[Congressional Record Volume 158, Number 18 (Friday, February 3, 2012)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E138-E139]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




    CONGRATULATING DR. MILDRED GARCIA ON HER RECENT APPOINTMENT AS 
          PRESIDENT OF CALIFORNIA STATE UNIVERSITY, FULLERTON

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. LAURA RICHARDSON

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                        Friday, February 3, 2012

  Ms. RICHARDSON. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate Dr. Mildred 
Garcia, President of California State University, Dominguez Hills, who 
was recently named the new president of California State University, 
Fullerton by the California State University Board of Trustees.
  California State University, Dominguez Hills--located in my 
congressional district--has benefitted greatly from Dr. Garcia's 
leadership. Dr. Garcia is the first Latina to ever hold the title of 
president at a university in the CSU system, and her track record of 
success at CSU Dominguez Hills offers a shining example to university 
presidents across the nation. Her hard work and commitment to public 
education has helped to raise the status of the university in our 
community and across the state of California.
  Dr. Garcia, the daughter of Puerto Rican immigrants, grew up of 
humble means in Brooklyn, New York. The second youngest of seven 
children, Dr. Garcia worked as a secretary to put herself through 
college and understood that the key to opportunity and success is a 
good education. After receiving two masters degrees from NYU and 
Columbia, Dr. Garcia went on to obtain her Ed.D. from Columbia 
University, Teachers College.
  Before coming to CSU Dominguez Hills, Dr. Garcia taught at Arizona 
State University and spent ten years as the president of Berkeley 
College in New York. Over the past four and a half years, Dr. Garcia 
has worked diligently to elevate the status of CSU Dominguez Hills. 
When she began her tenure at Dominguez Hills, the university was 
struggling to meet enrollment targets and had an incoming freshman 
class with an average high school GPA below 3.0.
  Dr. Garcia has been able to raise enrollment levels to a record high 
of 15,000 students. In 2010-11 CSU Dominguez Hills received 27,036 
student applications, an increase of 62 percent compared to 2006-07. 
CSU Dominguez Hills is also enjoying higher retention and graduation 
rates, and is becoming a more popular option for students just 
graduating from high school. Dr. Garcia has also

[[Page E139]]

been successful at increasing alumni donor participation by 400 
percent, and securing the university's first-ever endowed 
professorship.
  During Dr. Garcia's tenure as President of CSU Dominguez Hills, her 
leadership and commitment helped to make the university a hub for 
higher education in the South Bay and greater Los Angeles. In 2008 CSU 
Dominguez Hills was awarded the highest possible evaluation from 
Western Association of Schools and Colleges, receiving a rare 10-year 
reaccreditation.
  Upon Dr. Garcia's arrival, CSU Dominguez Hills faced a $2.8 million 
structural deficit, with the state appropriation of $71,489,966. Under 
her leadership, the university successfully eliminated its structural 
deficit in spite of the continued decrease in state appropriation, 
which today is $59,766,882 (a 16 percent decrease).
  Under Dr. Garcia's leadership, CSU Dominguez Hills has won federal 
grants to help expand online education access to students, improve the 
quality of teaching in high-need schools by creating model teacher 
preparation and teaching residency programs, and provide students the 
support they need to complete their studies and graduate. All of these 
initiatives have helped to make CSU Dominguez Hills graduates active 
players in our economic recovery by improving community spirit, 
inspiring local business growth and lowering the local unemployment 
rate.
  Last summer, Dr. Garcia was chosen by President Barack Obama to serve 
on the President's Advisory Commission on Educational Excellence for 
Hispanics. As a member of this commission, Dr. Garcia has been tasked 
with advising the President and Education Secretary Duncan on ways to 
improve the success rates of Hispanic students across the country.
  At the conclusion of this academic year, Dr. Garcia will take her 
talent for leadership to California State University, Fullerton, one of 
California's largest universities. Although CSU Dominguez Hills is sad 
to see Dr. Garcia leave its campus, the legacy of her work and her 
impact on the community will continue to have an influence the 
university for years to come.
  I am proud to have worked closely with Dr. Garcia to help make CSU 
Dominguez Hills a model urban public university, and I am sure she will 
bring the same enthusiasm for success to CSU Fullerton. Although she 
will no longer be working in my district, I am positive that Dr. Garcia 
and I will continue our work together to ensure that every student in 
California has access to a quality and affordable college education.
  Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in congratulating Dr. 
Mildred Garcia for her appointment to become the next president of CSU 
Fullerton.

                          ____________________