By Sylvia A. Alva, contributing writer
We all need role models. They give us a glimpse into what is possible and spark potential within each of us.
As Women’s History Month draws to a close, I am reminded of a transformative encounter that redefined my perspective on leadership and possibility. It was a chance meeting, but its impact has reverberated through my professional journey ever since.
About 30 years ago, Rosa Parks had been the keynote speaker at a conference I attended. She was a key figure of the Civil Rights Movement, whose role in the Montgomery bus boycott from 1955 to 1956, changed the course of history in our country. I was inspired by her speech from afar, and unbeknownst to me, we boarded the same shuttle bus back to the hotel.
We had a nice conversation on that short trip back to the hotel. She was kind, thoughtful and her petite stature belied the monumental impact she had on American history.
When I got back to my hotel room, I began to reflect on the historic effect she had on our nation’s civil rights journey. Our country was changed for the better because of her actions and those of others who are working hard to create a more perfect union; a more inclusive and just union.
At that stage of my career, I rarely saw other Latinas in leadership roles in higher education.
As the daughter of immigrants and the first in my family to graduate from college, I often have felt like a square peg in a round hole. I have often been, “the first” and “the only.”
It can be exhausting, taxing and challenging at times to be your full and authentic self when you are the first or the only one in the room. It helps to have role models when you are navigating uncharted waters. Representation matters.
She helped me see that leaders can be kind, thoughtful and powerful; that effective leaders can be female, equity-minded and that we can lead with the principles of social justice and equity, in our own authentic way.
These values are essential to counter the headwinds that women often face. The wage gap is one example. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, women make 84 cents on the dollar compared with men. The wage gap is larger for women of color.
As the third female president of Cal State Fullerton, I stand on the shoulders of giants, and I am deeply committed to educational equity and inclusive excellence. Long before I began serving as president, Cal State Fullerton made important strides for gender equity.
More than half of Cal State Fullerton’s students are women. That is nearly 21,000 Titans. We often lead the CSU with the highest number of bachelor and doctoral degrees awarded to female students. Our four-year graduation rate for female students has never been higher.
Programs like the College of Business and Economics Women’s Leadership Program are preparing students of all genders to remove or overcome barriers to the advancement of women into top leadership positions.
I see this progress at our university and in our community. I recently attended an Orange County Board of Supervisors meeting where they recognized female county leaders on Equal Pay Day (March 12) and then voted to establish a Commission on the Status of Women and Girls.
We need all these efforts and more.
Cal State Fullerton is a transformational leader because our students build on opportunities to become the role models we seek, and they will inspire future generations to reach greater heights and shatter the glass ceilings in their path.
I am grateful to Rosa Parks for being an inspiring role model and for helping me become a courageous leader and champion of gender equity.
Sylvia A. Alva began leading Cal State Fullerton as president in August 2023.
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