Everyday encounters inspire President Beck鈥檚 vision
By Zoe Lance
A student hurries his way down South Quad, noticing a woman in the distance. As they near one another, the student stops her. 鈥淒o you know where Solano Hall is?鈥 he said. 鈥淚鈥檓 late to my class, and I can鈥檛 find the building.鈥
鈥淚 know exactly where that is,鈥 she replied. 鈥淟et鈥檚 walk there together.鈥
On the way, they talk about what it鈥檚 like to be a CI student and how exciting a new school year is. They find the classroom and the student thanks the woman. 鈥淲hat do you do here?鈥 he asked.
She smiles. 鈥淢y name is Dr. Beck,鈥 she said. 鈥淚鈥檓 CI鈥檚 President.鈥
Erika Beck, who became the University鈥檚 President in August, loves this kind of interaction. She knows that the only way to understand a university is to know its heart and soul鈥夆斺塼he people who live, work and study here.
鈥淚 genuinely love what I do,鈥 she said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 such a privilege to support students, faculty and staff all working to achieve their highest academic aspirations.鈥
A Transformational Experience
Beck鈥檚 higher education career began in adolescence. When she was in the sixth grade, she picked up an introduction to psychology textbook. It wasn鈥檛 a complete surprise鈥夆斺塰er grandfather was actively engaged in research involving psychology and the brain. She decided on becoming a psychologist herself and never looked back.
鈥淚鈥檝e always been curious about people and how the world works,鈥 she said. 鈥淚鈥檓 definitely a scientist at heart.鈥
As a psychology undergraduate at the University of California, San Diego (UCSD), Beck found the exposure to new scientific ideas and the academic setting thrilling. She went on to get her master鈥檚 in psychology from San Diego State and returned to UCSD to earn her doctorate in experimental psychology, focusing her research on social behavior, emotion and the brain.
鈥淚 loved being a part of a university campus, where you have the opportunity to think about societal and world problems,鈥 she said. 鈥淚 still love that. My kids tease me that I went to college and never left.鈥
I loved being a part of a university campus, where you have the opportunity to think about societal and world problems. I still love that. My kids tease me that I went to college and never left.
聽Erika Beck
The opportunity to be at the front of the classroom also gave her invaluable perspective on the student experience.
鈥淭he minute I walked into the classroom, I fell in love with teaching,鈥 she said. 鈥淚 understood the transformational power of education in a whole new way because I saw it happen firsthand. My scholarly background and my experiences in the classroom always frame my perspective about our students and their needs.鈥
Reimagining Higher Education
Wanting to continue impacting students, but seeking a way to reach more of them, Beck moved into leadership positions. She shaped her educational philosophy through tackling university-wide issues and using her psychologist鈥檚 training.
鈥淒ata really matters to me, especially from the student鈥檚 perspective,鈥 she said. 鈥淲e need to know if what we鈥檙e doing has a positive impact on students. I often ask myself, 鈥業f I were a first-generation college student and I just got here, would I be able to navigate these processes?鈥
鈥淭here are a lot of complexities to being a college student in 2016. At the institutional level, we can examine new ways of helping students so that they can become more successful. We can鈥檛 take anything for granted.鈥
While serving as provost and executive vice president at Nevada State College in Henderson, Nevada, Beck heard about CSU Channel Islands President Emeritus Richard Rush鈥檚 retirement and the presidential search. When she learned more about the CI ethos, she was captivated.
鈥淚t is absolutely clear that our faculty and staff are dedicated to our students,鈥 she said. 鈥淚 was excited about the idea of joining a young and growing university that is so connected to our surrounding community. We have a forward-thinking culture and we鈥檙e well-positioned to reimagine higher education in a way that genuinely serves our student population and our state.鈥
Extraordinary Opportunities
In her first 100 days as president, beck embarked on a listening tour of the campus. Her main priority has been to understand CI鈥檚 challenges, values and goals. She started with the biggest campus constituency: the more than 6,000 undergraduate and graduate students.
Through conversation, she learned more about their top-of-mind issues: financial and food insecurity, transportation and campus involvement. She says she has been impressed by the diverse student body鈥檚 deep investment in CI, and notes that there鈥檚 a collective sense of building for future generations鈥夆斺塧 significant strength for the university.
鈥淥ur students have spent a lot of time thinking about how to solve local community challenges, which is pretty extraordinary,鈥 she said. 鈥淭he Central Coast is their home and they want to build their lives here.鈥
She鈥檚 also met with faculty and staff to learn about their scholarly work and interdisciplinary initiatives.
When she eats lunch at Islands Caf茅, people from around the campus stop by her table to chat about their mutual aspirations for CI.
Her listening tour also has blossomed into an online presence. She vlogs (video blogs) about her week and shares snapshots from CI events on Twitter under the handle, @CIPresBeck. Student leaders from CI鈥檚 Associated Students Inc. encouraged her to get on Instagram and post photos with students and the hashtag #SelfieswithBeck was born.
鈥淓very day, I have students come up to me and ask to take selfies,鈥 she said. 鈥淲hen we鈥檙e taking the selfie, I ask them about their experiences with the University and their hopes for the future. It opens a dialogue that wouldn鈥檛 have been there without social media.鈥
Beck sees a bright future in CI鈥檚 horizon. Her vision includes strengthening ties with community leaders and organizations, cultivating even more innovative undergraduate research and continuing to provide access to higher education for students in the region. It鈥檚 a tall order, but she鈥檚 confident it鈥檚 possible.
鈥淚 know that our future is very bright鈥夆斺墂e are in such a unique and special community,鈥 she said. 鈥淭he past couple of months have only reinforced my perceptions of a vibrant campus community. We have experienced tremendous success in the first 14 years and we have a once in a lifetime opportunity to continue to soar to even greater heights.鈥
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漏 Fall 2016 / Volume 20 / Number 02 / Bi-annual