Lisa Cardoza isn’t your ordinary president. She considers herself a cheerleader of sorts because she dresses in her school colors—red and blue—everywhere she goes. 

“I am the loudest and proudest cheerleader of my college,” said Cardoza, president of American River College (ARC), the biggest college in the Los Rios Community College District in Sacramento, California. 

Cardoza became the first Latina President of American River College in July of 2023. She oversees a community college of more than 30,000 students, representing an extremely diverse population. The student population consists of 48% adult learners, 32% Latinos, 8% African Americans, 12% Asians, 1% Native American, and 3% refugee asylees.

From the very beginning at ARC, Cardoza was impressed by what she experienced. “I was hearing from people about how the college was changing lives. There is such a positive attitude here,” she said. “So many people shared their wonderful experiences of American River College with me. It was so beautiful.”

Not only does ARC provide a great spectrum of diversity, but the college has been offering extensive two-year programs that address the many needs of generations of students living on the northern edge of Sacramento. 

Breaking Barriers: The First Latina President of ARC

When Cardoza joined ARC, she tried to involve herself in college and community events. She sat on many boards, attended almost every college and local event as possible, and even observed different classes to better understand the work of her faculty. And she continues to do the same today. 

“I want to immerse myself in the college and better understand the needs here,” she said. “I’ve shown up at all the events on campus and in the community that I can. My calendar is insane.” 

As the first Latina of the college, Cardoza brings a strong Hispanic background to the table. Although her Mexican American parents never spoke Spanish with her and her five sisters since they had been beaten for speaking it as children, they raised the family near the border of Texas and Mexico, where the predominant language is Spanish. Since both of her parents were college educated, it was also understood that Cardoza and her sisters would attend college. 

“We were known as the smart Cardoza girls in our community,” said the president. “I was so advanced in first grade, that by the second half of the year, I was in second grade. And all of us went into kindergarten already knowing how to read and write. We also played school together.”

Although both of her parents were college educated, Cardoza’s family was considered poor, as were many in their community. Therefore, when one of her high school teachers came up with the idea of getting his students, who represented one of the poorest school districts in Texas, to visit ivy leagues, the sisters were all in. 

One of Cardoza’s older sisters visited the East Coast Ivy Leagues during her junior year and decided to enroll at Colombia University. The president, however, was more drawn to the warmer weather of the West Coast and visited Stanford. In the end, she attended Stanford, but not without delays and complications. 

Upon returning from her visit to Stanford, Cardoza discovered she was pregnant. She was only sixteen and assumed she’d have to give up college to raise her son. Instead, she graduated high school as a valedictorian and, with support from Stanford, deferred her enrollment to the university for a year. She had her son, then got married, and a year later, began her studies at Stanford.

With her husband working, Cardoza juggled raising her son while pursuing her bachelor’s and master’s in a five-year fast track program. She received scholarships that also helped defray the costs beyond the $100,000 in loans. 

In 2004, Cardoza graduated with a bachelor’s degree in economics and a master’s in social sciences of education. With a desire to “pay it forward”, she soon accepted a job in student services at the University of Texas-Pan American. And it was there that she began her doctoral program in 2008, two years after her second son was born. 

“So many at Stanford University helped me be successful. I felt like I wanted to be that help for so many others,” said the president. “I could have very well been a statistic, so I wanted to pay it forward by looking for a job in higher education.” 

While at UT, President Robert Nelson offered Cardoza a position with him as Chief of Staff, which she accepted. Cardoza worked with him for five years until he moved on to become president of Sacramento State. It didn’t take long before he invited her to join him there, to which she agreed. Now divorced, she moved to Sacramento with her youngest son, who was nine at the time. 

Cardoza worked at Sacramento State for six years, filling multiple top-level positions. During her last post as Vice President for University Advancement and Executive Officer for the University Foundation, she led the university toward the completion of its first successful comprehensive fundraising campaign, which raised nearly $240 million. 

Building a Brighter Future for Students

When Cardoza joined American River College in July 2023, she arrived from only having worked or attended four-year institutions. “I had never worked at a community college and never attended one,” she said. “But President Nelson always believed I’d be a great community college president.” 

His assessment wasn’t far off. When Cardoza arrived at ARC, she focused on “bringing the community back into the community college.”

“I’m known for creating community partnerships,” said the president, who also brought her fundraising expertise and enthusiasm with her to the college. “I’m proud to be the first Latina President of ARC and to show up as my true, authentic self each and every day for our students, faculty, staff, and community.” 

Cardoza arrived on campus with rigorous programs already in place, from smaller class sizes and technical education programs to more traditional classes that support students wishing to transfer to four-year universities. The school also houses the largest apprenticeship program in California, with 96 percent of students receiving certificates. 

In addition, ARC is home to the UNITE Center, which provides student support for a plethora of groups. This includes the Puente Program, the Native American Resource Center, and an African American group. The Latinx Center also works closely with their UndocuScholar Resource Connection and PUENTE program. Cardoza is proud of what the school offers yet is also determined to do more.  

With ARC recently named a Hispanic Serving Institution, the president is focused on implementing Project Adelante, a program designed to create equity on campus and offer a sense of belonging for Latinos. This program includes outreach to K-12 schools and expanding the Dual Enrollment Program for Latino high school students. 

Cardoza is also looking at developing more intentional programming to support students in transferring to other institutions and offering additional financial aid. She aims to create an honors program to help students transfer to Sacramento State University. 

In addition, the president has helped establish a Creciente Latinx Leadership program that serves the Sacramento region. She is working on bringing funding partnerships to the college and raising money for finish line scholarships, which would help students with smaller costs needed to finish their programs, like cap and gown and exam costs. 

As the president looks toward the future, her goal is to improve transfer and completion rates for disproportionately impacted students.  She aims to help students finish their schooling in a timelier manner, even if they are juggling school and work. 

As Cardoza focuses on building a campus culture “where every student can see themselves succeed,” she offers those students who were once like her specific advice for a strong future: “Find your community. Find those who are going to be your biggest cheerleaders, those who believe in you.”