Mildred García, the president of the American Association of State Colleges and Universities (AASCU) will give the commencement address at Ithaca College.
AASCU President To Speak At Ithaca College
124th Commencement Ceremony To Take Place On May 19
Mildred García, the president of the American Association of State Colleges and Universities (AASCU) will give the commencement address at Ithaca College. During the 124th Commencement ceremony on Sunday, May 19, she will also receive an honorary Doctor of Letters degree.
García is the first Latina to lead one of the six Washington, D.C.–based higher education associations. As AASCU president, she works to influence federal policy and regulations. AASCU represents nearly 400 institutions, whose members share a learning and teaching–centered culture, a historic commitment to underserved student populations and a dedication to research and creativity that advances their regions’ economic progress and cultural development.
“Dr. García has been an inspiration to me, both throughout my career and in my personal life,” said Ithaca College President Shirley M. Collado. “As a first-generation college student and Latina pioneer in higher education administration, she has done incredible, visible and highly successful work around creating inclusive environments for both learners and leaders, and ensuring full participation in academic and professional spaces for people who have been often underserved and overlooked. I am thrilled that she’s going to be with us for our Commencement this spring, and I look forward to joining our graduating seniors, their families, and our faculty and staff in hearing her tell her story.”
Before AASCU, García served as president of California State University, Fullerton which is number one in California and second in the nation in awarding bachelor’s degrees to Hispanics and sixth in the nation in graduating students of color. She was previously president of California State University, Dominguez Hills, becoming the first Latina president in the largest system of public higher education in the country.
She previously held positions at Berkeley College, Arizona State University, Montclair State University, Pennsylvania State University, Columbia University and the City University of New York.
“Her work has pioneered the way for many students in higher education, viewing college as a right, not a privilege,” said Senior Class President Ezeka Allen. “Her work ethic and drive to change the world is exactly the courage we need in this next chapter of our lives. I look forward to being able to hear about what kept her going through the difficult times, and how her background allows her to have a diverse perspective.”
Her honors include being appointed by President Barack Obama to serve on the President’s Advisory Commission on Educational Excellence for Hispanics, the Secretary of Defense to serve on Air University’s Board of Visitors and the Secretary of Education to serve on the Committee on Measures of Student Success.
García holds a Doctor of Education degree and a master’s degree in Higher Education Administration from Teachers College, Columbia University; an M.A. in Business Education/Higher Education from New York University; a B.S. in Business Education from Baruch College, City University of New York; and an A.A.S. from New York City Community College.
Read more at https://www.ithaca.edu/commencement/commencement-speaker-2019
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