Dr. Silvia Garcia
Director
Dr. Silvia Garcia is the Director of Research and Assessment in the IU Indianapolis Office of Community Engagement. Dr. Garcia has years of experience in facilitating and conducting research that involves the participation and close collaboration with community partners in projects designed to further community development.
Dr. Garcia conducts applied research and program evaluations that address complex community issues through a disparity-reduction lens. She has been actively involved in supporting local organizations to measure the progress and impact of projects and programs to improve the quality of life of urban neighborhoods in Indianapolis. In recent years, Dr. Garcia has conducted research projects prioritizing the voices and well-being of immigrant communities in Marion County. These studies focused on understanding barriers and opportunities for migrants and refugees, the organizations supporting immigrants, and the factors affecting youth immigrants’ transition to stable work.
Dr. Garcia was a Research Scholar for two years at the IU Bloomington School of Education and has worked at IUPUI since 2012. She has a Ph.D. in Development Studies from the Universidad Central de Venezuela, a Master of Education from Harvard University, and a Master of Public Affairs—Non-Profit Management from IU Indianapolis. She is a Founding member of ENGAGE! Journal and Associate Editor between 2019 and 2021.