It was 2 a.m., and Britt Rios-Ellis had just finished a long night preparing the new Center for Latino Community Health in downtown Long Beach for the week ahead. As she and her three children climbed into the car, a man began walking aggressively towards them. The man, maybe in his early 30s, slammed his fist on the hood.
Her son Enrique, who was 12 at the time, remembers the moment clearly, especially the fear he felt. But then, his mother did something he didn’t expect. Instead of locking the doors and speeding away, she got out, walked up to the man and asked, “How are you?”
That simple question changed everything. The man’s expression changed from angry to confused. Within minutes, the tension turned into a conversation — the beginning of a small, human connection that demonstrated so much about who she is.
Years later, that same fearless compassion was on full display inside the Ed and Bertha Fitzpatrick Arena as Rios-Ellis stood before several hundred guests to be formally invested as the 13th president of California State University, Stanislaus.
The moment marked both a celebration of her leadership and a reflection of the University’s emergence — a community reaffirming its shared vision of transformation, purpose and hope for the Central Valley.
Her son shared that memory from the stage, introducing it with a simple truth that captures her leadership.
“The way she sees people is beautiful,” Enrique said.
That sentiment carried through the story he told, and through the ceremony itself, where family, culture and community moved in harmony. It was a story of meeting challenges with empathy and courage and of seeing possibility where others might only see conflict.
An investiture marks a defining moment in a University’s history: the formal recognition of leadership and shared vision that guides its next chapter.
For Stanislaus State, the Oct. 3 celebration was a reflection of the University’s continuing rise as a transformative force in California’s Central Valley, where culture, community and purpose intersect in powerful ways.
This investiture is about us. With the pulse of possibility and the power of cariño, we will epitomize the very best of our nation’s breadbasket and the California State University system. Together, one student, one family and one community at a time, we will pursue this thriving reality. Our legacy is an enduring and bright future. We truly are the American dream.
- President Britt Rios-Ellis
The Investiture’s theme, “Leading with Cariño, Rising with the Pulse of Possibility,” captured that spirit of transformation — leading with love, resilience and belief in the power of education to change lives. It reflected not only President Rios-Ellis' leadership philosophy but the enduring mission of higher education itself: to expand opportunity, foster discovery and build community through learning.
“This investiture is about us,” Rios-Ellis said. “It is about celebrating our nationally ranked University and building a future alive with promise and cariño. We have always aspired to be much more than an academic institution. We are a beacon where dreams flourish and opportunities abound. Together, we are creating an environment where knowledge, diversity, respect and collaboration thrive — ultimately shaping a brighter future for the Valle Central.”
Every detail echoed that message. The Investiture’s emblem, a hummingbird designed by her daughter Itzél Rios-Ellis, appeared throughout the arena — on programs, banners and stage décor — symbolizing determination, hope and the ability to find sweetness amid challenge.
The celebration reflected gratitude for the partners who help make the University’s mission possible. Their generosity supported a series of celebratory events for students and community surrounding the Investiture, including a sold-out screening and Q&A with 2025 honorary doctorate recipient and former NASA astronaut José Hernández, a benefit dinner supporting presidential initiatives and Noche de Banda, an evening of music and dance for students.
The platform party — University leaders, faculty, staff, students and longtime mentors who have guided Rios-Ellis throughout her career — rose together in a sweep of colors and applause, embodying the collective strength of the CSU and the community that continues to shape her leadership.
Outside of the arena, Ballico Taiko, a student drumming group from the Ballico-Cressey School District, set the rhythm for the day — a pulse of possibility echoing through campus, signaling how the next generation is already part of the University’s story. Student-athletes lined the walkway as the platform party entered to Las Cafeteras’ “If I Was President,” the same music group that launched the University’s Presidential Celebration Series the year before.
Inside, the air carried a mix of pageantry and warmth. After greetings from CSU Board of Trustees Chair Jack B. Clarke Jr. and representatives of Stan State’s faculty, staff, students and alumni, the tone shifted from formal ceremony to celebration.
Then came the music — and the family.
Rios-Ellis’s husband, Enrique Rios-Ellis, led the Stan State Latin Jazz Ensemble comprised of students, alumni and community members performing one of her favorite songs, Rubén Fuentes’ “La Bikina.” The performance set a deeply personal tone that carried into the reflections of the couple’s adult children.
Their daughter, Xóchitl, spoke first, her voice catching as she looked toward her mother.
“What gives me hope is to see people like you in leadership — people who choose to lead with kindness, respect, integrity and empathy,” she said.
Her son Enrique followed, recalling the late-night encounter outside the Center for Latino Community Health — a story that revealed the empathy at the heart of her leadership.
Then Itzél, who designed the hummingbird motif that appeared throughout the Investiture’s décor, reminded everyone why her mother’s leadership resonates.
“She leads the same way she loves,” Itzél said. “Fully, fiercely and always with an open heart.”
Moments later, Mariachi Juvenil Corazón Ranchero, a student ensemble from Los Baños Unified School District, filled the arena with song, underscoring the heart of the celebration: a gathering grounded in community, culture and the next generation that carries Stan State’s rhythm forward. From there, the program turned to higher-education leaders who have shaped Rios-Ellis’ path.
Two leaders who helped shape Rios-Ellis' journey reflected on values that define her leadership: purpose, people and heart.
Oakland University President Ora Hirsch Pescovitz, who worked alongside her during her tenure as provost, recalled their shared commitment to make higher education “accessible, affordable and the path to opportunity for everyone — and I mean everyone.”
Ron Carter, a nationally respected mentor and former university president, said that her “passion will fuel innovation, motivation and inspiration,” and that her integrity and purpose will ensure lasting impact.
