Maria Grando is the new CAFES Academic Advisor with a background in higher education counseling, grant management and student support services. Grando is a first-generation transfer student with a master’s degree in higher education counseling and student affairs from Cal Poly. Her experience includes coordinating grant-funded projects, developing and delivering student workshops and fostering inclusive campus environments. A fun fact about Grando is that she has developed a true “green thumb” through years of dedication and now tends to a thriving collection of over a hundred plants.