It was initiated by our then new president, Brian Murphy and was led by two faculty members: Jackie Reza and Cynthia Kaufman. The purpose of the task force was to research what kinds of engagement work were being done at other institutions and to analyze what work would be appropriate for De Anza. The task force completed its work in March of 2006, and delivered to the president a “Plan for De Anz
a’s Institute for Community and Civic Engagement.”
As a way to begin the work, some faculty and staff organized the first “Youth Voices United for Change” high school empowerment conference, which took place in the Spring of 2006. In the Fall of 2006 Rowena Tomaneng and Mayra Cruz were appointed directors and led the institute for the next three years. They built the institute onto a powerhouse of engagement. Presently the institute is directed by Cynthia Kaufman.
