The university’s Hooding Ceremony for master’s and doctoral candidates at 6 p.m. Friday provides colorful visuals. Some of the best shots are 5:15 to 6 p.m. when faculty, with all their colorful regalia, begin gathering on stage and students and families arrive. If interested in a live shot at either 5 or 6 p.m., please contact Tom Uribes to arrange truck access.

More than 500 students will receive their graduate master’s or doctoral degree hoods at California State University, Fresno’s annual Graduate Degree Hooding Ceremony on Friday, May 25, at 6 p.m. in the Amphitheater on campus.

The university also will present a new honor, the University Graduate Medal that will be bestowed upon a student chosen from nine Graduate Dean’s Medalists who are the top master’s student in each school. These new awards are similar to the Dean’s Medals given annually to the top undergraduate in each school.

The name of this top graduate student is kept under wraps until the Hooding Ceremony, just as the President’s Medal for undergraduate students is not revealed until Commencement on Saturday morning.

Hosted by the Division of Graduate Studies, Friday’s Graduate Degree Hooding Ceremony caps a day of convocations by the university’s eight schools and colleges. For a complete schedule of commencement activities, visit www.fresnostatenews.com. (See attachment).

The Hooding Ceremony annually draws more than 5,500 persons to the event and is unique in academia, said Dr. Vivian Vidoli, Graduate Studies dean.

“Our university is one of only a few institutions in the country to recognize its graduates in this manner (hooding),” said Vidoli.

“The colorful hood of each university is reserved for those who attain the highest academic degree beyond the bachelor’s degree. It is a special part of academic regalia and denotes advanced scholarly and professional achievement.”

The outer binding of the master’s and doctoral hoods represents the field of study in which the degree was received. The colors of the inner lining of the hood denote the institution.

Fresno State offers 40 master’s degrees, and a joint doctorate in educational leadership with the University of California, Davis. Administrative representatives from the University of California will join more than 100 Fresno State graduate faculty for the ceremony.

In addition to the University Graduate Award, two other hours will be announced: the Outstanding Thesis Award and the Phyllis Watts Eudy Memorial Award for the Outstanding International Graduate Student.

After the awards are presented, the graduates from each college or school will be called and they will be hooded on stage as their names are read.

Conducting the ceremony along with Vidoli will be Dr. John D. Welty, university president; and Dr. J. Michael Ortiz, provost and vice president for academic affairs.

The university’s 90th Commencement ceremonies follow on Saturday, May 26, at

8:30 a.m. in Bulldog Stadium, where the president will formally confer the bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degrees on the Class of 2001.

University officials said in anticipation of hot weather, first aid stations and medical personnel will be present at both the Hooding and Commencement ceremonies Friday and Saturday and bottled water will be available. Parking restrictions will be relaxed both days.

For more information about the Hooding Ceremony, call (559) 278-2448 or for Commencement, 278-2741.

The Graduate Dean’s Medalists for 2001 are:

• Emil Milevoj – Craig School of Business

• Yee Wah “Eva” Wong – Division of Student Affairs

• Jennifer Carmelita Miguel – College of Agricultural Sciences and Technology

• Douglas Hansen – College of Arts and Humanities

• Coleen Kubota – Benjamin and Marion Kremen School of Education and Human Development

• Mei Zhang – College of Engineering and Computer Science

• Stacey Abersold – College of Health and Human Services

• Timothy McConnico – College of Science and Mathematics

• Curtis James Eastin – College of Social Sciences