By Alejandra Alberto
Reporter
For her first visit to CSU Bakersfield Lynnette Zelezny’s first stop was the Associated Students, Inc. meeting on April 27 in the ITV rooms in the Walter Stiern Library.
Zelezny is CSUB’s incoming presidents she will be the fifth president the university has had and the first female president to lead CSUB. She is currently working as the provost and vice president of academic affairs at Fresno State.
Various administrators, staff members and students attended the meeting.
Director of Public Relations and Communications Michael Lukens spoke very favorably of Zelezny during the meeting.
“I’ve had the honor of working with her. No surprise to me her first visit here, and this is the first place she went to. She loves students, very passionate about students, and very engaged,” said Lukens.
Zelezny herself expressed great excitement in the ASI meeting.
“I am delighted that this is my first meeting. When my schedule was being planned for my invitation from President Mitchell, I asked if this could be my very first meeting,” said Zelezny.
At Fresno State, Zelezny frequently attends ASI meetings. As she begins her presidency at CSUB, she hopes to do the same.
“It’s a symbolic gesture but it’s also something that is very true to my heart,” said Zelezny. “As many of you know, I am a valley girl. I have been at Fresno for 30 years, and one of the things that I am most passionate about is serving students in the Central Valley.
“It’s the place I chose, and it is the number one place I would like to be, and you were the number one place I thought of when I had the opportunity to be president, so I am so happy to be here.”
Trustee Adam Dane was also present at the ASI meeting for Trustee Day, where he met with CSUB’s Academic Senate earlier that day for lunch. He spoke very highly about Zelezny.
“It was an honor to be part of a board that selected her. The committee did a phenomenal job, but frankly Lynnette just blew everyone away. She was our strong and unanimous choice. I think CSUB is going be in phenomenal hands,” said Dane.
Zelezny was present in the Bakersfield area from April 27 to May 1 to meet with the staff and students of CSUB.
