EOP Trailblazer, Taft Talmadge Newman Jr.

Taft T. Newman was the director of the Educational Opportunity Program (EOP) at California State University San Bernardino (CSUSB) from 1991 to 1999. Prior to that he worked with EOP as a counselor-intern from 1976 to 1978, a counselor from 1978-1988, and the Counselor Coordinator from 1988-1991.

Neman earned an A.A. degree from San Bernardino Valley College (SBVC) in 1976, a B.A. in Psychology and Social Sciences from CSUSB in 1978, and a M.S. in Psychology-Clinical Counseling in 1980. In 1985, Newman was licensed as a Marriage, Family & Clinical Therapist.

Newman was a strong advocate for education, community service and spiritual growth. He was a founding member of Ecclesia Christian Fellowship in San Bernardino, CA. At Ecclesia, He served on the Board of Directors, the Board of Elders, and was director of Edification. As director of Edification, he wrote many of the Church’s spiritual educational programs. Prior to his work at Ecclesia, he was an Elder and served on the deacon board at Loveland Church. Also, he was the founder and director of Agape Academy, a tutoring and motivational community program for middle and high school students.

He was the motivator for hundreds of EOP students over the twenty-two years he worked for the University. Between 1998 and 1999, Newman published the first of what was to be an annual brochure highlighting program services, student and alumni accomplishments. This first publication featured a family of EOP alums, one of whom served as provost at CSUSB several years later.
His love of EOP and his fierce dedication to students was evident to all who knew him. Newman’s legacy is best described by one of his EOP students who wrote at the time of his death: “The phrase that comes to mind when I think of Taft is ‘quietly going about doing good.’ He helped me through an extremely tough time—just as he did so many others on the campus. He probably never thought twice about it, but for me it was significant, and I never forgot his wisdom or kindness.”

In 2000, an endowed scholarship was established in Newman’s name that has provided thousands of dollars to EOP students to date too continue to pursue their academic achievements.