March Fong Eu
marcheu123@yahoo.com

A third-generation Californian born in the small Central Valley community of Oakdale, March Fong Eu has always been the type of person who wanted to change the world—to break down barriers, open pathways to new opportunities and ensure fair treatment for all.

Understanding that education was the key to her goals, Dr. Eu received a Bachelor’s degree from the University of California at Berkeley, a Master’s degree from Mills College, and a Doctorate of Education from Stanford University. She taught and served as an educational consultant in the Oakland Public Schools, Alameda and Santa Clara County schools, at Mills College, and was a division chair at the University of California at San Francisco.

After serving three terms with the Alameda County Board of Education—the last as its first woman President—she won election to represent Oakland and parts of Castro Valley in the California State Assembly, becoming the first Asian-American woman to serve in that body and one of only three women serving in the Legislature.

In 1974, she was elected by a record-setting three million votes as California’s first woman Secretary of State and first Asian American in statewide office. Her accomplishments in the field of elections are legion. She implemented voter registration by mail, candidate statements in the state ballot pamphlet, made the mail-ballot available to all who want to use it, and pioneered reporting of election results on the Internet. She expanded voter outreach efforts, taking the lead to forge partnerships between government and the private sector to create programs to encourage citizens to register and to vote.

In 1994, Dr. Eu accepted President Clinton’s appointment as the United States Ambassador to the Federated States of Micronesia where she worked to promote cultural understanding, a pursuit to which she has dedicated much of her public life.

She returned to California in 1996 where she has continued her efforts to promote California trade, encourage participation in the political process and fight for equal opportunity for all. An accomplished artist, she makes her home in Fullerton.