Fullerton College President, Rajen Vurdien was unanimously voted by the board of trustees at Pasadena City College to be the college’s 15th president-superintendent on April 19.
According to Anthony R. Fellow, trustee of area seven, the Pasadena Area Community College District Board of Trustees held a closed session where he and six other trustees voted unanimously to select Vurdien as PCC president-superintendent.
The board then moved into an open session where president of the board, Berlinda Brown announced their decision to select Vurdien over the other two finalists, San Diego Miramar College President Patricia Hsieh and PCC Interim President Robert B. Miller.
“I was impressed with President Vurdien during our preliminary interviews and even more impressed after his open forums and my site visit to Fullerton College,” Fellow said. “He is the perfect combination of scholarship, leadership and innovativeness he exudes honesty, integrity and passion. He is the right person at the right time for Pasadena City College.”
Vurdien has been the president of Fullerton College since May of 2010, he will replace Mark Rocha who retired his position as PCC president-superintendent in August.
According to Vurdien, he will most likely begin in his new position in July where he will oversee one of the five largest colleges in the United States with a student population of 33,000 to 35,000. He looks forward to being a part of the Pasadena community.
“Pasadena is an international city that is known worldwide with the Rose Bowl and Rose Parade and the college is in the heart of the community,” Vurdien said. “It’s a great feeling to be in charge of a school the size of Pasadena City College and the reputation it has.”
Vurdien is thankful for the five years he has spent at Fullerton College, he is proud of the accomplishments that he has been a part of such as the outreach with the community and relationships built with the high school districts. He added that the college seen an increase in graduation and transfer rates as well as being ranked number one for the largest student enrollment from 2012 to 2013.
“The college [Fullerton] looks much better than it was before,” Vurdien said. “The climate is very harmonious and people are empowered to do what they have to do.”
