Mildred García is the daughter of Puerto Ricans and was the first in her family to earn a college degree and values higher education as a way to transform lives and families. She graduated from several institutions, including a New York Community college, Bernard M. Baruch College in the City University of New York system, and New York University. In addition, he holds master's and doctoral degrees in higher education administration from Columbia University's Teachers College.

García, who has been president of the American Association of State Colleges and Universities since 2018, served for nearly 12 years as president of two campuses in the California state system — first in Dominguez Hills and then in Fullerton.

She will be the next dean of California State University (CSU), becoming the first Latina to lead the largest public university system in the United States.

Comprising 23 campuses and approximately 460,000 students, CSU's system is of great importance to higher education in the country, awarding about 130,000 degrees per year. Nearly 40 percent of the system's undergraduate students come from California community colleges.

The new dean expressed her desire to make CSU a leading educational laboratory in the country by focusing on adequate funding for the system and raising public awareness of the importance of higher education. She takes office on Oct. 1, succeeding Jolene Koester, acting chancellor.

The appointment of Mildred García represents a significant milestone for diversity and inclusion in academic leadership, paving the way for more opportunities for Latino leaders in the U.S. public education system.

Source: https://www.washingtonpost.com/education/2023/07/12/mildred-garcia-california-state-university/