The Inauguration of Dr. Mildred García
Mildred García became the fifth CSU board-appointed president of Cal State Fullerton in June 2012.
Previously, she served as president of Cal State Dominguez Hills beginning in 2007, where she was the eleventh female president—and first Latina president—in the California State University system.
Prior to coming to the CSU, she was president of Berkeley College in New York and New Jersey from 2001 to 2007, and earlier held positions at Arizona State University, Montclair State University, and the Hostos and LaGuardia community colleges of the City University of New York.
An educator foremost, García began her career as a faculty member. Currently, García is a professor of education at Cal State Fullerton and previously was a professor of graduate education at Cal State Dominguez Hills and a professor in the Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences at Arizona State University. Dr. García has taught at community colleges, comprehensive institutions and research universities, including LaGuardia Community College, City University of New York (CUNY); City College of New York, CUNY; Montclair State University; Pennsylvania State University; and Teachers College, Columbia University.
Named to Hispanic Business magazine's 100 Most Influential Hispanics list for 2007, García has a strong commitment to multicultural alliances and believes that these coalitions strengthen students' self-development and opportunities, as well as strengthen institutions and communities.
Her research and publications focus on the impact of equity in higher education policy and practice, and her books include Succeeding in an Academic Career; Assessing Campus Diversity Initiatives (co-authored); and Transforming the First Year of College for Students of Color (with Laura I. Rendón and Dawn Person). She has served on editorial boards for a variety of scholarly publications and been an active participant or consultant in the policy work of the National Science Foundation, the American Educational Research Association, the Middle States Commission on Higher Education, and other national, regional and state higher education organizations.
She is also a much sought-after speaker at national and international conferences. She delivered "On the Margin and at the Center: Presidential Leadership for a Pluralistic Democracy" as the Bowen Lecturer at Claremont Graduate University; addressed the University of North Texas at Dallas System Board of Regents on the "Economic Impact of Universities on Communities;" and was the keynote speaker at the Coalition of Urban and Metropolitan Universities Annual Conference.
García serves on President Obama's Commission on Educational Excellence for Hispanics; was selected by U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan to the U.S. Committee on Measures of Student Success, charged with developing recommendations to improve student success at two-year degree-granting institutions; and serves as a member of the Board of Visitors for Air University at the request of the Secretary of Defense. She also serves on the Boards of Directors for the American Association of Hispanics in Higher Education and the Association of American Colleges and Universities. She serves on the Advisory Board of Higher Education Abstracts; the Editorial Advisory Board of Peer Review, Association of American Colleges and Universities; the Advisory Board for Hispanic Outlook in Higher Education; the National Advisory Panel of the National Institute for Learning Outcomes Assessment; and is a founding board member of the National Council for Community and Education Partnerships.
García received a Doctor of Education degree as well as a Master of Arts in Higher Education Administration from Teachers College, Columbia University; a master's degree in Business Education/Higher Education from New York University; a bachelor's degree in Business Education from Baruch College, City University of New York (CUNY); and an associate's degree in Legal Secretarial Sciences in Business from New York City Community College, CUNY.