First-Ever Japanese-American On Academic Presidential Platform At Sonoma State University Sets Track For High Dreams! [VIDEO]
BySonoma State University, a university situated in the heart of California's Wine Country, gets first-ever Japanese-American to handle academic presidential platform. Equally honored by the role, Judy K. Sakaki sets her track for high dreams of sustaining the university for 4 unpredictable, challnging but exciting years.
The information reached Ms. Sakaki's ears through University of Connecticut at Stamford professor, Michael Ego. Ms. Sakaki was overwhelmed by the idea of having to maintain a cross-cultural image in leading and becoming a role model. That would also include encouraging a lot of dialogues among multicultural peers and students within her term.
"It's not that it weighs you down. It's just that you take that into context and know the importance of being a role model", Ms. Sakaki said in the Chronicle of Higher Education.
Ms. Sakaki earned her Ph.D. in Education from the University of California Berkeley. As to being asked where she have had her wit and confidence in administering sourced to, she recalls that she had served as Vice-President for Student Affairs in the University of California system for many years.
Ms. Sakaki had since been noted to be a communal figure. In most of her tenure, she was reported to walk around campus smiling and associating with students. In fact, she was reported to even take "selfies" with them.
Before she was officially hired, Ms. Sakaki walked around the Sonoma State University campus to spontaneously witness the development inside. Hence, she was very much appreciative of the university's development in terms of infrastructure. With this, she also hinted that, as the new president, she will be focusing more on the internal affairs, as to how the students are receiving the education they most deserved, the North Bay Business Journal reported.
It is very interesting to know that among Ms. Sakaki's high dreams- the student affair is of highest priority. She couldn't help it, having spent most of her career in the student affairs at the University of California system.
"Through our students, we have a chance to shape the future. It doesn't matter what position you are in or what your job description is, we are all here to help our students to be successful", Ms. Sakaki stated in Sonoma State Star.