Morris brings diversity to the Board

photo by Sylvia Castellanos

Cecilia Morris joined the University of La Verne Board of Trustees in fall 2002. When she's not recruiting for State Farm Insurance, Morris enjoys golfing, listening to music, working with students and her six grandchildren.

by Valerie Rojas
Staff Writer

With a seat on the board of trustees, a role in the Latino Alumni Association, a career, family and plans for furthering her eader in the La Verne community and on the University of La Verne campus.

The Board of Trustees is responsible for keeping ULV tontial leader in the La Verne community and on the ULV campus.

The Board of Trustees is responsible for keeping ULV together. Aside from seeking funding possibilities that allow the University to award many scholarships yearly, the Board also serves as a guide to President Stephen Morgan.

By working through various committees, the Board oversees funding, building and planning projects.

Morris was presented with the opportunity to become a board member early last year. Because of her connectioV in 1972, majoring in education with a minor in sociology. She graduated from ULV a few years later.

After receiving her provisional credentials, Morris began working as a counselor for the Monrovia Unified School District, at a time when the need rd was definitely lacking.

Although the offer was flattering, Morris was well aware that being a member would require a lot of hard work.

"It was a great honor," Morris said. "Then I said to myself, 'Can you do this?'"

Morris decided she could. She became a member of the Board of Trustees and made history as the first Latina to ever hold a seat on this board.

Morris brings a new voice to the Board. She offers a frame of reference from the Latina perspective and brings a strong sense of diversity to an important group of leaders on campus.

"It's had to have been a missing voice," said Daniel Loera, secretary of the Latino Alumni Association and a friend of Morris. "It's about time."

On a campus so heavily populated by Latino students, it was odd that there was no association directly designed for the Latino Alumni, Morris said. After the Association began to take fleet, Morris became extremely interested in its purpose. She became heavily involved and as of the summer, became chair of the group.

With hopes of building a strong support system and making the LAA a more integral part of ULV, plans have been made to reach out to the Black Alumni and general Alumni Associations.

Morris plans to increase the number of those involved in the LAA. By providing mentorships and employment opportunities for ULV students, Morris hopes that the Association will grow stronger.

"She's got a real good vision," Loera said. "With her, we have hit a gold mine."

Morris was born in El Paso, Texas. Her parents were always very strong in encouraging the importance of education in her life, especially Morris' mother, who only had a fifth grade education, she said. Morris' father was a college graduate.

"They were my biggest cheerleaders," Morris said.

After attending the University of Texas for two years, Morris moved to Southern California. She began teaching at Hacienda La Puente School District, where she heard about ULV, when one of her co-workers encouraged her to finish her education.

Morris began attending ULminority counselors was looming. She then obtained her master's at Cal State Fullerton.

While furthering her education, Morris found time to raise five children, a few who have also attended ULV.

She currently enjoys spending time with her six grandchildrs to certain major corporations, it was apparent that she would bring a stable financial contribution to the Board.

Her leadership management experience and diverse background, made it even more apparent that Morris' presence was something that the BoaBo. When she is not busy with family issues or her career, Morris spends her time on the green golf courses of Southern California.

In the coming years, Morris plans to not only improve the La Verne community, but also to continue her education. Although she is too busy now to go back to school, she plans on obtaining her doctorate from ULV within the next two to three years. After her retirement, she hopes to go back to what she believes she does best: teaching.

"I am a teacher. It's what I do," Morris said. "You can feed a person, but if you teach them to fish, they can feed themselves forever."

Her desire to teach has been sparked recently, since she has begun working on the ULV campus.

"It has been a wonder getting back on campus with hardworking young people," Morris said. "It awakens my desire to be a teacher. It keeps me young and motivated."

Morris realizes that being a student is a lot of hard work, and she sympathizes.

"Being a student was the hardest thing I have done in my life," Morris said, "but it pays off."

Morris encourages students to continue learning and educating themselves. With a lot of energy, patience and positivity, it will be easier to accept life's challenges, she said.

"It gets pretty negative out there," Morris said. "Prepare yourself as well as you can, so when opportunities present themselves, you are comfortable."