May 9, 2014
University reimagined by William A. Covino as an institution dedicated to “Engagement, Service, and the Public Good”
LOS ANGELES – Today, California State University, Los Angeles inaugurated Dr. William A. Covino as its seventh president. The formal Investiture represents the first new leadership on the Cal State L.A. campus in 34 years.
In his Investiture speech, “Engagement, Service, and the Public Good,” President Covino laid out his vision for the future of this 23,000-student institution. He outlined plans for an institution that serves as a hub of access, opportunity and excellence for all Angelenos.
“As we envision the future of Cal State L.A., we're going to build upon those three pillars: engagement, service and the public good,” said Covino. “We're going to be a university without walls. An institution that draws from the community, and stands for the community. This is a spirit we instill in our students. Because, for them to advance from our classrooms to become tomorrow’s darers and doers, citizens and civic leaders, innovators and inventors, they must first internalize and identify with the ethic of engagement that they will learn right here at Cal State L.A. And then they'll transform Los Angeles and the world beyond.”
Covino arrived on campus in Sept. 1, 2013, marking a new chapter for the university. In his first several months, Covino identified two top priorities: improved student success and increased engagement with the community. Now, the university has turned those goals into action with the Investiture Ceremony culminating a week of events designed to show its commitment as:
- A hub for community service and civic interaction. The new Center for Engagement, Service, and the Public Good will be home base to launch 3,500 students each year for service-learning opportunities that will enrich communities across Los Angeles and the San Gabriel Valley through a program called #IServeLA.
- A proponent for alternative energy and transportation. The Hydrogen Research and Fueling Station serves the dual purpose of providing a fueling station for hydrogen vehicles as well as a research facility for faculty and the next generation of alternative fuel and vehicle specialists.
- An incubator for community growth and development. The new Rosie Casals/Pancho Gonzalez Tennis Center at the Billie Jean King Sports Complex will be a tremendous asset for the community by hosting collegiate and public-access activities as well as programs for youth development organizations.
- A roadmap for future generations. The new Go East LA: A Pathway for College and Career Success initiative, modeled after the Harlem Children’s Zones initiative, is developed to create effective pathways to college and long-term career success for East L.A. students.
Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti and tennis legend Billie Jean King served as honorary co-chairs of the Presidential Investiture. Former U.S. Secretary of Labor Hilda Solis served as keynote speaker.
# # #
Working for California since 1947: California State University, Los Angeles is at the heart of a major metropolitan city, just five miles from Los Angeles’ civic and cultural center. More than 20,000 students and 230,000 alumni—with a wide variety of interests, ages and backgrounds—reflect the city’s dynamic mix of populations. Six Colleges offer nationally recognized science, arts, business, criminal justice, engineering, nursing, education and humanities programs, among others, led by an award-winning faculty. Cal State L.A. is home to the critically-acclaimed Luckman Jazz Orchestra and to the Honors College for high-achieving students. Programs that provide exciting enrichment opportunities to students and community include an NEH-supported humanities center; a NASA-funded center for space research; and a forensic science program, housed in the Hertzberg-Davis Forensic Science Center. www.calstatela.edu
5/9/14