SANTA ANA : Trustee Is Elected State Board Officer

Shirley Ralston, a longtime member of the Rancho Santiago College Board of Trustees, has been named vice president of the state’s chief policy-making board for community colleges.

“I’m very excited about it. For me, it’s an opportunity to provide real leadership for community colleges in California,” she said.

Ralston, 56, who was appointed to the 15-member California State Colleges Board of Governors in 1990 by Gov. Pete Wilson, said that her priorities include providing quality education and access to higher education for all students. The board oversees and sets policy for the state’s 107 community colleges.

During her tenure on the board, she has been recognized for supporting programs and services for underrepresented students. Ralston was elected vice president at a meeting on Nov. 13 in Sacramento.

“My personal list of priorities is to make sure that we reach out to those students who need a little bit of help and to make sure that (all students) will be able to transfer to CSU and UC system and maintain quality education,” Ralston said.

She said that she would also like to encourage the California State University and University of California systems to give greater priority to transfer students.

Ralston holds an associate of arts degree from Rancho Santiago College in business administration and is now serving her third term on the Rancho Santiago Board of Trustees. She has also been active in local volunteer organizations, including the YWCA and as a mentor for high school students in the district’s Career Beginnings program.