Inspiring Inclusive Engagement and Warrior Spirit

By Donna Birch Trahan

When asked to describe her leadership style, Stanislaus State President Ellen Junn is quick to respond.

“I would say that I’m a serendipitous president,” Junn said. “Life is full of serendipity, and to me, that means having the right skill set at the right time when opportunities make themselves available. I’ve been very fortunate throughout my 39 years in higher education to be in the right place at the right time.”

Destiny may have steered her career journey, but the choices she made along the way were deliberate, each time placing her in a position to do more, aim higher and ultimately soar.

After spending the past seven years soaring at Stan State as its 11th president, 37 years in the California State University system and nearly four decades in higher education, Junn announced in January 2023 her intent to retire at the end of the 2022-23 academic year.

“I love working, and I love this campus and all of you,” she wrote in her message to the campus community. “However, after more than a year of discussions with my family and much planning and preparation, this is now the right time. It’s time for me to make the transition and be fully present for all members of my family — my 93-year-old mother, my sisters, my son and his wife, and Allan, my dear husband — to enjoy this next phase of retired life.”

When she took the helm at Stan State on July 1, 2016, Junn made history by becoming the first Korean American woman to serve as president of a four-year public university in the United States. Since then, she has dedicated her tenure to fostering student success, creating a congenial campus culture and increasing the University’s reputation for academic excellence, all while advancing diversity, equity and inclusion.

“It was important to me to be able to establish a level of trust for us all to be able to work together,” Junn said. “We were able to build and rebuild fundamental relationships and that sets the stage for future generations of students, faculty and staff at the University. I wanted to nurture a sense of hope, shared purpose, collaboration communication and trust.”

Junn was already a long-standing member of the CSU — the largest public four-year university system in the United States — before joining Stan State.

After earning both her doctorate and master’s degrees in cognitive and developmental psychology from Princeton University and her undergraduate degree in experimental and cognitive psychology from the University of Michigan, Junn was a lecturer at Indiana University Bloomington for two years. She then started her CSU career at Cal State San Bernadino as a lecturer and eventually earned tenure as an assistant professor. From there, she moved on to Cal State Fullerton. Junn went on to serve at three other CSU campuses — Fresno State, San José State and CSU Dominguez Hills — each time taking on more progressive roles and responsibilities.

When the CSU Office of the Chancellor launched the search for Stan State’s new president, Junn threw her hat into the ring. She was already familiar with the Central Valley from her time at Fresno State. The more she learned about Stan State’s unique qualities and its students, faculty, staff and surrounding community, the more she realized it would be a great fit.

Not only did the area remind her of the small farming community where she grew up in the Midwest, but many of the students mirrored her own background as a descendant of immigrant parents. The fact that nearly two-thirds of students are first-generation — just as her father had been — added to the appeal.

“Stan State is emblematic of the rich diversity in the Central Valley,” she said. “It represents an area of underserved communities, and I thought I could make a difference.”

And she did.

Ellen Junn (pictured fifth from the left) and several fellow CSU presidents pose during a visit to The White House.

During her tenure, the University received $64 million in funding to expand the Stanislaus State Stockton Campus, while the Turlock campus saw the multimillion-dollar renovation of the J. Burton Vasché Library and the grand opening of the University Student Center.

During a dedication ceremony in 2017, President Junn said the Peace Pole symbolizes the hopes and dreams of all people.

President Ellen Junn celebrates the holidays with with campus community members inside the University Student Center.

Early on, she established the Presidential Commission for Diversity and Inclusion (PCDI) and charged the group with creating the University Diversity and Inclusion Action Plan. She also established the Warrior Cross Cultural Center and several affinity groups for marginalized campus community members.

President Ellen Junn and President Emerita Marvalene Hughes.

With student success a top priority, Junn launched the President’s Central Valley First-Generation Scholars Initiative. The first in the CSU system to support students from a specific geographic area — this First Generation Scholars Initiative provides highly qualified freshmen and transfer students with tuition, a laptop computer, an honors curriculum, internships and mentorships.

“The First-Generation Scholars initiative reinforces Stan State’s commitment to shaping the future of the Central Valley,” Junn said.

“I feel so passionately about this initiative, and I take great pride in personally sponsoring one of the first scholarship awards.”

Junn spearheaded the creation of CareerReadyU, a program that connects students with alumni, employers and opportunities that integrates academic and professional experiences in a variety of ways. By providing students with experiential learning activities and allowing them to explore various professional development topics, students build their skills and confidence, which gets them “career ready” to join the workforce after they graduate.

Stan State also saw its reputation for academic excellence flourish. The University has consistently been included on several regional and national college rankings. In 2022, MONEY Magazine named Stan State among California’s Top 10 colleges and ranked it No. 19 in the nation on its “Best Colleges in America, Ranked by Value” list.

Her time at the University wasn’t without challenges. The biggest by far was leading the University during the COVID-19 pandemic. She credits the students, faculty, staff and administrators for their resilience and Warrior Spirit.

When asked about her favorite memories of Stan State, her list is abundant — from mentoring students and celebrating with Warriors and their loved ones during Commencement to participating in community events such as last fall’s Warrior Expo and local Fourth of July and holiday parades.

But most of all, she’s honored to have been part of a campus that aims to make its members and supporters feel a sense of belonging as they work toward shared goals that uplift not just individuals but the entire region.

“Overall, one thing I’m proud of,” said Junn, “is being able to come in and build, create and sustain an ethos of collaboration and working together.”