Fresno State President Joseph Castro was announced as the eighth chancellor of the California State University in a press release Wednesday morning.

He is set to take office Jan. 4, 2021, after finishing this semester at Fresno State.  

Castro will be the first native Californian and first Mexican American to hold the position, and succeeds Chancellor Timothy White. 

Before his appointment to chancellor, Castro earned his bachelor’s degree in political science and master’s degree in public policy from the University of California, Berkeley. He then went on to hold numerous faculty and administrative roles at CSU campuses before becoming president at Fresno State in 2013, succeeding John Welty. 

“I am truly grateful for and excited about this unique and wonderful opportunity, and I look forward to working with the talented faculty, staff and presidents of the 23 campuses as well the Board of Trustees and executives and staff at the Chancellor’s Office to further increase achievement for our 482,000 students,” Castro said in the press release.

“Dr. Castro is a passionate and effective advocate for his students, his campus and the CSU – in his local community, in Sacramento and in Washington, DC.,” Lillian Kimbell, chair of the CSU Board of Trustees, said.

Sacramento State President Robert Nelsen announced the decision as well as congratulated Castro in a SacSend email to students.

Students can attend a “Conversation with the Chancellor-Select,” which will be hosted by Monica Lozano, president and CEO of the College Futures Foundation, Sept. 25 at 11 a.m. on Zoom.