President Eduardo M. Ochoa Recognized as Hispanic Role Model and Leader in Higher Ed

SEASIDE, Ca., Nov. 8, 2016 -- President Eduardo Ochoa is one of 25 leaders recognized by Hispanic Outlook in Higher Education’s “Hispanic Leaders and Role Models in Higher Education.”

President Ochoa with CSUMB Associated Students leadership.

During Dr. Ochoa’s tenure as president at CSUMB, enrollment has grown significantly in student numbers and diversity. From fall 2011 to fall 2016, Latino enrollment has increased by 84 percent and African-American enrollment has increased by 91 percent. As a result, current CSUMB enrollment more closely reflects the demographics of its three-county service area.

In 2015, the university was the only public university in California to receive two awards in the California Innovation Grants program, which was designed to recognize universities who found creative and cost-effective ways to get more students to earn degrees in less time. Receiving awards were the CS-in-3 program, a partnership with Hartnell College through which a diverse cohort of students earns a bachelor’s degree in computer science in three years, and the Math Huge program, a successful model for teaching students developmental math.

Under Dr. Ochoa's leadership, CSUMB has also made significant progress in improving the four and six-year graduation rates of its incoming classes, along with the graduation rates for transfer students.