Monday-Friday, 8:30am - 5:00pm
Telephone: (408) 554-4972
basicneeds@scu.edu
The Basic Needs program is supported by a full-time Basic Needs Coordinator and an Assistant Dean for Student Life.
Jason Fitzer, Ph.D (he/him)
Assistant Dean for Student Life Basic Needs & Campus Climate
Benson Memorial Center, 205
(408) 554-4583
Dr. Jason Fitzer has worked as a student affairs educator focused on helping students become involved and engaged for over a decade. A California native, Dr. Fitzer grew up in Northern California and graduated with a bachelor’s of science in business administration from California State University Chico. Dr. Fitzer has completed graduate education obtaining a master's of education in college student affairs administration and later a Ph.D. in counseling and student personnel services from the University of Georgia. His research focused on topics of equity, diversity, and inclusion. Dr. Fitzer has worked in various student engagement and support functions, including student government, fraternity and sorority life, student events, and student conduct.
Alexis Takagi is Santa Clara University’s inaugural Basic Needs Coordinator, helping students access essential resources such as food, housing, and programs like CalFresh to support their basic needs. Previously, Alexis was a research fellow at the American Voices Project, a collaboration between Stanford and Princeton University, where she studied systemic inequities and the pandemic's impact on education, informing Federal Reserve policy. She served as co-chair of the Independent California Colleges Advocate Program (21/22 cohort), successfully securing a $25.9 million investment to improve Cal Grant funding for students at independent non-profit institutions. In 2022, Governor Gavin Newsom appointed Alexis to the California Student Aid Commission (CSAC), where she oversaw $3.2 billion in financial aid and advocated for first-generation and undocumented students, promoting equitable access to higher education.
