Hye Sharzhoom Armenian Action
Dustin Vartanian
Staff Writer
“It is not just a job. These are my people. These are my family. These are my neighbors. These are my friends. These are the valley residents that come to Fresno State and whom I appreciate deeply.” These are the words of San Joaquin Valley native Dr. Saúl Jiménez-Sandoval, on becoming Fresno State’s new Interim President.
Dr. Saul Jimenez-Sandoval was officially named as Fresno State’s Interim President on January 4, 2021. Dr. Jiménez-Sandoval accepted this role after serving as the University’s Provost for the past year and a half. The position of Interim President opened with the departure of former President Dr. Joseph Castro, who was appointed as the eighth Chancellor of the California State University.
For almost twenty-one years Dr. Jiménez-Sandoval has been a part of the faculty at Fresno State. He started his career as a Professor in the Department of Modern and Classical Languages and Literatures, then served as the Department Chair, and continued on to become the Dean of the College of Arts and Humanities in 2016. Dr. Jiménez-Sandoval spent four years as Dean and then became Fresno State’s Provost in July 2019. He was named Interim President a year and a half later.
This rapid transition and promotions within a university is unique for a University President. “Though it might seem like a fast transitional period, I have very deep roots with Fresno State and in the Valley as well. I intentionally stayed at Fresno State because I see this as a life mission more than a job. I see this as an opportunity to give back to the community that really empowered me with strength to become the person that I am today,” said Dr. Jiménez-Sandoval.
Dr. Jiménez-Sandoval grew up in Fowler, California and developed close ties with the local Armenian community. “I appreciated my Armenian friends growing up in Fowler. My parents and I lived in a home about five blocks away from Fowler High School. Every day I would walk to High School and I would pass by the Armenian Church [St. Gregory the Illuminator Apostolic Church] that is right next to the school. So once you get to know the history, once you get to know the background, once you get to know who your neighbors are, you begin to build bridges of understanding and bridges of collaboration,” stated Dr. Jiménez-Sandoval.
Dr. Jiménez-Sandoval, developed additional ties with the Armenian community while he was a professor and later Dean of the College of Arts and Humanities. Dr. Jiménez-Sandoval has a deep appreciation for the multitude of cultures in the Fresno area as it is the “Ninth-most diverse city in the United States.”
The Armenian Studies Program is another factor that enriches our community. “Armenian Studies represents a way to celebrate our various cultures in the Valley. Right now, the majority of students that are taking Armenian Studies are not Armenian, and what is the value of that? There is huge value in that. The value is that in exposing non-Armenians to Armenian Studies you see this enrichment of the Valley life. You see appreciation of this important part of our community as well, and then at the same time you also forge strong connections with each other,” added Dr. Jiménez-Sandoval.
In addition, Interim President Sandoval-Jiménez has strengthened ties with the Armenian culture by visiting Armenia in 2019. “It was a trip of discovery really,” Dr. Jiménez-Sandoval stated. “I learned a lot. I remember being at the Armenian Genocide Memorial in Yerevan and just seeing and feeling the history and the pain and suffering, and at the same time the resilience and the hope of the people.”
The Interim President’s goals for Fresno State in the near future include re-populating the campus, increasing four-year graduation rates, building Fresno State-local industry partnerships, and to elevate Fresno State’s University brand and to showcase how proud we are of our premiere University. Dr. Jiménez-Sandoval’s advice for students at Fresno State this year is to “try to see the forest” because “the pandemic has forced us to look at the tree right in front of you” and it will eventually be over. “Students need to know how to bounce back and to seek out help from the many services available for students,” affirmed Dr. Jiménez-Sandoval. “No one should feel that they are alone.”
Dr. Jiménez-Sandoval is looking forward to eventually having students back on campus. “This pandemic has really prevented us from getting together and from celebrating who we are as a community,” said Dr. Jiménez-Sandoval. “A university is more than knowledge, more than a diploma, it is an experience.”
Despite the difficult situations a President may face, especially during these times, when the opportunity for Interim President opened, Dr. Jiménez-Sandoval was “all-in.”