Dave Cruz (he/him/they/siya) is a proud first-generation UC Davis alumnus and ImmiGrad from Bulacan and Pampanga in the Philippines.

He began his academic journey in the U.S. at the Peralta Community College District (Peralta CCD) in Fall 2014, where he earned four associate degrees, including in Political Science and Spanish. Throughout his time at Peralta, Dave held various leadership roles and served on committees at both the district and statewide levels, advocating for underrepresented and underserved student communities. He was notably the Student Trustee for the Peralta CCD and the System Affairs Director for the Student Senate for California Community Colleges (SSCCC).

At UC Davis, Dave remained deeply involved in the community. He contributed to the Fil-Am community as a member, mentor, and dance director, while also working at the Student Recruitment and Retention Center (SRRC). There, he served as Student Director for Collective: Transfer & Non-Traditional Student Empowerment and as Secretary on the SRRC governing board. In Fall 2019, just before the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown, Dave earned a Bachelor of Arts in International Relations (with a Peace and Security emphasis) and a minor in Human Rights. In Winter 2022, he returned to UC Davis as a professional staff member, working with the Community Resource and Retention Centers, Office of Educational Opportunity and Enrichment Services, the Redwood SEED Scholars Program, and the Office of Enrollment Management. He eventually joined the Aggie Compass Basic Needs Center team as a Basic Needs Coordinator.

Dave is passionate about student recruitment and retention, focusing on supporting transfer, non-traditional, first-generation, and historically marginalized communities as they navigate higher education. He strives to provide relevant programming and advising to help these students achieve their academic goals. Fluent in Tagalog (Filipino), Kapampangan (Filipino), and with intermediate proficiency in Spanish, Dave brings a multicultural perspective to his work. Outside of his professional life, he loves cooking, particularly Filipinx cuisine, and enjoys singing, dancing, and collecting K-pop merchandise. He is a dedicated fan of groups like Twice, NCT, Seventeen, TO1, Zerobaseone, Kep1er, and many more!