Cal State Monterey Bay President Vanya Quiñones has been appointed president of Cal Poly Pomona, officials announced Wednesday.
Quiñones has had a 30-year career in education as a scientist, researcher and academic administrator, which officials said has been centered in student success and diversity in the arts and sciences.
As president of Cal State Monterey Bay since 2022, Quiñones led the university to a nearly 30% rise in enrollment growth after years of declines.
“Dr. Quiñones is an innovative and data-driven decision maker who aligns institutional priorities with student needs to support immediate progress and long-term stability,” said Diego Arambula, vice chair of the CSU Board of Trustees and chair of the Cal Poly Pomona Presidential Search Committee. “Under her leadership at Cal State Monterey Bay, the university has thrived, and the committee is confident that her record of success will continue in service to Cal Poly Pomona.”
Prior to joining the CSU, Quiñones was provost and executive vice president for academic affairs at Pace University in New York, where she had oversight of all academic and student-related academic offices and personnel as well as information technology. She also held the rank of full professor in the psychology department.
“I am profoundly honored to be chosen to lead Cal Poly Pomona, become part of its long and impressive history and contribute to its future vision,” she said. “I am drawn to Cal Poly Pomona’s strong focus on measuring success by the opportunities it creates and the impact it has on students, families and the surrounding community. I welcome the opportunity to work in partnership with the campus community to support the continued success of the institution and advance its mission for years to come.”
Quiñones will assume the university presidency on July 1, becoming the eighth president of Cal Poly Pomona and the first Latina to lead the institution.
She will replace Soraya Coley, who is retiring after serving as the university’s president since 2015.