WENDA FONG
Chair of the CSU Board of Trustees
What is the significance of women holding all
three of these top leadership positions? How might it benefit CSU students and employees to have women leading the university? What do you think got us here?
This moment in time is so significant because it illustrates the deep pool of experienced women leaders qualified to serve in each of these unique roles. It shows that there is a pipeline of women leaders who have decades of experience climbing that ladder rung by rung, some breaking through glass ceilings, unlocking doors and holding them open for others to follow.
Something I've learned in my work with diversity, equity and inclusion is that representation and visibility are critical. It's critical for our students and for the CSU community to see women leaders, particularly those of us who are of color, to prove that if we made it, they can too. If you can see it, you can be it.
How did we get here as leaders? Allies. It was our previous and current leaders who gave each of us opportunities to gain experience and to persevere, achieve and accomplish. It's not only allies who were supportive, but, frankly, those people who were not. I actually learned a lot from those people who put up barriers—who made things very difficult for me—and I learned how to overcome those challenges.
Who or what has been your biggest inspiration on your personal leadership journey?
It's really simple: My mother. Sadly, my father died when I was just seven years old. My mother raised me and my four siblings. She raised each of us to be independent, to know where we came from, to be proud of our ancestry, to understand the sacrifices our grandparents made and the barriers they and my parents faced, and to love our country and be good citizens.
We were encouraged to value education, and to leave a positive legacy in the world. My mother was an incredible parent, but also an incredible businesswoman and community leader. She taught us by example to be responsible, reliable, professional, hardworking, generous and grateful—and to give back, to persevere, to have integrity, to problem-solve and not to give up. I stand on the shoulders of my grandparents and parents, and we understood that it is our responsibility that we, in turn, lift others onto our shoulders.
In what ways do you want to set an example for the next generation of women leaders in higher education and beyond?
Something I've learned over my four decades of working, particularly in the entertainment industry is that you can succeed by being yourself—your best self. I believe it's important for each of us to strive to be the best person we can be using the unique gifts God has given to each of us. That we don't have to be like someone else, but that we should be true to ourselves. Back in the '70s, women were told we had to dress and act a certain way to succeed, particularly in the business world. I hope I am an example of someone who was able to reach this level of achievement by being her best true self.