For 2,259 students, this weekend’s commencement ceremonies mark a passage denied to them when they graduated from high school four years ago. The class of 2020 missed out when COVID-19 precautions shut down the normalcy of their senior year, canceling proms, senior trips and graduations. About 43% of this year’s undergraduates earned their degrees in just four years and will celebrate an in-person commencement ceremony for the first time.
This year, Fresno State will celebrate about 6,116 graduating students with ceremonies all day Friday and Saturday, May 17 and 18, with select affinity celebrations taking place on Sunday, May 19.
These class of 2024 estimates are pending final certification of spring degrees.
“The 2024 college graduating class embodies the spirit of perseverance and triumph,” said Dr. Kent Willis, vice president for Student Affairs and Enrollment Management at Fresno State. “We are so proud of all of our graduates. They have emerged stronger, wiser and more determined than ever before. Their journey is a testament to the power of resilience, reminding us all that even in the face of unprecedented challenges, the human spirit prevails.”
Fresno State President Saúl Jiménez-Sandoval will preside over the ceremonies for each of the university’s eight schools and colleges. Two students selected from the undergraduate and graduate deans’ medalists — the President’s Undergraduate Medalist and the President’s Graduate Medalist — will receive the university’s top academic honors at their school or college ceremonies. These two recipients will be announced at the President’s Recognition Reception on Thursday, May 16.
Fresno State will also honor seven faculty members and one staff member with Provost’s Awards, which recognize outstanding teaching, research and service. Jes Therkelsen, a professor in the Department of Media, Communications and Journalism, was selected for the university’s 2024 Provost’s Award for Excellence in Teaching.
Fresno State will award honorary doctorates to three individuals this year — advocate for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing Robert R. Davila; Hinds Hospice founder Nancy Hinds; and Fresno arts advocate Lilia Gonzales-Chavez.
College and school ceremonies will take place at the Save Mart Center on Friday and Saturday. Degrees are conferred at the college commencement ceremonies:
Friday, May 17:
- Craig School of Business, 8 to 9:30 a.m.
- College of Social Sciences, 10:30 a.m. to noon.
- College of Arts and Humanities, 1 to 2:30 p.m. (Gonzales-Chavez will receive an honorary doctor of fine arts and will be recognized during this commencement ceremony.)
- Jordan College of Agricultural Sciences and Technology, 3:30 to 5 p.m.
- Kremen School of Education and Human Development, 7 to 8:30 p.m.
Saturday, May 18:
- Lyles College of Engineering, 8 to 9:30 a.m. May 18.
- College of Health and Human Services, 10:30 to noon May 18. (Davila and Hinds will both receive an honorary doctor of humane letters and both will be recognized during this college commencement ceremony.)
- College of Science and Mathematics, 3 to 4:30 p.m. May 18.
Commencement weekend also includes several affinity celebrations, including the Chicano/Latino Commencement Celebration, one of the nation’s largest Chicano/Latino celebrations. Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra will deliver a keynote address during this celebration.
Here is the schedule for the affinity celebrations:
- International Convocation, 1 to 2:30 p.m. May 18, Satellite Student Union.
- African American Student Recognition Ceremony, 5 to 6 p.m. May 18, Student Recreation Center.
- Chicano/Latino Commencement Celebration, 7 to 9:30 p.m. May 18 at the Save Mart Center.
- Rainbow Graduation Celebration, 11 a.m. to noon May 19, Satellite Student Union.
- Asian American and Pacific Islander Graduation Celebration, 12:30 to 2 p.m. May 19, Student Recreation Center.
- American Indian Graduation Honoring and Celebration, 3:30 to 5:30 p.m. May 19, The Ruiz Ballroom (Resnick Student Union, first floor).
The college and school ceremonies will be livestreamed on the Fresno State commencement webpage.
Answers to other frequently asked questions about commencement can be found here.
CLASS OF 2024 BY THE NUMBERS
Fresno State’s class of 2024 consists of:
- 5,230 students who received a degree in summer or fall 2023, or are pending final review in spring 2024 for their baccalaureate degrees.
- 886 who received a degree in summer or fall 2023 or are pending final review in spring 2024 for their post-baccalaureate degrees.
The doctoral cohorts and candidate breakdowns are:
- Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT), two awarded and 31 pending.
- Doctor of Educational Leadership (Ed.D.), two awarded and 30 pending.
- Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP), five pending.
About 60.4% of the graduating students in the class of 2024 are first-generation students whose parents do not have bachelor’s degrees, while many others continue a proud family legacy of being second- or third-generation Bulldogs.
By sheer numbers of the 2024 graduating class, the College of Science and Mathematics is the largest with 1,069 graduates, followed by the College of Health and Human Services (994), College of Social Sciences (971), Craig School of Business (818) and Kremen School of Education and Human Development (784).
The following areas are the top five majors of students in the 2024 graduating class:
- Psychology (563).
- Liberal studies (438).
- Kinesiology-Exercise Science (247).
- Criminology-Law Enforcement (233).
- Biology (220).
Additional details and updates when they become available can be found on the Fresno State commencement webpage.
Please review the Save Mart Center visitor entry requirements in advance. Only clear plastic, vinyl or PVC bags that do not exceed 12″ x 6″ x 12″ will be allowed at Save Mart Center. Small clutch bags, 4.5″ x 6.5″ x 2″, can be taken into the arena in addition to one of the approved clear bags. An exception will be made for any necessary medical items, but such items are subject to inspection.
Guests who need accessibility accommodations should visit the Save Mart Center accessibility webpage for information on available resources.
The commencement website will have the latest communications and updates.
