Biology Major Diana Aguilar-Cruz Appointed to the CSU Board of Trustees
The email inviting her to apply to the Board of Trustees came as a surprise to Diana Aguilar-Cruz, now in her 3rd year at CPP. She was nominated to apply and interviewed with the Cal State Student Association and the Governor’s office.
On June 1, 2022 Governor Gavin Newsom appointed her to the 25-member Board of Trustees and her two-year term began July 1, 2022. She represents 477,000 students in the CSU system that spans 23 campuses.
Aguilar-Cruz is passionate about ensuring that students’ basic needs are met. “Housing and food insecurity are important issues. Students shouldn’t worry about where they’re going to live or have to choose between buying a textbook or buying food. At CPP students have told me how important the Poly Pantry has been to them.”
Aguilar-Cruz chose CPP because she felt comfortable and welcome. “I also love the learn by doing motto. You can’t learn science if you’re not doing it,” she said. “I also want all students in the CSU system to feel that they belong. Everyone should feel safe, welcome and accepted. There are a lot of student centers on campuses where students can go to feel welcome and accepted. That feeling should extend across the entire campus.”
She plans to go to medical school to become a pediatric neurosurgeon and also wants to earn a Ph.D. in organic chemistry. A challenging goal inspired by chemistry Professor Alex John. “He taught me to trust myself,” she said. “I gained confidence that if I could do this, I could do anything.”
Aguilar-Cruz was born in Mexico and came to the U.S. when she was fourteen. She’s wanted to be a doctor since she was four. Her late grandmother, Yolanda, encouraged her to play teacher but that didn’t interest her, lab coats and stethoscopes did, so her grandmother obliged. Toys wouldn’t suffice, she soon wanted a real stethoscope and to learn how to use it, which she did.
Earning two doctorate degrees may seem excessive but Aguilar-Cruz is accustomed to doing more than expected. In addition to her studies, she conducts research in Alzheimer’s disease with Professor Kageyama and research on gestational diabetes for the Insan Foundation. She was also a member of the Achieve Scholars Program, and the Mexican-American Student Association.
Aguilar-Cruz wants to be a role model to her cousins and her 14-year-old brother Alejandro, who is interested in engineering. “I want my family and other Latinas to see what’s possible. Becoming a doctor will also allow me to serve others and give back. I want to be able to provide medical services to people who are underserved.”
