When I think about lasting, transformational change, it reminds me of one of my favorite HGTV shows—whether it's Property Brothers, Fix My House, or Windy City Rehab. The process always begins the same way: the designers walk into a space and take stock of the foundation before they begin any kind of renovation. They assess the floors, the plumbing, the electricity, the roof—everything that will hold up the new vision. The success of any renovation depends on this foundational assessment.
The same principle applies to leadership in education. Before you can enact meaningful change, you must understand the current landscape—what's working, what’s broken, and where the most impactful improvements can be made. I learned this firsthand when I was tasked with revitalizing the Educational Opportunity Program (EOP) at San José State University. The program had once been a beacon of student success, but by 2003, it had become a shell of itself, barely serving students. My job was to not only restore it but transform it into a model for the entire California State University (CSU) system.
Laying the Foundation: Diagnosing the Problem
When I took the helm of EOP, the program’s budget had been slashed from $1.8 million to $257K, and its staff had been reduced from 10 to just 3. These 3 staff members were expected to support 2,400 students—an impossible task. No one could tell me exactly how or why this happened, so I started by digging deep into the data, the financials, and the history of the program. I quickly learned that the program’s funding had been rerouted to general funds due to a consultant’s recommendation that EOP services be made available to all students.
This discovery revealed something larger: EOP had lost its identity and its purpose. It was no longer designed to serve the students who needed it most—those from historically marginalized backgrounds, low-income families, and first-generation college students. With this realization, I knew that our task wasn’t just to revive the program. We had to rebuild it with a new sense of purpose and direction.
Creating the Blueprint: Listening to Students and Data
One of the first lessons I learned in leadership is that you cannot design a solution without understanding the problem from all angles. Data is critical, but equally important are the voices of the students you serve. I spent time meeting with students, staff, and faculty to hear their stories and perspectives. Students told us what they needed—mentorship, community, academic support—and the data backed it up. Retention rates were low, and program compliance was minimal. We needed a comprehensive approach to meet these challenges.
Drawing on best practices from leading EOP programs at CSU Northridge and San Diego State, I developed a roadmap for San José State’s EOP that included:
Increasing the budget to match the program’s mission and reach.
Relocating the program to a central location that made it accessible and visible.
Establishing intentional cross-campus collaborations to create a holistic student support system.
Creating data-driven initiatives to improve retention and compliance rates.
Executing the Vision: From Rebuilding to Transformation
The transformation process was not easy, but it was necessary. Over the course of seven years, we systematically rebuilt EOP from the ground up. I arranged for external reviewers—directors of successful EOP programs—to meet with university leadership and assess the program. Their insights, combined with our data and student feedback, informed every decision we made.
We implemented targeted support programs, including a peer mentor program for Black/African American and Latinx men, which directly addressed retention challenges. The results were transformative:
First-year retention rates for EOP students rose from 79% in 2009 to 95.2% in 2013, outpacing the overall university retention rate, which increased from 84.2% to 86.5%.
Program requirement compliance rates soared from 20% to 95%, reflecting the effectiveness of our support systems.
The program grew its cohort from 1,475 students to over 3,000, becoming one of the most successful EOP programs in the CSU system.
This wasn’t just a program revival—it was a model of transformation. EOP became a symbol of what’s possible when leadership is committed to listening to students, paying attention to data, and fostering collaboration across campus. For this work, I was honored to receive the 2017 California State University System’s Outstanding Administrator of the Year - Wang Family Excellence Award.
Lessons Learned: Leadership in Action
Through this journey, I learned key lessons that continue to inform my leadership in education:
Listen to the Community You Serve: Data is powerful, but student voices are irreplaceable. They provide the context and lived experience that data alone cannot capture. Students told us what they needed—mentorship, community, and support—and those insights shaped the entire transformation.
Data-Driven Decisions Lead to Sustainable Change: Paying attention to the data helped us identify where the program was failing and where we could make the most impact. By measuring retention rates, compliance, and student engagement, we were able to track progress and adapt strategies that had measurable results.
Intentional Collaboration is Key: Rebuilding EOP required more than just funding and vision. It required cross-campus collaboration. By aligning academic advising, financial aid, and student support services, we created a holistic support system that empowered students to succeed.
Build for the Long Term: The changes we implemented weren’t short-term fixes; they were designed to create a sustainable program. The compliance systems, mentorship programs, and early alert processes we put in place will support students long after I’ve left.
Conclusion: Leading with Purpose
The transformation of San José State’s Educational Opportunity Program is proof that lasting change is possible with the right leadership, strategy, and commitment to student success. By listening to students, using data to inform decisions, and fostering collaboration across campus, we were able to turn a struggling program into a model of success.
Leadership isn’t about quick fixes or short-term wins. It’s about creating a vision for the future and building the systems that will sustain that vision for years to come. Whether you're leading an educational institution, a program, or a department, the principles remain the same: listen, collaborate, and act with purpose.
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