Q&A: Alumni Board President Amanda Ruiz

By California State University, Bakersfield

June 18^th, 2025

What inspired you to join the CSUB Alumni Board, and eventually serve as president?

My time as a student at CSUB was really my first time being involved in school outside of class. During that time, I had a great experience that benefited me in many ways in my career. I wanted to continue that work and support CSUB as it moves forward. I continue to enjoy my time on the Alumni Board and thought I could do more as president. Our board is very connected, well-rounded and engaged, which is unique and makes it a pleasure to serve. They are an amazing group of leaders, each with their own expertise, which benefits us all.

What would you say are your top accomplishments from this year as president?

Knowing that we have more than 67,000 alumni, one of my first goals was to increase public awareness of our Alumni Board and how we support students and our community. I think we have thoughtfully sponsored events that benefit CSUB students, increased funding for scholarships and communicated our progress. I am proud of the strides we have made this year.

What does CSUB mean to you, and has being part of the Alumni Board deepened that love and respect for the university and the community?

CSUB means a lot to me because it was one place where I felt like I could be myself, explore my interests and be met with support. CSUB faculty played a huge role in my time there, and most of us have a faculty member who impacted our lives in one way or another. I don’t think you see that on every college campus.

Being on the Alumni Board has given me the opportunity to attend commencement ceremonies, which is amazing—to see the graduates who will become our alumni. As a first-generation graduate myself, attending those ceremonies reminded me how incredible that feat is for the student, their family and our local community. I respect CSUB greatly for its ability to lift up countless families through education. Witnessing that is an honor.

Why would you encourage other alumni to get involved with the Alumni Association (not necessarily on the board, but by serving or attending events, etc.)?

We have such a tight-knit community in Kern County, and getting involved in the Alumni Association offers a chance to give back and reconnect with friends. CSUB is unique in that most of our alumni stay in Kern County. CSUB alumni should participate to help current students and continue supporting the university that has supported us all.

What do you hope people remember from your time as president, and what you and the board were able to do together?

I hope people remember that we worked hard to reconnect more alumni with the university in an effort to increase support for current students. This Alumni Board focused on building relationships with CSUB alumni nationwide for the benefit of our students.