Cynthia Azari, president of FCC, learned the value of education when she was only a little girl.  She was only in the second grade when she became aware of the difference an education makes in a person’s life.

Born in Austin, Texas to migrant farm workers, Azari’s childhood consisted of moving from place to place and attending several different elementary schools. She picked grapes and cotton with her parents and six siblings, hoping that one day, she would break her family’s cycle of poverty. Life was a struggle, and she watched her parents toil and knew she wanted a different life.

After she learned how to read, she was able to escape in books, allowing her imagination to wander to places she herself couldn’t go. She said her first book was a collection of Grimm’s Fairytales.

Despite the hardships, Azari was determined to succeed. Education would be the key.  Now, as she readies to assume the presidency of Riverside College, Azari has stayed true to those values. She has an impressive portfolio of academic degrees and professional experience, and along the way, she accomplished a string of firsts, including becoming the first woman to be president of Fresno City College, California’s premier community college.

“Azari is the best thing that’s happened to FCC in a long time,” said Jerry Thurston, communications instructor. “You feel like a person; you feel you have a voice as an employee, and you’re not caught in a classical management wheel, used as a tool.”

Growing up in Texas

Azari’s life today is very distant from her impoverished childhood. Her parents were migrant workers from Tulare and they divorced when she was 10. Her father left the family, so her mother took her children home to Texas to live with her mother. Azari’s grandmother, a devout Native American from Western Louisiana, had only a fifth grade education, but was in every sense of the word, the matriarch of the family.  

She taught young Cynthia the importance of leadership and spirituality.  Azari said she also learned from her grandmother the values of working together with others to achieve goals. “My grandmother insisted I gain an education; I believe she would be very proud of me,” said Azari  

She also learned the love of music from her grandparents. Although a seamstress, her grandmother’s real passion was music. “She loved to sing, and my grandfather played the guitar,” said Azari who lived with her grandparents until she married at age 22.

Working in Education

Through college, as Azari contemplated career choices, she learned it was important to differentiate between one’s talents and skills. “I always wanted to be a teacher, so I developed those skills,” she said. “But I found that I was a better administrator.”  

In 1974, Azari received her bachelor’s degree in Government and History from Huston Tillotson College in Austin, Texas. Azari decided to further her education and in 1977 earned her master’s degree from West Virginia University, majoring in Educational Administration. In 1996, she received her doctorate degree in Educational Leadership from Seattle University.

After working her way through college with the help of scholarships and student loans, Azari worked as a technical coordinator at Austin Community College in Austin, Texas.  Azari has worked mostly in education, especially at the community college level.

From 1987 to 1991, Azari was director of Education and Publications Division for the State Property Tax Board in Austin, Texas. Afterwards, she served as vice president of instruction at Olympic College, Bremerton, Washington, working with over 10,000 students, 150 full-time and 400 part-time faculty members.

Azari came to Fresno in August 2007 as the vice chancellor for Workforce Development and Educational Services. She previously had been president of Butler County Community College in Pennsylvania, then a college of about 6,000 students.

Madame President

In January of 2009, Cynthia Azari became the first female president of Fresno City College.

Now, two years later, Azari, 59, will assume the presidency of Riverside Community College on April 1. She said her decision to change jobs was influenced by her desire to be closer to her family, particularly, her daughter who lives in Los Angeles and is expecting a child in the spring.

“I want to insure that my grandchildren grow up with their grandparents,” Azari said. “That is very important to me.”

Most on campus agree that in the two years Azari has been president, she has made genuine efforts to listen and validate the numerous voices on this campus — students, faculty, staff and administrators. She has worked closely with each constituent ensuring that students remain the college’s number one priority.

Many, however, express concern about her imminent departure and its implications on the campus she has led expertly.

Jerry Thurston said he is devastated by the sudden departure. He said Azari brought more clarity to the college than had been present in previous years.

In the past, Thurston said, administrators had simply performed LIKE they cared, rather than truly caring. With Azari, it is abundantly clear that she was listening and hearing and genuinely trying to have procedures make sense.  Now “a number of things make sense,” he said.

Julie Dana, music instructor, concurs. “She [Azari] has confidence and leadership that’s projected through the campus,” Dana said. “She doesn’t separate herself from what is going on; she has been a very involved president.”  

Associated Student Government President Daniel Gai said he wishes Azari “doesn’t leave.” Gai, who works with Azari on a regular basis, said he has learned to accept her departure, but still feels the college is “losing a pioneer.”

“She has paved the way for us [ASG], and has allowed our presence to be more vocal and be an integral part of our campus,” he said.

Linda DeKruif, an instructor in women’s studies and president of the Academic Senate at FCC, said, “I have enjoyed my working relationship with her; it’s unfortunate she is leaving; however, I support and respect the decision she needs to make.”

“One of the biggest assets Azari will leave for FCC is her strong sense of leadership,” DeKruif said. “She is inclusive with a shared governance approach and has been involved with the four different voices on campus [administration, faculty, staff, and students]. Azari made sure we were respected and involved with the decisions made on campus.”

Some of Azari’s greatest accomplishments as president of FCC include overseeing most of the reconstruction of the Old Administration Building and the year-long celebration of the college’s centennial.

“I felt it was important to plan the 100 stars for 100 years, Azari said. “We recognized our history and the people who made contributions to the college and community throughout the century.”

Finding a New Leader for FCC

Azari said that despite her departure, she is hopeful about the college’s future. “There are many capable people here,” she said. “I’m not worried; they will be fine.”

However, with budget cuts, looming reductions in services and huge increases in tuition, plus upcoming accreditation, students are worried about Azari’s departure.

Stephanie Holland, nursing major, said Azari’s departure is not in the best interest of the college. She said she is worried ab
out the rise in tuition and cuts to summer classes.

“There are a lot of issues that need to be dealt with at FCC,” said Holland. “I’m curious about the future for our historical campus.”

Azari leaves huge shoes to fill, and hiring a new president is a monumental task, often spanning several months and most U.S. states. The State Center Community College District has extended the search for Azari’s replacement to 48 states.

“This is a wonderful institution; I know they will hire someone who will continue to generate that enthusiasm,” Azari said.

But ASG president, Gai, said he recommended to Dr. Deborah Blue, chancellor of SCCCD, that the next president be someone from within the district and a person who is already familiar with FCC. Gai is concerned about the expense of a full-blown search in these difficult times — money, which he says could be better spent in other areas.

On the qualities necessary in Azari’s replacement, Gai said, the new president has to “come with a whole network and strong communication skills. “It is essential they have a grasp on how to lead a very diverse campus.”

DeKruif hopes that the next president continues the shared governance approach, understands the historic value of the college, and appreciates the difficult issues that face us in the near future. DeKruif said she’s confident that whoever is appointed president can tackle the difficult issues the college faces.

Julie Dana said she hopes FCC’s next president will continue to inspire people to stay together and put the needs of students first.

“Riverside Community College is fortunate to gain Azari as a president,” said Dana.

According to information on the Fresno Bee website, Riverside Community College is about the same size as FCC, enrolling 25,000 students. The two campuses are also close in age—FCC was founded in 1910, and Riverside in 1916.

Azari’s resignation is effective March 31. She begins her tenure as Riverside College’s president on April 1. Vice President of Instruction Tony Cantu will be interim president until the college appoints the new president in the summer.

As interim president, Cantu says he plans on working closely with the district, securing the budget and focusing on FCC’s mission statement, which is to serve the students.

“Azari provided a sense of genuine service,” says Thurston. “She was committed to serving other people.”