Meet the President

Dr. Cynthia Olivo, an established leader in higher education, began serving as the 10th president of Fullerton College in January 2023.

Dr. Olivo’s career spans nearly three decades, serving as a champion for equity, inclusion and academic excellence for students. Her time in educational leadership is marked by a student-centered philosophy that aligns with Fullerton College’s mission to empower students to achieve their educational goals.

Dr. Olivo personally identifies with the challenges faced by Fullerton College students and the broader community. Her personal history as the granddaughter of migrant farmworkers, the daughter of a single mother, a first-generation college student and third-generation Chicana, deeply inform her empathetic and equity-driven approach to leadership in higher education.

Previously, Dr. Olivo served as the Assistant Superintendent and Vice President of Student Services at Pasadena City College, which serves 30,000 students. There she also served as the Associate Vice President of Student Affairs and Dean of Counseling and Student Success Services. At California State University, San Bernardino she served as Associate Director of Admissions and Student Recruitment.

Dr. Olivo’s influence extends beyond Fullerton College, serving as: the President of the Chief Student Services Officer Association; the President of the California Community College Organizacion de Latinx Guidance, Empowerment & Advocacy for Success (COLEGAS); and as a founding member of The Coalition, an organization that includes African American Male Education Network and Development (A²MEND) and Asian Pacific Americans in Higher Education (APAHE). She has also served on the Jobs for the Future Policy & Leadership Trust in Washington D.C. and on the Executive Board for National Community College Hispanic Council.

Dr. Olivo’s academic credentials include a Ph.D. in education with an emphasis in urban leadership from Claremont Graduate University, as well as a Master of Science in counseling and guidance and a Bachelor of Science in psychology from California State University, San Bernardino.

President’s Weekly

Sign up for the President’s Weekly e-newsletter and get news directly from the president. To submit info to include in the Weekly, email Campus Communications at campus.communications@fullcoll.edu. The deadline to include information for the Weekly sent on Monday is the Wednesday of the previous week.

Meet the Staff

Nitzya Hamblet
Administrative Assistant
Phone: 714-732-5051
Email: nhamblet@fullcoll.edu

Jean E. Foster
Executive Assistant
Office of the President
Phone: 714-732-5050
Email: jfoster@fullcoll.edu

COLLEGE GOALS

Goal 1: Ensure Equitable Access and Outcomes

Fullerton College will use an inclusive and race-conscious approach to address persistent equity gaps.

Objective 1: Eliminate disproportionate impact for Black students in successful enrollment, first-year English and math completion, fall to spring persistence, degree/certificate completion, and transfer attainment.

Objective 2: Eliminate disproportionate impact for Latina/o/x students in first-year English and math completion and transfer attainment.

Objective 3: Increase usage of basic needs support for housing, food insecurity, transportation, and mental health.

Objective 4: Improve the sense of belonging and mattering in shared physical and online spaces for students of color.

Objective 5:  Deepen engagement in DEIA-focused professional development for full-time and part-time faculty and staff.

Goal 2: Success for Every Student

Fullerton College will support students in achieving their educational and career goals.

Objective 1: Improve the completion of transfer-level math and English in students’ first year.

Objective 2: Increase the number of students earning Associate Degrees, Associate Degrees for Transfer, and/or Certificates

Objective 3: Increase the number of students who transfer to a four-year university within one year of leaving the College.

Objective 4: Increase the number of students who earn a regional living wage after exiting the College.

Objective 5: Increase the number of Career Technical Education graduates who are employed in a job closely related to their field of study

Objective 6: Increase efficiency in the completion of an Associate Degree, Associate Degree for Transfer, or Career Technical Education Certificates.

Objective 7: Decrease the gap in success and retention rates between online and in-person courses.

Goal 3: Strengthen Connections with Our Community

Fullerton College will develop and strengthen collaborative projects and partnerships with educational institutions, civic organizations, and businesses in North Orange County and beyond.

Objective 1: Increase equitable access to Dual Enrollment courses and Pathway programs offered at local high schools.

Objective 2: Increase enrollment for student populations that disproportionately left the College after the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Objective 3: Increase collaboration around transfer pathways with local four-year universities and Career Technical Education partners.

Objective 4: Identify and implement environmental justice projects to serve environmentally disadvantaged students and employees.

Objective 5: Create and expand collaborations with local businesses and civic organizations.

Goal 4: Commit to Accountability and Continuous Quality Improvement

Fullerton College will continually improve operational efficiency and effectiveness to ensure delivery of high quality instructional and support programs.

Objective 1: Create a clear, comprehensive, and inclusive process for prioritizing human, physical, financial, and technological resources.

Objective 2: Align and improve the planning and resource allocation processes to increase participation and transparency from campus stakeholders.

Objective 3: Improve technological infrastructure to support flexible course schedules.

Objective 4: Improve accessibility for students and employees in the physical and online space.

Objective 5: Develop, implement, and assess a campus-specific sustainability plan.

President’s Goals

Promote and Enhance the Fullerton College Experience

  • Foster and strengthen a campus culture that is radically student-centered
  • Work as a campus to provide a just, equitable, inclusive educational experience
  • Implement the Anaheim Pledge and develop the Fullerton Education Partnership
  • Promote a campus climate of respect, civility and kindness
  • Support the leadership development of students, faculty and staff

Increase Student Success and Student Equity

  • Make progress each year towards eliminating the achievement gap
  • Increase the college-wide rates for transfer, associate degree and certificate completion
  • Work as a campus community to be the top community college in transfer and educational goal completion

Strengthen Planning, Resource Development and Allocation

  • Develop, complete and implement a campus Guided Pathways plan
  • Complete accreditation 18 month follow-up report and maintain our successful accreditation status
  • Develop and implement strategies to strengthen our organizational structure
  • Work with our campus to set and achieve appropriate FTES targets in accordance with district-wide planning and available resources
  • Support the growth and fiscal viability of the Fullerton College Foundation
  • Make timely progress on planning and construction objectives per our Campus Facilities Master Plan
  • Complete the Sherbeck Field environment impact review process with campus and community input

Foster Collaboration and Partnerships

  • Develop and strengthen processes and infrastructure for dual enrollment, the Anaheim Pledge and Guided Pathways
  • Promote innovation and continuous improvement in our planning and governance structures to support student learning and support
  • Strengthen partnerships with business and community to promote a strong workforce and successful career outcomes for our students

President’s Open Forum + Office Hours

Information on Fall 2022 President’s Open Forums and President’s Open Office Hours will be available soon.

If you have a question or concern you would like to share with the president before an open forum, email Jean Foster at jfoster@fullcoll.edu in the Office of the President.

Core Values

Access

Diversity – We embrace diversity in our community and work to build on the strengths and opportunities it brings. We recognize that diversity is intersectional with multiple dimensions.

Equity – We commit to equity for all we serve by eliminating injustices and barriers to students’ educational and career goals.

Inclusivity – We design our planning and decision-making processes to include all stakeholders

Antiracism – We recognize that institutional barriers based on perceived racial categories were erected over centuries and we commit to identifying and dismantling them.

Community

Belonging – We promote belonging and connection that fosters the well-being of those on our campus and surrounding areas.

Responsibility – We accept our responsibility for the betterment of the world by identifying opportunities for leading our community to respond to local issues.

Respect – We support an environment of mutual respect.

Compassion – We attend to our students as whole people, identifying their changing needs personally, academically, and professionally. We adapt the institution in response to our shared understanding of who our students are and what they need.

 

Learning

Growth – We create an environment where personal and professional growth is expected, supported, and rewarded for all members of our community.

Intellectual Curiosity – We encourage each other to ask questions that drive further inquiry, research, and experimentation.

Excellence – We hold ourselves accountable to high standards.

 

 

Statement of Ethics

As representatives of Fullerton College, we all share the responsibility to conduct ourselves with integrity, and to act in a fair, consistent, and equitable manner. We recognize the need for openness and reliability in what we say and do. We are committed to addressing issues in a forthright and professional manner, and to engaging people without prejudice. As members of an educational community, we are committed to excellence in all that we do, and to adhering to the principles of ethical behavior established in this statement.

The conduct of each member of Fullerton College is expected to be consistent with and to comply with the principles contained in this statement. All members of the campus community are expected to engage in the following:

  • Trustworthy conduct — including dependability, loyalty, and honesty in communications and actions.
  • Respectful behavior — treating everyone with civility, courtesy, tolerance, and acceptance, and recognizing the worth, dignity and unique characteristics of each individual.
  • Accountability — taking personal responsibility for one’s own actions and decisions.
  • Fair and just actions — utilizing equitable processes in decision making.
  • Compassion — caring for others, both within and apart from the campus community, and providing services to others in a manner that reflects our commitment to them and to their well being.