Dr. Luz Gonzalez

Dr. Luz Gonzalez serves as the Executive Director of the Fresno State South Valley Campus (FSSVC), where she leads efforts to expand higher education access and workforce development opportunities across the region. She is also Dean, Chair, and Professor Emerita of the College of Social Sciences (COSS) at Fresno State, where she has held numerous leadership roles throughout her distinguished career in higher education.

Previously, Dr. Gonzalez was the Inaugural Dean of the Fresno State South Valley Campus, Dean of the College of Social Sciences, and an American Council on Education (ACE) Fellow. She also served as Executive Director of the Center for the Recruitment and Retention of Underrepresented University Personnel. In her academic home, the Department of Chicano and Latin American Studies, she served as Chair and as Director of the Fresno State Faculty Mentoring Program, a vital initiative pairing at-risk students with faculty mentors to support academic success.

Over her 38-year tenure at Fresno State, Dr. Gonzalez has been instrumental in shaping the university’s mission and advancing student success, diversity, faculty development, and regional engagement. Her leadership has led to the creation and strengthening of academic degree programs, the expansion of faculty and staff recruitment and retention initiatives, and the development of inclusive campus programs and services. She has been a steadfast advocate for professional development, student scholarships, and faculty scholarship support.

As Dean of COSS, Dr. Gonzalez secured nearly $7 million in external funding and played a key role in founding the Central California Children’s Institute, as well as supporting the launch of the Community and Regional Planning Center, the Center for Economic Research and Education of Central California, the Food Recovery Network, and eight additional centers and initiatives focused on collaborative research and community impact.

From 1994 to 2015, she coordinated the Fresno State Latino Commencement Celebration, growing it into the largest celebration of its kind in the nation, with over 15,000 guests in attendance. Dr. Gonzalez also chaired the Cesar Chavez Monument Committee, leading the establishment of the first life-size university monument in the country associated with Cesar E. Chavez. The monument was unveiled in 1996 at California State University, Fresno’s Peace Garden, reflecting the understanding of his legacy at that time. In 2026, the university removed the monument following serious allegations and a broader reassessment of his legacy. Dr. Gonzalez continues to regard her work on this project as a meaningful tribute to farmworkers and their contributions—an experience she understands firsthand as a former farmworker.

A proud daughter of rural Tulare County and Nuevo Leon, Mexico, Dr. Gonzalez brings a deep commitment to educational equity and community engagement. She has worked closely with faculty, staff, students, and community leaders to ensure that Fresno State’s resources serve both historically disadvantaged communities and the broader region. Under her leadership, the South Valley Campus has expanded to include undergraduate and graduate degrees, upper-division general education courses, comprehensive outreach and advising services, and a forthcoming lifelong learning program for senior citizens across Tulare, Kings, and Northern Kern Counties.