900 Students Take a Walk - City News Group

It was a day filled with smiling faces and accomplishment as 900 Cal State San Bernardino students graduated during the university’s 15th annual fall commencement on Saturday, Dec. 12. “Remember this day. Remember every moment of it. Remember the feelings of accomplishment and anticipation. Remember the voices of the friends, family members and faculty who are here to cheer you on,” CSUSB President Tomás D. Morales told the graduates, their families and friends, who filled the university’s Coussoulis Arena during two ceremonies. The December commencement is especially well-attended by out-of-state and international students who have completed their studies in fall and are likely unable to return for the traditional June graduation, which usually averages about 3,000 graduating students. Professor's Kenneth Shultz, who was the bearer of the ceremonial mace in the morning ceremony and Professor Julie Paegle, bearer of the mace in the afternoon, both asked the audiences at the beginning of each commencement exercise for a moment of silence to remember the victims and their families of the Dec. 2 San Bernardino terrorist attack. The morning ceremony featured graduates from CSUSB’s colleges of Natural Sciences, and Social and Behavioral Sciences while the afternoon ceremony featured the colleges of Arts and Letters, Business and Public Administration, and Education. “Let the confidence that is swelling in your heart today carry you proudly through every day of your life,” Morales said. “You have just achieved something extraordinary. Just over 30 percent of all Americans have a four-year or higher university degree. You have joined the ranks of the best and the brightest in this country.” Dylan Rout, 22, who graduated with a B.A. in Marketing, expressed his struggles and hardships, "Being able to graduate with a four-year degree means the world to me." Currently working full-time for Hanger 21, Rout hopes to gain as much experience as possible and use his degree to create a better future for himself and his family. His five-year plan is to obtain a management position as a specialist event coordinator. Morales praised the graduates for their dedication. “I am fiercely proud of you,” he said. “I am so impressed by the quality of your work and because I know about the personal sacrifices so many of you have made to earn your degree. Some of you held full-time jobs while pursuing your studies. Others divided their days between going to school and raising a family. And many of today’s graduates are the first ones ever in their family to earn a college degree.” Ciarra Lavaris, 22, graduated with a B.A in Business Administration with a concentration in Finance. She shared that her journey has been full of long nights studying but, in the end, it was all worth it. She is the first college graduate in her immediate family. In closing, Morales offered his own tribute to the graduates. “I want to thank you. Thank you for gracing this university and all our lives with your energy, your enthusiasm, and your boundless spirit.” Graduate Myrna Overstreet Spear, who graduated with a Master’s in Education Administration, currently works for the Rialto Unified School District, where she hopes to be a principal in the future. To current students she shares, “You should seek out a role model, someone who has already been there, ask questions, set your goals, and don’t feel disenfranchised because it’s all about what you do with your life as an individual. Remember anything is possible.” CSUSB graduate Christopher Gardner said, “You got a dream.. You have to protect it. People can't do something themselves; they want to tell you -you can't do it. If you want something, you have to go get it. Period.” CSUSB is a preeminent center of intellectual and cultural activity in inland Southern California. Celebrating its 50th anniversary in 2015, CSUSB serves more than 20,000 students each year and graduates about 4,000 students annually. Archived online videos of both ceremonies may be viewed on the Office of Strategic Communication’s Video Library website at https://advancement.csusb.edu/strategic-communication/campus-services/video-library. [END] PRESS RELEASE Contact: Associate Vice President, David Johnson Main Line: (909) 537-5007 Email: news@csusb.edu ________________________________________ December 9, 2015 FALL COMMENCEMENT CEREMONIES AT CSUSB TO BE HELD DEC. 12 SAN BERNARDINO, Calif. – Cal State San Bernardino will celebrate its 15th December commencement on Saturday, Dec. 12, with two commencement ceremonies at CSUSB’s 3,500-seat Coussoulis Arena. Of the more than 1,500 students eligible to graduate in December, approximately 880 are expected to participate in the ceremonies. The first ceremony will be at 9 a.m. for CSUSB’s colleges of Natural Science, and Social and Behavioral Sciences. The second ceremony will be at 1 p.m. for the colleges of Arts and Letters, Business and Public Administration, and Education. Overflow seating will be available in two locations: the Health and Physical Education Building, room 124, and the College of Education Building, room 105, where guests can watch the ceremonies live via television. This year, the College of Social and Behavioral Sciences has the largest number of students (442) registered to participate in the fall ceremony, followed by the College of Business and Public Administration (324), the College of Natural Sciences (273), the College of Arts and Letters (238), and the College of Education (3). Parking for the ceremonies will be free from 5:30 a.m.-11:30 p.m. in lots D, E, F, G, and H. Parking structure East, located off North Campus circle and Education lane, will also be available for free parking. The December commencement is especially popular with out-of-state and international students who have completed their studies in fall and are likely unable to return for the traditional June graduation, which usually averages about 3,000 graduating students. The commencement ceremonies will be webcast live at the CSUSB Strategic Communication Live WebCast page at https://advancement.csusb.edu/strategic-communication/campus-services/live-webcast For more information about the ceremonies, visit the Commencement Web page at http://commencement.csusb.edu/. Set in the foothills of the beautiful San Bernardino Mountains, CSUSB is a preeminent center of intellectual and cultural activity in inland Southern California. Celebrating its 50th anniversary in 2015, CSUSB serves more than 20,000 students each year and graduates about 4,000 students annually. For more information about Cal State San Bernardino, contact the university’s Office of Strategic Communication at (909) 537-5007 and visit news.csusb.edu. ============================ KELLY'S ARTICLE: SAN BERNARDINO, Calif. – A backdrop in the apexes of the charming San Bernardino Mountains, CSUSB is a renowned center of academic excellence and enlightening activity in the Inland Empire. Not to mention, celebrating its 50th bicentennial in 2015, CSUSB helps more than 20,000 scholars annually and graduates about 4,000 students every year. Cal State San Bernardino will honor its 15th December commencing graduation ceremony on Saturday, Dec. 12, with two commencement services at CSUSB’s 3,500- chair Coussoulis Arena. “Congratulations, CSUSB graduates! I'm very proud of what you've accomplished. Each of you, regardless of your background, made sacrifices along the journey to graduation, showing discipline, dedication, and a strong desire to succeed—qualities I greatly admire.” University President Tomás D. Morales Dylan Rout age 22 graduating this year with a B.A. in Marketing expressed his struggles, hardships, growing up in poverty, and the trials and tribulation’s life could throw at you. However, being able to graduate with a four- year degree means the world to Dylan. Underprivileged folks can beat the odds and change the statistics, by taking essential steps to change their life and future. Dylan currently works fulltime for Hanger 21, and he has hopes to gain as much experience as possible and use his degree to create a better future for him and his family. His five- year plan is to obtain a management position as a specialist event coordinator. “You got a dream... You got to protect it. People can't do something' themselves; they want to tell you -you can't do it. If you want something', you have to go get it Period.” Christopher Gardner According to Dr. Ricardo Azziz Regents’ Professor, at Georgia Regents University, The Pew Research Center analyzed 2010 Census Bureau records and discovered that the average individual with only a bachelor's degree will earn $1.42 million over a 40-year career or $650,000 more than a typical person who has only a high school diploma. When the cost of college and lost income while in school are factored in, the lifetime difference narrows to $550,000 -- still a significant difference by anybody's measure. (03/11/2014) With this in Mind, Ciarra Lavaris age 22 graduating with a Bachelors of Arts in Business Administration with a concentration in Finance. Ciarra long journey was difficult, a lot of long nights studying but, in the end, it was all worth it. She is the first person to graduate in her immediate family from college. Her feelings of accomplishments make Ciarra confident and proud. Overwhelmed with joy, she believes her future is bright, and her advice to potential students is no matter how challenging it gets, never give up always try to complete a course you start because the folks you come across and the education gained will be all worth it. CSUSB mottos is come here and go anywhere, so it’s no surprise that those with a college degree are largely the ones that get the endorsements, promotions and the job openings that just are not accessible to those without a college level education. Moreover, the scholastic and occupational skills a college education offers many students often will help you to stand out amongst job applicants and associates that possibly will be up for the same promotion. Myrna Overstreet’ Spear just graduated with a Master’s in Education Administration. She currently works for the Rialto Unified School District where she plans to move laterally through her company to a principal or any other administrative position available in the district. Myrna believes college is the only pathway to success and could help anyone achieve milestones within their life. For future student Myrna believe you should seek out a role model someone who has already been there, ask questions, set your goals and don’t feel disenfranchised because it’s all about what you do with your life as an individual. Remember anything is possible.