|
The California State
University Board of Trustees has approved granting hundreds of honorary
degrees to former students – including those at Fresno State – forced
from their academic studies due to the internment of people of Japanese
ancestry during World War II.
CSU officials say historic accounts show nearly 250 Japanese-American
students were at Fresno State and other campuses when the internment
began. While records show some students went on to receive a university
degree, many did not.
"It is always heartbreaking when students are forced to put aside their
dreams of a college education, and even more so in the case of
Japanese-Americans who were interned during World War II,” said Fresno
State President Dr. John D. Welty.
“Fresno State will be proud to award honorary degrees to our students
whose studies were interrupted. I urge them and their families to
contact us so they may receive the recognition they earned," Welty said.
Bill Secrest Jr., a Fresno County Library local history specialist, is
working with Fresno State to find the students. Official university
records no longer exist, he said, but student directories have yielded
more than 70 names.
He said it will take a few months of research to find students by using
census records, newspaper obituaries and other sources.
All former CSU students whose studies were interrupted due to the
internment may be eligible for the honorary degrees. Surviving family
members may receive the honorary degree in recognition of a deceased
student.
Former students or their families seeking Fresno State degrees may
contact Secrest at 559.488.6720 or the CSU at
Nisei@calstate.edu.
|
