Cal Poly Pomona President Soraya M. Coley announced Tuesday she will retire at the end of July.
“I have been blessed to work alongside talented faculty and dedicated staff, transformational leaders, visionary thought partners, passionate professionals, who have been committed to our students’ success and the betterment of our colleagues,” Coley wrote in a campus message. “I dedicated my efforts to improving the lives and futures of our students. Watching them grow and flourish filled my heart and focused my work on contributing to building a university that would help them achieve their dreams, no matter their circumstances or backgrounds.
“However, I knew that `one day’ my work would conclude. The time would come for me to step aside and enjoy precious time with my husband Ron, who retired several years ago. And that time is now.”
Coley has led the Cal Poly Pomona campus for 11 years. She has been with the California State University system for four decades, including stints at Cal State Fullerton and Bakersfield.
CSU Chancellor Mildred Garcia issued a statement praising Coley’s leadership.
“Since her appointment as Cal Poly Pomona’s president in September 2014, President Coley has served as a bold, purposeful and ethical leader,” Garcia said. “Under her leadership, the university has been relentless in its work to advance student success through critical investments in academic advising, programs to increase belonging and promote well-being, and through the development of the CARE Center, essential basic needs services and other vital resources.
“A fierce advocate for the CSU, Cal Poly Pomona and its students, she has been a tireless champion of the university within the region it serves. She has inspired vital community and business partnerships, as well as robust philanthropic support. Perhaps most significantly, under President Coley’s leadership, Cal Poly Pomona has consistently challenged and defied misconceptions regarding who pursues and succeeds within a polytechnic environment, opening doors of opportunity to diverse and historically underserved communities across Southern California and beyond.”