On Tuesday, May 12, during the CSU Board of Trustees meeting, it was announced that CSU Bakersfield’s President Lynnette Zelezny was voted President of the Year by the CSU Student Association. 

President Zelezny, CSUB’s first female president, took the position in 2018 following former CSUB President Horace Mitchell.  

CSUB Associated Student Inc. President, Aaron Wan, wrote in a Facebook post that Zelezny embodies the spirit of shared governance and she puts students at the front of all major decision-making processes. 

Zelezny implemented and hosts “Runner Walk and Talks.” She holds these events throughout the year where she is able to interact with students of CSUB and how she can make CSUB the best it can be for them.  

During the current COVID-19 pandemic, Zelezny continued to hold these talks in a virtual matter so students would be able to voice fears and concerns about their education and campus. 

Zelezny has implemented a strategic plan for 2019-2024 that has five major goals: strength and inspire student success and lifelong learning, advance faculty and staff success, develop and sustain high-quality and innovative academic programs and support services, recognize and address regional needs in collaboration with our community, and finally diversify, enhance, and responsibly steward our campus resources. 

Zelezny was Fresno State’s provost and vice president of academic affairs since 2014, and during that time she was also the campus’s chief academic officer. 

Following the announcement of the award granted to Zelezny, she appeared on CNN to address the recent decision to move fall 2020 to a majority online method of delivery during the pandemic on May 13.