Long Beach City College (LBCC) has been the heart of Long Beach since 1927, focusing on community and education. The institute has made history and established traditions that leave a long-lasting impact on students, alumni, and faculty.
Newly elected Board President and Trustee Uduak-Joe Ntuk, is the first African American male to serve on LBCC’s board since its inception almost 100 years ago. The Long Beach natives’ accomplishments, positive influence on the city and surrounding areas, are both iconic and legendary.
In a recent interview with the Los Angeles Sentinel, Trustee Ntuk discusses his career in education, politics, and marketing, securing a billion-dollar bond for LBCC, working on Obama’s presidential campaign, and more.
Uduak-Joe Ntuk is a third generation Long Beach City resident and comes from a family of public servants as his mother was in the Peace Corp and grandfather a military veteran. Ntuk is an alumnus of LBCC and was able to springboard his career in chemical engineering and environmental studies. Ntuk’s father encouraged him to pursue a career in engineering and received his Master’s Degree from USC in Petroleum Engineering. He brought his skillset back home as a Petroleum Engineering Associate.
Long Beach is the only city in the state that is an oil field operator. He became the first Petroleum Administrator in 25 years under Mayor Eric Garcetti, and shortly after was recruited by the state to be a oil and gas supervisor and chief regulator of all the oil fields, geothermal operations, and underground gas storage facilities in California.
Trustee Ntuk is a nationally recognized energy and environmental expert with experience in both the public and private sectors. He was the State of California’s first Black oil czar and is currently overseeing energy master planning and sustainability at L.A. Metro. In addition to his honorable position on the LBCC board, Ntuk is now accompanied by Dr. Ennette Morton.
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Another historical milestone, for the first time two Black trustees have been elected and will serve as board members. Tunua Thrash-Ntuk, Trustee Ntuk’s wife, is the first Black elected councilwoman for the 8th District in Long Beach.
When asked about his career in politics, Ntuk shared, “I got into politics from Barack Obama back in 2007, looking for volunteers for the longshot presidential campaign. I was in Bakersfield and ended up going to Las Vegas on the weekends to knock on doors and make phone calls. I became a delegate for California for the Democratic National Convention in Colorado, I worked in Texas, and in Indiana for the General Election.
“I was there in Grant Park on election night in 2008. That was an exciting experience and led me to be involved in politics. It encouraged me to run for office as I was elected in 2018 to the college board representing my home neighborhood of North Long Beach, and as the first elected Black male since 1927.”
The similarities between the former President and Trustee Ntuk can be described as uncanny; Black males with unique names and backgrounds looking to make a difference in their community through change, hope, diversity, and connection.
“We always had a family focused on education. Both of my parents were teachers at various points of their lives, both in Long Beach unified and LAUSD. An interesting background, like President Obama, our mothers married African immigrants. Both of our fathers came to the U.S. for education as international students post African independence in the 1960s.”
“He inspired me to see what I could do in my community to make a difference. Which led me to run for the college board for two terms. January will be my seventh year on the board, this is my third term as Board President,” he shared.
“I’m really driving an agenda for change as we’ve been recognized for our effort in racial equity. We have the largest Black student scholarship amount in the school’s history, we have the Black Student Success Center, the most Black administrators, and we never had a Vice President that was Black until our Vice President of Academic Affairs Dr. Douglass arrived about three years ago. We’re ensuring to have a welcoming environment where Black students can succeed, because when Black students do well all students do well.”
Trustee Ntuk championed the framework for Racial Reconciliation which led to a $30 million donation from the McKenzie Scott Foundation. LBCC has developed anti-biased curriculum, racial equity training, and more recently, taking staff to for the opportunity to experience the continent and connect with their roots. Ntuk has successfully brought a technical and analytical mindset to LBCC to maintain and continue their monumental impact. Ntuk and his team assisted in the passage of a nearly $1 billion bond Measure AC that will transform the college.
In 2025, Board President Ntuk plans to implement the plan for Measure AC to make sure the funds are spent properly to build housing for students and staff. He plans to build partnerships with local government across the city and the state.
For more information about LBCC, visit www.lbcc.edu/.
