Mildred García

Mildred García, president at California State University, Dominguez Hills has been designated to the board of directors for the Association of American College and Universities (AAC&U) and was honored with the National Association of Presidential Assistants in Higher Education (NAPAHE) Professional Achievement Award for 2008.
As the member of the board of directors, she will oversee governance of AAC&U, set policy and position statements on issues pertinent and important to its mission.

“I am thrilled to join the board of the Association of American Colleges and Universities,” García said. “The mission of this organization is one I feel strongly about. AACU champions providing all college students, including underserved and ethnically diverse students, with a liberal education that prepares them for civic leadership, personal growth, and professional success in socially responsible work. I look forward to working with the board in support of AACU’s programs and initiatives.”
García’s career in higher education administration began as a president’s assistant in 1979, while an instructor at a community college in New York. Since then, she has held many administrative positions on the road to becoming a president of a university, including dean of students, assistant vice president of academic affairs, associate vice provost for academic affairs and vice provost for academic personnel. She became president of CSU Dominguez Hills in August 2007, after serving six years as president of Berkeley College of New York and New Jersey. She holds a doctorate and master’s degree from Teachers College, Columbia University; a master’s degree from New York University, a B.S. from Bernard Baruch College of CUNY and an A.A.S. from New York City Community College of CUNY.
 

Jennifer Peña

Stay tuned for a new face on PBS KIDS, teacher and actress Jennifer Peña. Through curriculum-based activities she will introduce Spanish words to the PBS KIDS Preschool Destination Cast. “By bringing in new teachers in the third season, we’re not only introducing kids to a variety of new faces and helping them become familiar with people from diverse communities, but also preparing them for multi-cultural experiences they are likely to have in school and life,” said Lesli Rotenberg, SVP, PBS KIDS Next Generation Media. “By infusing Spanish and adding more original music, we are helping to enrich our youngest viewers’ engagement. The results of our ongoing research with parents and children specifically points to music as an important and powerful element of a child’s learning environment.”

Peña will play as Miss Rosa and has played several roles in Touchstone films such as “Ernest Saves Christmas,” since then, her roles include national commercials and T.V. appearances on several Nickelodeon shows and was a host for Shamu TV. In January 2008, PBS KIDS Raising Readers released a bilingual DVD hosted by her as Miss Rosa for 10 cities across the country in partnership with local PBS stations. In addition to introducing episodes from PBS KIDS preschool programs SUPER WHY! and WORDWORLD, Miss Rosa engages the audience with reading games and offers tips on how to make learning to read fun.
 

Cynthia Bendlin

Paraguayan native, Cynthia Bendlin was the recipient of the “Latina Women of Courage” award for 2008 during International Women’s Day. She was presented with the award by U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice at the State Department in Washington D.C. Bendlin has been recognized for her outstanding courage and leadership in combating the trafficking of women and children, with a focus in the “Tri-Border” area of Paraguay, Argentina and Brazil. She works with the International Organization for Migration (IOM) to combat human trafficking and promote women’s rights, conducts seminars educating government and leaders around the nation on how to cooperate and prevent it effectively.

Bendlin was among the over 90 exceptional women nominated by U.S. Embassies worldwide for their extraordinary work in advancing women’s rights.