Tuesday night, the California State Student Association (CSSA) is honored Dr. Hamid Shirvani, President of California State University, Stanislaus, as the 2009 Robert C. Maxson CSU President of the Year. Shirvani received the same recognition in 2007, and is one of only two presidents in the history of the California State University system to be named President of the Year more than once. The award is being presented at a ceremony in Long Beach.
“I am honored – and a bit speechless – to be receiving this wonderful award for a second time,” Shirvani said. “It is a pleasure and a privilege to work with the exceptional students here at California State University, Stanislaus and throughout the CSU. I am truly blessed.”
Charlie Reed, Chancellor of the 23-campus CSU system, said, “I am proud of Ham for receiving this honor not once, but twice.”
Debra Farar, who serves as a member of the CSU Board of Trustees and who served as Chair for the CSU Presidential Search Team when Shirvani was hired in 2005, said, “We were so pleased to have President Shirvani come to CSU Stanislaus, and I am not surprised that he is receiving this award again. He is very deserving of such an honor with the students.”
Shirvani is heralded by the CSSA for continually going out of his way to get to know students personally. The Association cites him as a strong leader who is well known for being widely accessible to students and effective in advocating on their behalf.
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Timothy D. Snyder, Chair of the Board of Directors for CSSA and Associated Students representative for Sacramento State, said, “President Shirvani’s hard work and commitment to students is remarkable and reaches far beyond expectations. We student leaders appreciate all of his support.”
Andrew Janz, ASI President at CSU Stanislaus and Chair of the Legislative Affairs Committee of CSSA, said, “President Shirvani is an outstanding university president who has expanded students’ role in shared governance.”
CSU Stanislaus ASI President-Elect, Diana Heredia, is already a fan. She said, “Students from the other campuses have shared with me that I am fortunate to have a President who is invested in student life. The President of the Year award bestowed on President Shirvani acknowledges his vested interest in students and his servant leadership as a university administrator.”
Curtis Schlaffman, President and CEO of ASI at CSU Fullerton, said, “President Shirvani is a President that goes out of his way to make regular students seem welcomed in any atmosphere. His enthusiasm and passion for what he does is contagious and truly inspirational to students who do not even attend CSU Stanislaus, like myself.”
Udeepto Maheshwari, ASI President at CSU East Bay, said, “Dr. Hamid Shirvani is perhaps the role model CSU President. He is not only a walking encyclopedia, but has a very unique perspective with a strategy that is clearly going to place CSU Stanislaus on the map. His international work and knowledge is extremely admirable, as he pioneers with Stanislaus leading the other 22 campuses on the global circuit.”
Lee Otero, ASI Chief Governmental Officer at CSU Fullerton, said, “I supported President Shirvani for President of the Year because I felt that he was an extremely sincere advocate for CSU students. President Shirvani has worked tirelessly to build a mutually respectful relationship with student leaders and CSSA.”
As further evidence of his recognized commitment to students, President Shirvani was selected to deliver the keynote address at the California Higher Education Student Summit (CHESS) in Sacramento last month, during the CSSA 50th Anniversary Banquet on April 19.