In 1979 she took leave of absence from Bishop College to become a programme manager with the Minority Institutions Science Improvement Program in Washington, D.C. She did not return to Bishop College, however, for in 1980 she became director of the Minority Science Improvement Program at the U.S. Department of Education.
Sa 1979 siya kinuha iwan ng pagliban sa Bishop College na maging isang programa manager na may kakaunti ang mga institusyong Science Pagpapabuti Program sa Washington, DC Siya ay hindi bumalik sa Bishop College, gayunpaman, para sa 1980 siya ay naging direktor ng minorya Science Pagpapabuti ng Programa at ang US Kagawaran ng Edukasyon.