On June 29, California Governor Gavin Newsom appointed recent CSUDH graduate Jonathan Molina Mancio to the California State University (CSU) Board of Trustees, the oversight and regulatory body for the entire 23-campus system. Mancio will commence his two-year term as student trustee in Fall 2023, when he will also begin attending Cal State Fullerton’s Master of Science in Higher Education program.
Mancio graduated from CSUDH in May 2023 with his bachelor’s degree in business administration and a strong record of student leadership and advocacy experience. During his time at CSUDH, Mancio’s peers elected him president and CEO of Associated Students, Inc. (ASI), a position he held from 2021-2022.
From 2022-2023, he also served as vice president of finance for the California State Student Association (CSSA), an organization which advocates for CSU students’ needs and engages students in higher education policymaking. In fact, it was Mancio’s engagement with CSSA that ultimately sparked his interest in the CSU Board of Trustees.
“CSSA opened my eyes to how the Cal State system works as a whole, not just as individual campuses,” Mancio says. “It motivated me to apply to be a student trustee, because I wanted to continue serving with a broader impact.”
Mancio applied for the position through CSSA, interviewing for the position with representatives from all 23 CSU campuses. After conducting the application and interview process, CSSA presented the Office of the Governor with a selection of recommended names. The governor then made the final decision on who would serve.
“When I got the news that Gov. Newsom appointed me, I was speechless for the first time in my life,” Mancio says. “I was very excited. It’s a big honor!”
As student trustee, Mancio is looking forward to learning about the Board’s priorities for the upcoming year, working closely with his fellow trustees, and bringing a student perspective to the Board. He also hopes to increase awareness among CSU students of the Board’s impact on their education.
“It’s really important for students to pay attention to the Board of Trustees, because they make decisions that directly affect every CSU student across the system,” Mancio says. “Tuition increase is one of the issues coming up in September–it’s something students really care about.”
Mancio also has advice for current and incoming Toros, drawing from his own experiences as an undergraduate leader and student advocate.
