Cynthia Villis
Dr. Cynthia Villis is Director of the Institute of College Initiatives (ICI) for the
University of San Diego. She directs its programs, develops community outreach, writes grant proposals, oversees operations and foundation relations as grants are funded, and liaises between USD and Rotary District 5340.
As Director of the Institute, Dr. Villis proposed a TRiO Upward Bound program for USD that was initially funded in 1999 by the US Department of Education ($880K). Developed by Cynthia and her staff, USD UB helps to keep 50 1st generation, low-income Kearny High school students in school and bound for college. In May 2003 USD UB graduated its first cohort of seniors: 24 of 25 are currently enrolled in college. In June 2003 the program received its second 4-year award from the US Department of Education ($968K); all 15 seniors graduating in May 2004 are currently enrolled in college. USD UB has 17 seniors college-bound in 2005. Cynthia is Director of USD Upward Bound.
Cynthia proposed a TRiO McNair Baccalaureate Scholars program for USD to the US Department of Education; it was funded in June 2003 ($1.1M). The program intensively mentors up to 25 1st generation, low-income USD science majors through their undergraduate years and into graduate school, with the expectation that they join the professoriate.
Other Institute programs include INScience and Expand Your Horizons (two collaborative programs with the San Diego County Office of Education, San Diego Science Alliance, San Diego City Schools and Fleet Science Center), Bridge (a summer program that transitions from high school to USD), National Council on Youth Leadership, a Botball tournament, liaisons with Nativity Prep and The Preuss Charter School, and Rotary District 5340 (including Ambassadorial Scholars in USD programs). In January 2005 the California Department of Education notified the ICI of their intent to fund a California Math and Science Partnership of USD, the Chula Vista School District, the Lemon Grove School District, and the Reuben H. Fleet Science Center. Robotics and other programs are in the Institute of College Initiatives' future.
From 1997-2004 Cynthia held administrative responsibilities as an Associate Provost at USD, and from 1987-1997 Cynthia was USD's Dean of Academic Services, with direct reports from seven areas: Undergraduate Admissions, Financial Aid Services, Career Services, Counseling Center, Registrar, Educational Opportunity Program, and Disability Services. She has received the San Diego Business Journal Women Who Mean Business award for her work with the San Diego community.
Cynthia became a Rotarian in 1997. She is a Past President of the La Jolla Golden Triangle Rotary Club, chairs International Service (Co-Chairs David Froman and Jack Dodds), and is a member of the Board of Directors. She served as Secretary for three years. She is a Paul Harris Fellow. She has written matching grants for LJGTR projects (eg, Esperanza International), is consultant to the Somali Sewing Center (with Steve Brown), and co-chaired the District Agenda for Peace (with Dory Beatrice and Mike Bardin). She assisted PDG Steve Brown and PRID Francisco Creo in the US/Mexico Rotary Peace Program (USD Joan B. Kroc Institute for Peace and Justice Inaugural Conference, December 2001) and hosted the San Diego Sister Cities meeting of Mayor Dick Murphy and Mayor Abdul Razzaq Arsalai of Jalalabad, Afghanistan in November 2004.
Cynthia has a Ph.D. in Counseling Psychology, with a predoctoral internship at Ohio State (where Woody Hayes bought her a cup of coffee at McDonald's). She completed Harvard University's Management Development Program and The Foundation Center's Grantsmanship sequence. Licensed as a psychologist in California and Texas, she has been listed in the National Register of Psychologists. While Director of Training for the Texas Tech University Counseling Center, she led that predoctoral internship training program to APA-accreditation (1983), and has served as adjunct faculty for 5 universities.
