Sakaki named ‘President of the Year’ for 2018

December 20, 2018
President Judy Sakaki holding her NASPA award

President Judy Sakaki holding her NASPA award

Sonoma State President Judy Sakaki was named 2018 President of the Year for Region VI by the National Association of Student Personnel Administrators this fall. The President received her award at the NASPA Western Region Annual Awards Luncheon on Nov. 9 at the Sheraton Grand Sacramento Hotel. The President’s Award is a special recognition given to a university president who has, over a sustained period of time, “advanced the quality of student life on campus by supporting student affairs staff and programs.”

Sakaki, who served as Vice President for Student Affairs for the UC system prior to becoming President of SSU in 2016, was nominated by Dr. Greg Sawyer, Sonoma State Vice President of Student Affairs, along with Dr. Michael D. Young, retired Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs at UC Santa Barbara and former Interim Vice President for Student Affairs at SSU; and Harry Le Grande, retired Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs at UC Berkeley and also a former Interim Vice President for Student Affairs at Sonoma State.

President Sakaki also was nominated by current and immediate past presidents of Associated Students at Sonoma State University, Carley Chatterley, Wilson Hall and Emily Hinton.

“(We) honestly cannot think of a university president more worthy and deserving of the NASPA Region VI President’s Award than Dr. Judy Sakaki,” they wrote. “Both in word and in deed, she has lived the criteria for this honor, being someone who not just recognizes but embraces the value and importance of student life in all that she does and has done as president of Sonoma State University.”

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Paul Gullixson