Delaine Eastin to Direct New Mills Center

Oakland, CA - Expanding the leadership opportunities for students through civic engagement and service learning experiences, Mills College announces the formation of the Center for Civic Engagement and Women's Leadership (CCEWL).

Delaine Eastin, distinguished visiting professor of educational leadership and senior advisor to Mills President Janet L. Holmgren, has been appointed the director of CCEWL.

"The new Center for Civic Engagement and Women's Leadership is designed to increase the civic participation of Mills students, and enable them to find their voices as a foundation for leadership," said Eastin. "We intend to pave the way for more women to serve the Oakland community and beyond, eventually becoming mayors, governors, senators, directors of foundations and nonprofits, and CEOs."

Comprised of Mills' Women's Leadership Institute, the Institute for Civic Engagement, and the College's service learning initiatives, CCEWL programs will encourage students to develop skills and knowledge in a variety of venues with an emphasis on success within an environment that values social justice and equality. Students will gain first-hand knowledge of the structure and mechanics of constitutional government, democratic institutions, and the dispositions associated with successful civic participation. CCEWL will facilitate student interactions with local, state, and federal leaders, and help to foster new models of leadership.

Working with the Division of Student Life and Mills programs in women's studies, ethnic studies, pre-nursing, and public policy; the Schools of Business and Education; and the Mills-Central East Oakland Partnership, CCEWL aims to increase the number of opportunities for student internships and service learning experiences.

Prior to joining Mills College, Delaine Eastin was the California superintendent of public instruction, the first and only woman to hold that office. She is a past president and current board member of the National Center for Learning and Citizenship, part of the Education Commission of the States.

Mills College is a nationally renowned, independent liberal arts college offering innovative degree programs to approximately 900 undergraduate women and 500 graduate women and men. Ranked one of the top colleges in the West by U.S. News & World Report and one of the Best 366 Colleges by The Princeton Review, Mills provides a dynamic liberal arts education fostering women's leadership, social responsibility, and creativity. Nestled in the foothills of Oakland, California, on 135 lush acres, Mills was recently selected by the New York Times as one of three outstanding California colleges for students to consider.

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