Cal State LA President Berenecea Johnson Eanes welcomed the\u00a0campus\u00a0community\u00a0to University Convocation on Friday, Aug. 21, at the Harriet and Charles Luckman Fine Arts Complex, marking the start of the 2026-27 academic year.<\/p>\n
In her presidential address, Eanes introduced Cal State LA\u2019s\u00a0strategic\u00a0plan through 2030,\u00a0One LA, One Path Forward: Career. Community.\u00a0Connection.\u00a0The plan provides a shared framework for advancing three university priorities: career readiness, community impact, and connection and belonging.<\/p>\n
Eanes called on the university community to turn the plan\u2019s vision into action, emphasizing that its success will depend on the collective contributions of faculty, staff,\u00a0students,\u00a0alumni,\u00a0and community partners.<\/p>\n
The Convocation also featured remarks from Provost Heather Lattimer and Associated Students, Inc. President Ashley Bellorin and a panel discussion examining the strategic plan\u2019s four interconnected pillars: An Integrated Student Experience, Bridging Access to Achievement, A Culture of Empowered Growth, and Resources Aligned to Mission.<\/p>\n
Panelists included\u00a0Bellorin;\u00a0Academic Senate Chair Jessica DeShazo; Karin Elliott Brown, professor of social work\u00a0in the\u00a0Rongxiang\u00a0Xu College of Health and Human Services; and Stephen Trzaskoma, dean of the College of Arts and Letters and interim dean of the College of Natural and Social Sciences. Luisa Acosta, associate vice president for University Advancement, moderated the discussion.<\/p>\n
Following are President Eanes\u2019 remarks at Convocation:<\/p>\n
\u201cWelcome to the faculty, staff, students, alumni, foundation members, emeriti,\u00a0and community partners.<\/p>\n
One year ago, I stood before some of you and shared the personal foundation that was instilled in me by my grandmother, my mother,\u00a0and my father.\u00a0I also shared our mission, vision,\u00a0and values while affirming a promise to this campus and the community:\u00a0to empower dreams and transform lives.\u00a0One year later, that promise\u00a0remains\u00a0at the heart of our work.\u00a0And today,\u00a0we gather at a time of beginnings with a renewed commitment to turn that promise into action.<\/p>\n
A new chapter invites us to reflect on where we have been, to consider what we have learned, and to ask: What are we prepared to do next?\u00a0As we begin this fall semester, let us reflect not only on where\u00a0we\u2019re\u00a0going, but on the moment which we are called\u00a0to move forward\u2014the moment we are in.<\/p>\n
Higher education is changing.\u00a0Student expectations are changing.\u00a0Workforce needs are changing.\u00a0Communities are changing.\u00a0Across our country, questions are being asked about access, affordability, public trust, academic freedom, research, and the role of universities in strengthening our communities and our democracy.\u00a0These are important questions.\u00a0And in moments like this, we must remember who we are, why we are here, and why the work we do matters.<\/p>\n
I asked my team to bring my vase that I keep in my office with my cotton stalk.\u00a0You all know my story.\u00a0I stand before you as the granddaughter of a woman with a second-grade education\u00a0who\u00a0picked cotton.\u00a0My two sisters and I keep a vase with cotton in our offices because when I was little and I was upset about something that was purely dramatic and made no sense, I would\u00a0go see\u00a0my grandmother.\u00a0I had to do two things: braid her hair and help her do whatever she needed around the house.\u00a0And I would be complaining about some drama.\u00a0She would just look at me and say,\u00a0\u2018Nisa, you\u00a0didn\u2019t\u00a0pick cotton today.\u00a0You\u2019re\u00a0going to be all right.\u00a0You\u2019re\u00a0going to be all right.\u2019<\/p>\n
At Cal State LA, we exist to expand\u00a0opportunity.\u00a0As a public university rooted in Los Angeles, we understand that education transforms lives, strengthens families, builds communities,\u00a0and creates economic mobility.\u00a0Our responsibility extends beyond our campus.\u00a0We prepare graduates who will lead, serve, innovate,\u00a0and contribute throughout Los Angeles, California,\u00a0and beyond.\u00a0That kind of leadership requires courage, engagement,\u00a0and willingness to step forward.<\/p>\n
In 1910, Theodore Roosevelt stood before the Sorbonne in Paris and delivered a speech entitled\u00a0\u2018Citizenship in a Republic.\u2019\u00a0In that speech, he offered these words:\u00a0\u2018It is not the critic who counts, not the man who points out how strong man stumbles or woman stumbles, or where the doer of\u00a0deeds\u00a0have\u00a0done them better. The credit belongs to the person who\u00a0actually is\u00a0in the arena, whose face is marred and dusty with sweat and willing to work.\u2019<\/p>\n
Those words reminded me, as I reflect on that arena, of where we show up, where we do the work, where we learn, where we grow,\u00a0and where we win.\u00a0When I think of Cal State LA, I think about the entire university community that shows up daily to do the wonderful work.\u00a0Our students are in the arena.\u00a0Our faculty\u00a0are\u00a0in the arena.\u00a0Our staff\u00a0are\u00a0in the arena.\u00a0Our administrators and leaders are in the arena.\u00a0We are not standing outside watching the challenges facing higher education unfold.\u00a0We are inside doing the work.<\/p>\n
To our new and returning students, I want to speak directly to you.\u00a0You are not simply watching the future unfold.\u00a0You too are\u00a0shaping\u00a0the future.\u00a0Your ideas matter.\u00a0Your questions matter.\u00a0Your expectations matter.\u00a0And the work you have done to get here matters.\u00a0There will be moments that challenges\u00a0come\u00a0and you need to stretch to\u00a0meet them.\u00a0And there will be moments\u00a0that\u00a0you discover that you did it.\u00a0Stay\u00a0in\u00a0the work. Stay curious,\u00a0Stay engaged.\u00a0And always\u00a0remember:\u00a0you belong to Cal State LA.<\/p>\n
Action in the arena\u2014we imagine what is possible.\u00a0We innovate.\u00a0We engage.\u00a0We shape each moment.\u00a0We must be willing to ask\u00a0difficult questions, have courageous conversations,\u00a0and make meaningful progress.\u00a0It will take more than individual effort.\u00a0We need a path that allows all of us to move in the same direction:\u00a0One LA, One Path Forward.<\/p>\n
I want to thank each of you for the work that we are going to see come to fruition in our future strategic plan\u2014One Path: Career, Community, and Connection. It is more than a plan. It is a vision. It is a commitment to action and a promise to be fulfilled. It is a vision of where we want to go. It is a reflection of all of your feedback and participation. Every decision we make should be guided by our new upcoming plan: career readiness, community impact, and connection and belonging.<\/p>\n
One LA, One Path\u00a0Forward\u00a0aligns directly with the vision of CSU Forward.\u00a0Together we are advancing student success, access, upward mobility, innovation,\u00a0and regional impact.\u00a0Cal State LA brings its own distinctive voice to this systemwide vision by focusing on extraordinary communities we serve here in Los Angeles.<\/p>\n
Our plan was not written by one office or one individual.\u00a0Please recognize that we have a wonderful Strategic Planning Council.\u00a0Many faculty, staff,\u00a0and\u00a0administrators who\u00a0worked on all the work.\u00a0Because it was built together, it can only succeed together.\u00a0A plan is not\u00a0meant to sit\u00a0in a binder on\u00a0a\u00a0shelf.\u00a0Our plan\u00a0is going\u00a0to put us in a place where we can teach, advise, conduct research, support operations, mentor students, keep our campus beautiful,\u00a0and serve in so many countless ways.\u00a0This is what being in the arena is about.\u00a0It means each of us has a role.<\/p>\n
The measure of this plan will only be quantified by data that is included in our focus.\u00a0The measure will be what our students experience every day.<\/p>\n
Through 2030, One LA, One Path Forward provides a framework and a vision. The plan focuses our energy, aligns our resources, strengthens our partnerships, and helps us decide\u2014with greater clarity and purpose\u2014where we are going. Framed within One LA, One Path Forward, there will be four pillars. Each pillar represents an important part of who we are and who we aspire to become.<\/p>\n
Let me say that in January I will be celebrating three years as your president.\u00a0And I\u00a0can\u2019t\u00a0help\u00a0but be moved\u00a0by that.\u00a0I\u00a0didn\u2019t\u00a0pick any cotton, so\u00a0we\u2019re\u00a0going to stay in it together.\u00a0I am honored and humbled with the privilege.\u00a0And,\u00a0I thank you.<\/p>\n
Welcome to your new academic year.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Cal State LA President Berenecea Johnson Eanes welcomed the\u00a0campus\u00a0community\u00a0to University Convocation on Friday, Aug. 21, at the Harriet…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":440138,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[27],"tags":[48,52,51,47,50,49],"class_list":["post-440137","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-los-angeles","tag-la","tag-la-headlines","tag-la-news","tag-los-angeles","tag-los-angeles-headlines","tag-los-angeles-news"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/440137","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=440137"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/440137\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/440138"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=440137"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=440137"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=440137"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}