strong partnerships with schools, families, and community organizations across Michigan and beyond. Those partnerships did not just strengthen pipelines; they improved graduates’ lives as well as the lives of their family and community members. Luis and his colleagues have long opened doors for students who might never have imagined themselves as Spartans, scholars, or graduates.

Luis’s leadership has also shaped MSU’s broader student success strategy. His work exemplifies the shift away from a student deficit model in which students are expected to adapt to systems that were not built for them and toward an approach that challenges the institution to transform itself. Luis consistently reminded us that student success is not about “fixing students,” but about understanding their strengths, honoring their experiences, and reshaping our practices to ensure they can flourish. His work has been a living example of that philosophy.

Beyond programs and policies, Luis is known for the quiet, often unseen work, like the phone calls to families, the late-night check-ins with students, and the mentorship that continued long after graduation. Generations of Spartans carry his influence with them into their careers and their communities.

As Luis steps into retirement, we celebrate not only what he has built, but the spirit with which he built it. His leadership has helped make MSU more inclusive, more compassionate, and even more capable of fulfilling its mission as Michigan’s state university. Despite the ongoing instability of federal funding for the College Assistance Migrant Program (CAMP), the program will continue next year due in large part to Luis’s ongoing advocacy and fundraising. We are also taking this opportunity to change the name of MSS to Farmworker Student Services, a name change for which Luis had long advocated.

I am very happy to say that while Luis is stepping away from his role of director, he is staying involved in the advancement work he has long led in Undergrad Ed. Starting Jan. 1, Luis will work part-time leading fundraising work for Farmworker Student Services and several other related units in Undergrad Ed.

Thank you, Luis, for your vision, your service, and your profound commitment to our students. Your legacy will continue to shape MSU for years to come.