#CYPossible: Rowena M. Tomaneng, English
Completing coursework calls for celebration, and we are proud to celebrate with Cypress College’s newest degree- and certificate-holders. By achieving these education goals, graduates and certificate-earners are equipped to continue on their college path or find strong footholds in the career fields they’ve chosen. We’ve taken the journey with these outstanding students, and know that when they look to the horizon, they see what is #CYPossible.
Please tell us a little about yourself. Where did you grow up? What are your interests? What is your story?
I am a first-generation immigrant, born in the Philippines. My family immigrated to the United States when I was 5 years old. I grew up in Los Angeles and moved to Cerritos after 3rd grade. I consider Cerritos my hometown as my family members still live in the city. I worked part-time in various jobs throughout my college years, and when I transferred from Cypress College to UC Irvine, I commuted 1.5 to 2 hours a day from Cerritos to Irvine because I couldn’t afford to live near campus.
Growing up, my father was really into athletics, and we were encouraged to participate in a variety of sports such as Basketball and Tennis. I played Varsity Tennis from Freshman to Senior year at Richard Gahr High School. I was also an avid reader of fiction and history from a young age and this is why I gravitated to pursue the humanities in college.
Why did you choose to attend Cypress College and how did being a student here help you find your first position after completion?
I attended Cypress College because it was close to home and I believed that I could be more focused on my academics if I had some distance from my high school community. I credit Cypress College and faculty in the humanities for exposing me to teaching as a profession. I was inspired by my professors because they were passionate and loved their disciplines; so I became interested in becoming a teacher. After graduating with my BA in English. at UC Irvine, I was encouraged by my professors to pursue a PhD in English and Literature. After graduation, I started a PhD program in English and Literature at UC Santa Barbara.
What were you involved in at Cypress College? How did your path unfold and who were the faculty and staff who have helped you along that path?
Because I worked part-time, when I was a student at Cypress College, I focused on my studies and participated in study groups so I could do well in my classes. Faculty such as Patrick O-Brien in the English department I credit with “lighting my fire” to pursue English as a major and teaching as a profession. I also had wonderful teachers in the social sciences and mathematics that offered extra tutoring to improve my writing and math skills.
What did you pursue after completing your studies at Cypress College (at your transfer institution, in the workforce, etc.) and where are you now?
- University of California, Santa Barbara/MA English,
- University of San Francisco/EdD International Multicultural Education
- Tenured Faculty and other administrative roles at De Anza College
- President, Berkeley City College
- President, San Jose City College
- Deputy Chancellor, California Community Colleges
What are your long-term goals? What do you aspire to?
My focus now in my current role as Deputy Chancellor of the California Community Colleges is to support Chancellor Sonya Christian and our Board of Governors with the implementation of our systemwide Vision 2030 goals: Equity in Access, Equity in Support, and Equity in Success through three strategic directions: Equitable Baccalaureate Attainment, Workforce and Economic Development, and AI and the Future of Learning.
What are you most passionate about? Why?
I have been passionate about serving students in the California Community Colleges for over 30 years. Cypress College was a transformational experience for me and contributed to my academic and professional trajectory. Serving several community colleges and now the entire system of our 116 colleges and 2.1 million students is my way of giving back and paying it forward.
What are you most proud of?
I am most proud of the impact I have made across three California Community Colleges to increase sense of belonging and a welcoming learning environment for students and employees, and to increase curricular and employee diversity so that our diverse communities and cultures are reflected in and out of the classroom.
If you could do it all over again, what would you do differently?
Seek support of counselors and mental health resources. It was very stressful to be a full-time student, working part-time. I also couldn’t afford housing when I transferred, so I think counselors would have helped me connect to campus resources.
What one bit of advice would you give to current and future Cypress College students?
Don’t be afraid to seek help from your teachers and counselors. They can provide guidance in navigating the academic journey.