Jose Alfredo Cervantez

I was raised in Los Angeles and spent eight years working in the restaurant industry before deciding to enroll in community college. My early exposure to the workforce showed me that talent and effort matter, but so does whether someone notices you, vouches for you, and puts your name forward when it counts. I started grad school with that curiosity about the nature of opportunity.

My research focuses on sponsorship, with an emphasis on how people and organizations decide who gets recognized, supported, and promoted. Sponsors lend their credibility, advocate behind closed doors, and promote others for opportunities. I examine what shapes these decisions, from attention and beliefs to social context, and how organizations can do a better job identifying and backing talent, especially those who have been historically overlooked.

I will be on the 2026–2027 academic job market.