​As a first-generation college student, Dr. April Oquenda has fought for student success as a CSU educator for more than eleven years. She leads by example in her classroom, her small business, and her volunteer efforts in Hayward to improve health and wellness for students and families. April knows how to get results and believes in forming lasting relationships that can unite the community to put students first. 

April has a passion for education because of the transformative power it has had in her own life. She comes from a working-class California family and is the daughter of an undocumented immigrant. Her mother was a baker in the local grocery and her father was a stone mason. Battling addiction, April’s father left, ultimately getting deported, and her mother struggled to make ends meet. April stepped up and helped raise her two younger sisters.

April with her parents, Amedeo and Aletha

April with her undergraduate advisor, Dr. Dean Nelson, at graduation

While she continued working at a restaurant to help support the family, she never gave up on her education and the opportunity to pursue her passion for writing. She took classes in community college before transferring to a four-year university to become the first college graduate in her family.

​After graduation, April realized that her success would not have been possible without the teachers who fought for her. She enrolled in a master’s program at CSU San Marcos (CSUSM), which included the opportunity to teach undergraduate students. In her first role as an instructor, she determined to give back the gift of excellent education that her teachers and professors had given to her. She completed her degree in literature and writing studies in 2010.

Following her master’s work, April attended Claremont Graduate University while she continued teaching at CSU. She graduated in 2016 with a PhD in English.

​During the last eleven years as an educator, April has taught a variety of undergraduate courses in the fields of composition, literature, cultural studies, business communications, and English Language Learning. She currently teaches in the Departments of English and Business at CSU Stanislaus and has been a proud member of the California Faculty Association for a decade. April is committed to working with the community to ensure that all students in Hayward are ready for college, career, and life. 

April getting "hooded" for her PhD at Claremont Graduate University

April with her Business & Technical Communications Students, Spring 2018

April is also a small-business owner. Combining her interest in health and wellness with her skills as a teacher, April started instructing yoga classes at Castro Valley Yoga. After several months at the studio, she and another teacher decided to invest in the business, seeing opportunities to expand services to the broader community. Since becoming owner, April has succeeded in growing the business. She also pioneered their Youth Wellness Program to bring the benefits of yoga and mindfulness to young people of all ages in Hayward and Castro Valley. She integrates these same practices of wellness as part of her holistic teaching style in the college classroom.

April & Zachariah, Hayward Street Fair, 2017

April lives in Hayward with her husband, Zachariah, and she is committed to serving her community. She volunteers at Glassbrook Elementary and at the bi-monthly Comida food pantry at Eden United Church of Christ. April serves as the Legislative Analyst for the Climate Change Task Force for the League of Women Voters of California, as well as the Climate Justice Team for LWV United States, because part of taking care of our students means ensuring they have a healthy planet on which they can thrive. 

For Hayward schools to thrive, the School Board needs leaders who will fight for student success and expanded opportunity. April works hard to ensure that every student in Hayward experiences the transformative power of education. 

Learn more about April's Plan for Hayward Schools. 

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