Camarillo, Calif., Sept. 9, 2009 – The Alumni & Friends Association at CSU Channel Islands (CI) recently announced the election of Leah Lacayo as the new Executive Board President.
Leah Lacayo brings with her an illustrious history of community, political, and organizational experience. She and her husband Hank, President of the Congress of California Seniors, have been involved and active with the University from its inception.
Lacayo has served as a Ventura County Fair Foundation trustee, director and past president of the Agricultural Association, founding member of Destino: The Hispanic Legacy Fund, advisory board of the Jewish Labor Committee, and member of the Labor Council for Latin American Advancement. She has a long history of commitment to education from elementary through high school, plus her current work on the Alumni & Friends board. These activities represent only a small sample of her involvement with the community.
Lacayo explained that since the school was new and the alumni still young, “We decided to make our organization one that represented not only the alums but members of the community who want to participate as friends. It has really broadened our outreach.” Working as membership chairman last year, Lacayo was gratified to see the number of paid members rise to 1,000. “From day one we have focused on building membership and are so pleased to see so many members of the community interested in being involved with the University,” she added.
Lacayo stated emphatically that there was a great need in Ventura County for a university to provide quality education for students at a more affordable price and that President Rush had done an outstanding job in growing the University, despite deep budget cuts.
Lacayo also stated that her goals for this year’s presidency were to make the organization self-sustaining and to work toward creating scholarships for deserving students.
Other new Executive Board officers are: Vice President, Guillermo Partida (alum); Treasurer, Cindy Borchard (friend); Secretary, Terry Ballman (faculty member) and Immediate Past President Mike Silacci (friend).
For further information about the Alumni & Friends Association contact Tania Garcia, Associate Director of Alumni Relations, at CSU Channel Islands, 805-437-8952 or tania.garcia@csuci.edu.
For media inquiries contact Nancy Gill, Director of Communication & Marketing at CSU Channel Islands, 805-437-8456 or nancy.gill@csuci.edu.
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CSU Channel Islands is accredited by the Accrediting Commission for Senior Colleges and Universities of the Western Association of Schools and Colleges.
CSUCI Mission Statement
Placing students at the center of the educational experience, California State University Channel Islands provides undergraduate and graduate education that facilitates learning within and across disciplines through integrative approaches, emphasizes experiential and service learning, and graduates students with multicultural and international perspectives.
