STOCKTON -- Delta College Political Science Professor Cirian Villavicencio has been appointed to the California Community College Board of Governors, a significant opportunity to advocate for nearly 2 million students at 116 colleges across the state.

Gov. Gavin Newsom announced Dr. Villavicencio’s appointment late Wednesday, along with that of Nan Gomez-Heitzeberg, a trustee serving the Kern Community College District in Bakersfield.

"I am deeply humbled to be appointed by Governor Newsom to this important governing board,” Dr. Villavicencio said. “I will assume one of two faculty seats on the board and will help represent and elevate the voices of 1.9 million California community college students, as well as 56,000 of my fellow faculty colleagues. While our system faces many challenges from artificial intelligence to closing equity gaps among our underserved and disproportionately impacted students, I know there are many opportunities to improve our system and the lives of our students.”

Dr. Villavicencio has over 18 years of experience in higher education, and currently serves as professor and co-chair of the Department of Political Science.

He has been active in local, state, and national politics, including serving as a staffer for the California Asian American Pacific Islander Legislative Caucus in the state Capital. He was elected twice as a delegate to the Democratic National Convention in support of former President Barack Obama in 2008 and 2012.

In 2014, Dr. Villavicencio was appointed by then-Gov. Jerry Brown to serve on the California Commission on Asian and Pacific Islander American Affairs, where he worked to elevate the political, economic, and social issues facing these groups. He also helped co-found the new Empowering Positive Initiatives for Change (EPIC) learning community for Delta’s Asian American Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander students

In 2020, he received Delta’s Distinguished Faculty Award.

“We are so very proud of Dr. Villavicencio and his commitment to serve the entire community college system in California," said Delta College Superintendent/President Dr. Lisa Aguilera Lawrenson. "The fact that he was selected to represent professors from all over the state speaks to the high quality of our Delta College faculty and their determination to help students succeed.”

Dr. Villavicencio said he was honored to represent the Central Valley, San Joaquin County, and Stockton as the state enters a “transformative period in higher education.”

“I promise to be a voice for ingenuity, reason, compassion, and integrity in this important role for our system and state,” he said.

More information

Announcement from the California Community College Chancellor's Office
Announcement from Gov. Newsom's office

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