Three events following the 97th Commencement at California State University, Fresno on Saturday will honor minority and international students who are graduating. Each celebration is free and open to the public.

The events are:

  • International Commencement Celebration at noon in the Music Building Concert Hall
  • African-American Recognition Ceremony

<http://www.csufresno.edu/aag/> at 2 p.m. in the Save Mart Center

  • Latino Commencement Celebration <http://www.csufresno.edu/lcc> at 5:45 p.m. in the Save Mart Center

International Commencement Celebration

The International Commencement Celebration at noon will honor 170 students representing 33 countries who completed work on their degrees at Fresno State over the past year. Some will have families traveling from abroad to attend.

Dr. Lucia Hammar, director of the International Student Services, said “International students have done an outstanding job academically.”

She noted that two are deans’ medalists: Namratha Reddy of Hyderabad, India (College of Agricultural Sciences and Technology) and Chie Maekoya of Hitachinaka, Japan (Kremen School of Education and Human Development.”

Student speakers will be Kozue Tomomatsu, M.S.W. Social Work, and Eeshan Mokashi, B.S. Special Major-Plant Science and Agricultural Economics.

For more information, call 559.278.2782.

African/American Recognition Program

At the 23rd annual African American Recognition Program beginning at 2 p.m. in the Save Mart Center, administrators, faculty and staff will participate in a graduate procession and join in honoring African-American members of the Class of 2008.

The keynote speaker will be Dr. Paul L. Binion II, pastor of Westside Church of God in Fresno.

The event is hosted by the Fresno State Black Faculty and Staff Association.

For more information about the African/American Recognition Program, call 278.5353 or 278.6555.

Latino Commencement Celebration

Rosario Marin, Secretary of the State and Consumer Services Agency, will be honored during the 32nd Latino Commencement Celebration. The event has a new name after securing a title sponsorship: “Valley Yellow Pages presents the 32nd Annual Latino Commencement Celebration.”

Entertainment will begin at 5:45 p.m. and the ceremony at 6 p.m. with the Academic Procession.

The celebration, organized by the College of Social Sciences, is one of the best-attended Latino graduation events in the nation, said Dr. Luz Gonzalez, dean of the College of Social Science and Latino Commencement Celebration coordinator.

Marin is Secretary of the State and Consumer Services Agency in Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger’s cabinet. She oversees the state’s civil rights enforcement, consumer protection, improving access to state government and in charged with “greening” the state.

Gonzalez said Marin is being honored “for her unwavering commitment to our citizens with developmental disabilities and victims of crime. She is also being recognized for her devotion to public service and for her contributions to the political empowerment for Latino/Latinas. She is an extraordinary woman and remarkable person.”

The dean said Fresno State’s Latino graduates have a tradition of recognizing individuals that represent the power of the Latino American Dream.

Marin began her public service career while juggling family and work. Early in her career she served on the Huntington Park City Council. She was appointed by President George W. Bush and unanimously confirmed by the United States Senate to be the 41st Treasurer of the United States. During her tenure, she championed the Treasury’s financial literacy outreach program focusing on the 10 million Americans who did not yet have their own bank account.

In 2004, she was a candidate for a United States Senate seat.

For more information about the Latino Commencement, call 559.278.3013.

Related links:

Latino Commencement Celebration <http://www.csufresno.edu/lcc>
Rosario Marin, Secretary, State and Consumer Services Agency — http://www.scsa.ca.gov/aboutUs/bio/RosarioMarin.asp