In Tribute to Dr. “Bob” Suzuki

On May 1, 2024, we lost a great Asian American higher education leader, activist and agent of change. Dr. “Bob” Suzuki passed away surrounded by his wife Agnes Suzuki, their children and grandchildren. 

Bob was an early pioneer in fighting for civil/human rights, multicultural/international education, educational equity, social justice, inclusion, public affairs and community service.  He was our champion in debunking the Asian American Model Minority myth and making others aware that Asian Americans are a very diverse “group” and many are not economically wealthy nor succeeding in higher education.  Throughout his professional career, he worked to increase access and success of historically underrepresented people of color, diversify the faculty, establish cultural centers, and provide needed student services.  Bob served as a role model, mentor, advisor and supporter for many of us involved in higher education.  He hired, encouraged and supported many Asian Americans and people of color to seek higher levels of leadership positions in colleges and universities.

Bob was deeply committed to building a pipeline of Asian Americans to attain high-level leadership roles in colleges and universities, especially presidents and chancellors.  He was a board member of APAHE (Asian Pacific Americans in Higher Education) and worked tirelessly to support the organization which has grown to become the largest organization of Asian Pacific Islanders in higher education. In 1996, Bob called together Asian American leaders in higher education to address the lack of a pipeline for Asian Americans in higher education. He was instrumental in the development of the Leadership Development Program for Higher Education, now called LEAP Advance, to provide professional development training for individuals to advance in their careers and leadership journeys.  The program has been highly successful in assisting many higher education professionals to advance in their professional careers. Bob and Agnes were able to be present when Bob was honored at the 25th Anniversary of the LEAP program in 2022.

Born in Oregon in 1936, Bob and his family were confined to the Minidoka concentration camp in Idaho for Japanese Americans during World War II. Following the internment, Bob’s father relocated the family to an area outside of Spokane, Washington. Bob excelled in school, becoming the student body president and class valedictorian upon his graduation. He earned a Bachelor’s and a Master’s degree in Mechanical Engineering from UC Berkeley. From 1961 to 1963, he worked as a research engineer for the Boeing Company in Seattle, Washington, and then attended the California Institute of Technology earning a PhD in Aeronautics in 1967. Bob then taught at USC for four and a half years in the Department of Aerospace Engineering.  During this time, he became deeply involved in civil rights and public and community affairs.  He was one of the leaders of a successful nationwide campaign that led to the Congressional repeal of the Emergency Detention Act of 1950, and served as chair of the National Education Commission of the Japanese American Citizens League (JACL), and vice chair of the Community Advisory Committee for the Desegregation of the Pasadena Schools.

After being involved in these activities, Bob decided in 1971 to change his professional field and devote himself full-time to work that more directly addressed pressing societal problems. Transitioning from engineering to higher education, Bob taught at the School of Education at the University of Massachusetts Amherst with teaching interests in multicultural education and Asian American Studies.  He served as Dean of Graduate Studies and Research at California State University, Los Angeles from 1981 to 1985, and as Vice President for Academic Affairs at CSU Northridge from 1985 to 1991. He then successfully served as President of California State Polytechnic University, Pomona (Cal Poly Pomona) from 1991 until he retired in 2003.  As president, Bob successfully raised millions of dollars and oversaw the development of many state-of-the-art facilities on the campus. As a college president, Bob continued to be visible and vocal, supporting and advocating for equity, inclusion and social justice.

Bob published and presented numerous papers and lectured extensively on multicultural/international education, educational equity, under-representation of minorities in the STEM disciplines, and on Asian Americans. One of Bob’s seminal works was published in 1977: “Education and the Socialization of Asian Americans: A Revisionist Analysis of the ‘Model Minority Myth.’” Bob served as a breakthrough scholar through both his writings and his lectures and presentations. He addressed issues forthrightly with candor, truth, and a compelling agenda for change. For many Asian Pacific Islander Americans, Bob not only rallied our call to action, but stood with us as we sought to establish our presence within higher education, earning seats at the table of decision-making and influence.

Bob received a number of awards and recognition over the years in the areas of community service, education and human/civil rights.  He was the first recipient of the Human Rights Award for Leadership in Asian and Pacific Island Affairs presented to him by the National Education Association at its annual convention in 1976.  On November 3, 2003, he was conferred the Order of the Rising Sun, Gold Rays with Neck Ribbon by the Japanese Government.  In March 2011, he was presented with the Reginald Wilson Diversity Leadership Award by the American Council on Education; and in April 2013, he was presented the Lifetime Achievement Award by the Association of Asian American Studies. Even in retirement, Bob remained active speaking at professional meetings such as NCORE, which honored him in 2016.

For many of us in the Asian Pacific Islander community, we feel a tremendous loss in the passing of such a highly valued and respected leader as Bob Suzuki. Bob was always informed, always encouraging, always urging, and always supporting. He touched the lives of so many of us with his words and actions, encouraging and motivating many to continue to assume greater positions of leadership and influence. We are so very grateful for the teachings and leadership impact of Dr. Bob Suzuki, a true icon for Asian Pacific Americans in higher education.