FRESNO, Calif. — Joseph I. Castro, the eighth president of Fresno State and former chancellor of the California State University system, has died at the age of 58, according to his family.
Castro battled "a courageous journey with cancer," the family said in a statement shortly after his death on Sunday.
Castro was the first California native and the first Latino to lead Fresno State. During his tenure, which lasted from 2013 to 2020, Castro developed a calling for the campus community to "Be Bold," and it became his signature mantra.
In a 2013 interview with KVPR, he said "I'm going to president for every student and faculty member and every staff member. That's very important to me that I do that. I'm going to support everyone here."
Castro's family says he was "a devoted husband, father, and man of faith."
This is a developing story. Check back for updates.
