California - Sonya Christian, a Bachelor of Science graduate from University of Kerala has been appointed as the first female and the first South Asian chancellor of the state's 116-community college system. She is the current head of the Kern Community College District in California's Central Valley.
“It is a uniquely challenging time for public education,” she said. “I believe our greatest challenges enable us to do our greatest work.”
She was appointed to the position after a nationwide search that began in July. She begins on June 1. The 11th chancellor to lead the system, Christian was appointed to a four-year term and will draw an annual base salary of $411,252.
The appointment comes at a time when community college enrolment has plummeted by almost 300,000 students since fall 2019, with many students facing socioeconomic barriers to higher education.
Christian, who has been praised for her work in closing achievement and equity gaps, emphasized the importance of community college in advancing socioeconomic mobility in marginalized communities.
Nearly 70% of California's community college students are considered low-income, and 47% of them are Latino, 24% are white, 11% are Asian, and 5% are Black, according to state data.
Many believe that Christian's experience as a math professor at Bakersfield College, her previous tenure as the president of the same college, and her role as community college chancellor in Kern County since July 2021 make her an ideal candidate for the position.
Christian's focus on students and her ability to bounce back enrollment numbers post-pandemic have impressed members of the Board of Governors. Many believe that her ability to relate to the experiences of many community college students who are immigrants or the children of immigrants makes her a fierce leader for first-generation students.
Dr. Christian earned her Bachelor of Science degree from University of Kerala in Kerala, India; her Master of Science in applied mathematics from University of Southern California; and her doctorate from University of California, Los Angeles.