State Assembly recognizes Morishita for excellence in higher education
CSUEB President Leroy M. Morishita (third from right) was honored by, from left, Assemblymember Holly Mitchell, Assemblymember Warren Furutani, Assemblymember Connie Conway, Assembly Speaker John Perez, and Assemblymember Mary Hayashi. (Photo: California State Assembly)
- July 1, 2012
Leroy M. Morishita, president of California State University, East Bay, was presented with the Excellence in Higher Education Award by the California State Assembly, at the State Capitol during the assembly’s seventh annual Asian Pacific Islander American Heritage Month awards ceremony.
“Dr. Morishita has been an outstanding leader for education, and a dedicated advocate for Asian and Pacific Islander communities,” said Mary Hayashi, state assembly member. “He serves as a tremendous inspiration for young people.”
Morishita is CSUEB's fifth president. He was appointed to the permanent position in January of this year, after serving as interim president for six months. Previously, he was executive vice president for administration and finance, as well as chief financial officer, at San Francisco State University.
The Cal State East Bay leader, according to Hayashi, has "dedicated his career to advancing higher education, with more than 30 years of experience as an administrator and an educator. His work has spanned diverse areas from counseling, computer sciences and research, to budget planning and finance. He has been involved with his local communities, serving as a trustee of the Institute of Buddhist Studies in Berkeley, and was a former board member for the Japanese Cultural and Community Center for Northern California and Oakland’s Asian Community Mental Health Services," Hayashi said.
The Asian Pacific Islander Legislative Caucus hosted the seventh Asian Pacific Islander Heritage Awards ceremony on May 14. The event recognizes Asian Pacific Islander American trailblazers who have achieved excellence in the fields of business, civil rights, labor, law, new media, education and public service.
Assembly Member Hayashi is chair of the Business, Professions and Consumer Protection Committee and serves the 18th assembly district, which includes San Leandro, Hayward, Dublin, most of Castro Valley and Pleasanton, a portion of Oakland, and the unincorporated areas of Ashland, Cherryland, San Lorenzo and Sunol.