Eva Garza Dewaelsche

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Eva Garza Dewaelsche

Democratic Party

Elections and appointments

Last election

November 3, 2020

Education

Graduate

Wayne State University, 1990

Personal

Birthplace

Detroit, Mich.

Religion

Catholic

Contact

Campaign Facebook

Campaign YouTube

Personal Facebook

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Eva Garza Dewaelsche (Democratic Party) ran for election for an at-large seat of the Wayne State University Board of Governors. She lost in the general election on November 3, 2020.

Dewaelsche completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2020. Click here to read the survey answers.

Biography

Eva Garza Dewaelsche was born in Detroit, Michigan. She earned a master's degree from Wayne State University in 1990. She also attended classes at Michigan State University. She has served on the board of the Wayne County Community Development Entity, The Workforce Alliance, LA SED, New Detroit, Inc., the Detroit Economic Growth Corporation, Comerica Bank Community Advisory Council, the DTE Energy Community Advisory Council, and SER National Jobs for Progress.

Elections

2020

See also: Michigan State Board of Regents election, 2020

General election

General election for Wayne State University Board of Governors (2 seats)

The following candidates ran in the general election for Wayne State University Board of Governors on November 3, 2020.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Terri Lynn Land (R)	24.4	2,368,966
✔		Shirley Stancato (D)	24.3	2,352,785
		Eva Garza Dewaelsche (D)	24.2	2,343,395
		Don Gates (R)	23.7	2,291,880
		Jon Elgas (L)	1.3	126,102
		Christine Schwartz (U.S. Taxpayers Party of Michigan)	1.1	106,274
	Submit photo	Susan Odgers (G)	1.0	99,953
	Submit photo	Lloyd Conway (Independent) (Write-in)	0.0	386

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	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 9,689,741
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
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Withdrawn or disqualified candidates

• Diane Dunaskiss (R)

Democratic convention

Democratic convention for Wayne State University Board of Governors (2 seats)

Incumbent Shirley Stancato and Eva Garza Dewaelsche advanced from the Democratic convention for Wayne State University Board of Governors on August 29, 2020.

		Candidate
✔		Shirley Stancato (D)
✔		Eva Garza Dewaelsche (D)

---

	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Republican convention

Republican convention for Wayne State University Board of Governors (2 seats)

Diane Dunaskiss and Don Gates advanced from the Republican convention for Wayne State University Board of Governors on August 29, 2020.

		Candidate
✔		Diane Dunaskiss (R)
✔		Don Gates (R)

---

	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Green convention

Green convention for Wayne State University Board of Governors (2 seats)

Susan Odgers advanced from the Green convention for Wayne State University Board of Governors on June 20, 2020.

		Candidate
✔	Submit photo	Susan Odgers (G)

---

	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Libertarian convention

Libertarian convention for Wayne State University Board of Governors (2 seats)

Jon Elgas advanced from the Libertarian convention for Wayne State University Board of Governors on July 18, 2020.

		Candidate
✔		Jon Elgas (L)

---

	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

U.S. Taxpayers Party of Michigan convention

U.S. Taxpayers Party of Michigan convention for Wayne State University Board of Governors (2 seats)

Christine Schwartz advanced from the U.S. Taxpayers Party of Michigan convention for Wayne State University Board of Governors on July 25, 2020.

		Candidate
✔		Christine Schwartz (U.S. Taxpayers Party of Michigan)

---

	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Campaign themes

2020

Ballotpedia survey responses

See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection

Eva Garza Dewaelsche completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2020. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Dewaelsche's responses. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.

Expand all | Collapse all

Who are you? Tell us about yourself.

I'm CEO of SER Metro-Detroit, a 50 year Detroit nonprofit workforce development agency. I've been with them 35 years. I received my bachelors and Masters in Education from Wayne State. I'm a life-long Detroiter, actively involved in my community over 40 years and involved with WSU since the 70's. I was on the WSU Alumni Board 12 years and have served on several president's advisory councils from Dr. Adamany to Dr. Wilson. I served on numerous boards and commissions and have held leadership officer positions. I bring my sincere commitment and over 40 years of administrative, education and workforce development experience to this position. I'm married to Robert and have two daughters, Lisa who lives in New Orleans, and Christina who lives with her husband and our two grandchildren in New Jersey.

Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?

• I will work to strengthen WSU's mission to expand access to higher education to working class, non-traditional and other underrepresented students by focusing on diversifying the student body, faculty and staff and fighting to keep tuition affordable and program offerings relevant to the current workforce demands in the region.
• We need to continue recent improvements in student retention and graduation rates, especially among minority and underrepresented students, by enhancing wrap-around social support and mental health services, and working more closely with nonprofit and workforce development agencies that can provide additional supportive services resources.
• This unexpected global pandemic has brought tremendous challenges to the university forcing it to make drastic changes in the way it provides education to the community. The Board needs to provide guidance and support to ensure that WSU survives and remains strong. I will strive to build coalitions and help create a more productive environment for decision-making among the Board leadership and at the highest levels of the university.

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

Immigration is one of the most important issues facing our country today. Current policies have led to extremely severe treatment of immigrants seeking asylum which is backing up the system, and conditions have deteriorated in detention centers jeopardizing the lives of many. The current conditions and reports of family separations and, more recently, reports of unwanted hysterectomies among detained women have Latinos throughout the country growing increasingly angry and demanding justice in what they see as a civil rights issue. Latinos are a large voting bloc in the country, and I believe they will have a significant impact on the 2020 election.

Funding for k-12 education which relies primarily on local property taxes means that richer school districts receive more funding. This leads to urban areas and inner cities where low-income families and families of color tend to live receiving less educational resources. With less funding, inner city schools are unable to pay and attract more experienced teachers and to provide the quality instruction that requires more advanced technology and teaching materials. This results in students graduating from these high schools less prepared to enter college and to compete for scholarships and resources to help pay for their higher education. The impact is that minority and underrepresented students are provided with few employment opportunities, less income and wealth accumulation. More of these families live in poverty.

What qualities does this office possess that makes it a unique and important part of the state government and legal system?

I am a graduate of WSU and a life-long Detroiter. I was a non-traditional student who worked during the day and took classes in the evenings and weekends, and it took me 10 years to achieve my bachelors. I have served on numerous boards and commissions, and have held leadership roles. I have over 40 years of administrative experience in education, training and workforce development. I recently completed a 12-year term on the WSU Alumni Board of Directors. Currently I serve on the Detroit Economic Growth Corporation, Wayne County Development Entity, New Detroit, LA SED, Workforce Alliance, and Comerica and DTE Energy Advisory Councils. I have also served on the Detroit Board of Police Commissioners, DMC Medical Center, Detroit Public Television, and Alternatives for Girls.

What qualities do you possess that you believe would make you a successful officeholder?

I am a graduate of WSU and a life-long Detroiter. I was a non-traditional student who worked during the day and took classes in the evenings and weekends, and it took me 10 years to achieve my bachelors. I have served on numerous boards and commissions, and have held leadership roles. I have over 40 years of administrative experience in education, training and workforce development. I recently completed a 12-year term on the WSU Alumni Board of Directors. Currently I serve on the Detroit Economic Growth Corporation, Wayne County Development Entity, New Detroit, LA SED, Workforce Alliance, and Comerica and DTE Energy Advisory Councils. I have also served on the Detroit Board of Police Commissioners, DMC Medical Center, Detroit Public Television, and Alternatives for Girls.

What is the first historical event that happened in your lifetime that you remember? How old were you at the time?

I have memories of the assassination of President Kennedy in 1963 and how everyone was so very sad and frightened about what was going to happen in our country. But I have more vivid memories of the 1967 uprising in Detroit when I was 17 years old. The day that it happened I had gone with friends to Toledo, and we were on our way home and were stopped at the Michigan state line. They would not let us in, and back then there were no cell phones! We were stuck with hundreds of other cars on I-75 for 3-4 hours, and my parents were out of the minds with worry. The following days were so unbelievable. I lived a couple of miles from Grand River where a lot of the burning and destruction of property took place. And I remember going to sleep at night and hearing constant sirens, gun fire and even screaming for weeks. It was so very scary. During the day, the national guards would drive down our streets in army tanks to enforce the curfew. I was working at National Bank of Detroit downtown and took the bus to and from work, and I had to get authorization from the Bank indicating that I worked until 7:00 p.m. so I could come home on the bus during curfew hours.

What was your very first job? How long did you have it?

My very first job was as a board mail clerk at National Bank of Detroit at their main headquarters. I was referred by my high school counselor at 16 as I was beginning my junior year. I remember his very words to me were "you can earn money so you can buy nice sweaters like the one you have on." I was not offended by his comment because we had a very good working relationship, and I felt strongly that he really cared for my success at school. At the time, I was in the business curriculum, and it seemed like a very good opportunity. However, as I got older, I realized that I was never encouraged to go to college. And that hurt me when I finally did want to attend because I wasn't adequately prepared.

What is your favorite book? Why?

"Outliers" by Malcolm Gladwell is my favorite. I've read it twice because I find it so insightful and thought-provoking. Gladwell writes about the forces behind success. He focuses on the power of cultural patterns, social contagions, and the landscape of success. I especially like the first chapter, "The Roseto Mystery--These people were dying of old age. That's it." He really makes me think hard. I love all of his books, but this one is genius!

What was the last song that got stuck in your head?

"Love Needs Love" by Stevie Wonder

What responsibilities of this office do you personally consider the most important?

The Board of Governors are responsible for ensuring the university is financially sound and that they have a strong foundation for growth. Their priority is to provide guidance and support to the administration, faculty and staff, and to ensure a safe and effective learning experience for its students. They need to review programs and services for its students to ensure that they are current and up-to-date. And they should ensure that faculty and staff are paid competitively, have the tools they need to do their work effectively, and are provided with professional development to meet the requirements of an enhanced technological learning environment.

What kind of skills or expertise do you believe would be the most helpful for the holders of this office to possess?

I believe I have skills, experience and expertise that will make me a good candidate for this office. I currently oversee operations in multiple states, Michigan, Illinois and Texas, with nearly 400 employees. Our organization operated a business and technical post-secondary school for 17 years, and I was the School Director. During 12 of those years, we were accredited and received Pell Grants for our students. I was an Accreditation Evaluator for the Association of Independent Colleges and Schools for 10 years and reviewed schools who were applying for accreditation or re-accreditation across the U.S. and Puerto Rico. I am a former police officer and have served on the Detroit Board of Police Commissioners for 9 years, as chair for 1 year and vice chair for 2 years. I have been appointed to commissions and boards by 3 Detroit Mayors. I'm a fellow of the Michigan State University Political Leadership Program, and I attended an Executive Leadership Program for Non-Profit Executives at Harvard University.

Note: Ballotpedia reserves the right to edit Candidate Connection survey responses. Any edits made by Ballotpedia will be clearly marked with [brackets] for the public. If the candidate disagrees with an edit, he or she may request the full removal of the survey response from Ballotpedia.org. Ballotpedia does not edit or correct typographical errors unless the candidate's campaign requests it.

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