Cynthia Teniente-Matson assumed the role of president of San José State in January 2023. This marks a return to the California State University system for Teniente-Matson, who served as vice president for administration and chief financial officer at California State University, Fresno from 2004 to 2015.
Prior to her appointment as president at SJSU, she led Texas A&M University-San Antonio from 2015 to 2023. As the second president in the university's history, Teniente-Matson spearheaded the growth of the campus into a comprehensive master's university while earning the U.S. Department of Education Hispanic Serving Institution designation and the Seal of Excelencia, awarded to just 24 universities nationwide. She established several key initiatives for the university, including the Mays Center for Experiential Learning and Community Engagement, the Cisneros Institute for Emerging Leaders, the Institute of Water Resource Science and Technology, the Cyber Engineering Technology & Cyber Security Research Center, the NSA Center of Academic Excellence in Cyber Defense Education and the sole Texas Facebook CyberSecurity University Program.
Throughout a distinguished career that spans more than 30 years in higher education, Teniente-Matson has always put students first, engaging in strategic partnerships and serving on numerous national educational-governing and civic boards geared toward enhancing student success and the student experience. She is a champion of diversity, equity and inclusion; civic engagement; and experiential learning.
In 2022, the White House Office of Presidential Personnel appointed her as commissioner to the Japan U.S. Friendship Commission and a panelist to CULCON, a State Department Japan-U.S. Binational Governance Commission. Currently, she serves as past chair of the Board of Directors for the American Association of State Colleges and Universities, a board member of the American Council on Education and the Girl Scouts USA National Board, and as a member of the HSI-Educational Testing Service Steering Committee and LiftFund.
Education
B.A., Management, University of Alaska Fairbanks
M.A., Business Administration, University of Alaska Anchorage
Ed.D., Educational Leadership, California State University, Fresno