New Sac State president talks importance of serving underpriviliged students
SACRAMENTO — Tuesday was the second day on the job for Sacramento State University's new president.
Sac State President Luke Wood spoke with students in the Serna Center before stepping into the Dreamer Center, where the college-assisted minor program known as CAMP is located.
"When I was a student, CAMP students were very represented in ASI, so that's good to see that is continuing," Wood told CBS Sacramento.
Wood has spent the last 12 years at San Diego State University where he was vice president for student affairs and campus diversity as well as chief diversity officer.
"We want to make sure we're doing everything we can to support our students, particularly our students of color," he said.
Now it's stingers up and sneakers on.
"I love sneakers and I choose to be me," Wood said.
His comfortable footwear is a form of expression as he expressed his goals.
"Really wanting to learn from the campus community: what are the things that are really important to us?" Wood said. "What's going to help us get to that next level in terms of graduation rates?"
Kimberly Gomez, the Dreamer Resource Center program coordinator, said their recent expansion is needed now more than ever now that DACA — the policy that protected children brought to the U.S. from deportation — has ended.
"First of all, we assist them with free immigration consultations with lawyers throughout the year while they are here — even two years after they graduate," Gomez said. "We connect them with peer mentors. We help them with financial aid, academic advising."
It's work that is intensely personal for Wood, who is excited to return to his alma mater. He graduated from Sac State with a Bachelor's degree in Black history and politics.
"It's some of the work that I've dedicated my life to doing and making sure our students from every background are receiving academic advising, supplemental instruction, tutoring, and all the resources they need so that when they come here they have every support they need to succeed," he said.
Wood earned a Ph.D. in educational leadership and policy studies with an emphasis on higher education and a Master's degree in curriculum and instruction in early childhood education from Arizona State University. He also has a Master's degree in higher education leadership in student affairs.
Wood took over as president for Robert Nelsen, who retired this year.