Her Appointment Draws Praise

Interim President Willie J. Hagan: “I am extremely pleased Dr. Mildred García has been selected as the next president of Cal State Fullerton. She is a seasoned and experienced chief executive and has made access to higher education a central concern of her distinguished career. After watching her in action as president of CSU Dominguez Hills, I can report that she carries the mantle of executive leadership with the confidence born of more than a decade as a university president, first at Berkeley College, and since 2007, in the CSU. Cal State Fullerton is indeed fortunate to be gaining as its fifth president a nationally respected leader with firsthand knowledge of the CSU, and an extensive and diverse higher education skill set. She is the ideal person to lead this university in living up to the challenges and opportunities before us.”

Silas H. Abrego, acting vice president for student affairs: “I’m really excited about her appointment. I'm a big fan of Dr. García. She has a strong background in initiatives that support retention and graduation She's a seasoned and compassionate leader who believes in and practices collegial and transparent governance. In addition, she brings to this campus immediate national recognition as a figure who influences higher education not only in research and diversity but also in teaching. She's a prominent individual and she is nationally recognized for her contributions to higher education. A professional of high integrity, she is passionate and committed to providing the best education to all students. An excellent fundraiser, she will bring to Fullerton the external financial support that all institutions need in these times of limited resources.”

Jack Bedell, chair of the Academic Senate and emeritus professor of sociology: “Dr. Mildred García brings high energy to this campus. We look forward to working with her as we tackle such issues as academic quality, online education, access, threats to the classroom such as increasing student-faculty Ratios and the need to prepare the future workforce through student-faculty research projects.”

Paul Carter, CSUF Alumni Association president and partner of Bergkvist, Bergkvist & Carter, LLP and member of the Advisory Committee to the Trustees' Committee for the Selection of the President: “Having participated in the selection process from the start, I was immediately impressed with Dr. García's accomplishments and credentials. I suspected at that time that Dr. García was a perfect fit for Cal State Fullerton. When we interviewed Dr. García, she confirmed that belief. Since I graduated 20 years ago, Dr. Gordon has transformed CSUF. Dr. García is the right choice to amplify Dr. Gordon's hard work and to take CSUF to the next level. I am excited about CSUF's future with Dr. García, and I look forward to working with her.”

Diana Guerin, professor of child and adolescent development and member of the Advisory Committee to the Trustees’ Committee for the Selection of the President: “Search committee members were impressed with President Garcia's energy, enthusiasm and accomplishments. Her experience in the CSU will benefit the campus as we move forward in these challenging times for public higher education.”

Pamela C. Hillman, vice president for university advancement: “We really look forward to welcoming her here and introducing her to our many alumni, donors, and business and civic leaders. I know that her experience and dynamic personality will be invaluable as we continue to build those all-important external relationships.”

Henry Mendoza, a CSUF alumnus, managing partner of Mendoza, Berger & Company and a member of the California State University Board of Trustees: “Dr. García has big shoes to fill, but she will be fantastic. She is the right person for the job. She brings with her expertise, experience and enthusiasm. She understands all the issues faced by Hispanic Servicing Institutions. She’s very warm and outgoing, but she’s also tough and with our economically tough time we are going through now, we need a tough person who can get us through. I'm excited aobut her appointment.”

Steven N. Murray, interim provost and vice president for academic affairs: “Dr. Garcia is a national figure who brings a wealth of leadership experience and a sound knowledge of the workings of the CSU system. I very much look forward to working with Dr. García and am confident in her ability to move CSU Fullerton forward during these challenging times for public higher education.”

Eric Niu, president of CSUF’s Associated Students Inc. and member of the Advisory Committee to the Trustees' Committee for the Selection of the President: “I’m very excited and welcome Dr. García to join the Fullerton family. In my interactions with her, she has demonstrated great leadership and puts students first. My hope is that she can stand with students during this economic downturn — with students facing tuition increases — and that she will be an advocate to legislators and the Chancellor’s Office on behalf of Cal State Fullerton students and make education accessible to all students. I’m very confident she will work closely with Fullerton students to maintain a quality education for students.”

Loui Olivas, president of the American Association of Hispanics in Higher Education: “On behalf of the American Association of Hispanics in Higher Education, I congratulate Dr. Mildred García for this very deserving presidential appointment. AAHHE has been privileged to have Dr. García serve on the AAHHE Board, providing leadership, synergy and guidance. On a personal note, I have known Millie for the past 25 years and I have always admired her vision, passion and commitment for improving the academic access/graduation rates for students in higher education. She is our higher-education icon.”

David Oxtoby, president of Pomona College: "I am delighted to learn that Mildred García has been appointed president of California State University, Fullerton. She has been a major leader in higher education as a fellow member of the Board of the Association of American Colleges and Universities, focusing on inclusive excellence and liberal education for the 21st century. She will bring a broad national perspective as a leader for change to CSU Fullerton."

Dawn Person, professor of educational leadership and co-editor with Mildred García of “Transforming the First Year of College For Students of Color” (University of South Carolina, June 2004): “I am ecstatic and looking forward to the opportunity to serve and support Dr. García. She has a wealth of experience, knowledge and understanding of the complexities of higher education in the state of California, as well as the nation and internationally. She will be of tremendous benefit to Cal State Fullerton. She is a colleague who I have a tremendous amount of respect for, and I look forward to working with her. Dr. García has a deep commitment to serving underrepresented populations and creating college environments that support all students. This book is a resource for educational leaders across the country and continues to be used in higher education preparation programs.”

Sharon Quirk-Silva, mayor of Fullerton and member of the Advisory Committee to the Trustees' Committee for the Selection of the President: "I look forward to working in collaboration with Dr. Garcia with university-city projects, including CollegeTown. She's dynamic amd approachable and she has ties to White House commissions and many other influential committees and boards. Those types of connections will benefit the university and the city."

Doug Simao, chair of Cal State Fullerton's Philanthropic Board of Governors: “On behalf of the philanthropic board, I offer an enthusiastic welcome to our new president, Mildred García. We look forward to introducing Dr. García to the Orange County community and working with her to create and achieve a shared vision in support of our students, faculty, staff and community. As a part of the selection process, I was fortunate to participate in her interview. Personally, I found Mildred García to be warm and visionary, articulate and clear in purpose, committed to excellence and to fulfilling the promise of higher education as the great equalizer. I look forward to my next hug, and the hard work that is sure to follow in support of our beloved university.”

Mark Hoven Stohs, chair and professor of finance and member of the Advisory Committee to the Trustees' Committee for the Selection of the President: “As one of the three faculty members on the committee to advise the CSU Board of Trustees, I welcome our new president, Mildred García. The whole committee worked diligently to recommend the three top candidates to the Board and I, along with the whole campus, look forward to working with President García to take CSUF to the next level of educational quality. This next year should be an exciting year as we work to decide how to address the difficult issues facing higher education. CSUF is lucky to have an experienced president to lead us in making these tough decisions.”