Stories about this year’s graduates highlight several recurring themes:
- Lean into the safety net that family, friends and campus support services can provide.
- Keep focus on the goal, even through seemingly insurmountable challenges.
- Let curiosity lead to transformational experiences that a college education provides.
This year, Fresno State will celebrate about 6,018 graduating students at the Save Mart Center with ceremonies all day Friday and Saturday, May 16 and 17, and several affinity celebrations also taking place on Saturday, May 17.
These class of 2025 estimates are pending final certification of spring degrees.
“This year, Fresno State is celebrating the graduation of more than 6,000 graduates, whose stories are marked by determination, intelligence and the resolve to use their gifts to elevate our society,” said Fresno State President Saúl Jimenez-Sandoval. “We are beyond proud to celebrate the class of 2025 and their extraordinary talents — each one of them embodies a bright vision and the inspiration and drive to promote economic and social growth in our Valley.”
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 15.
Fresno State will also honor seven faculty members and two staff members with Provost’s Awards, which recognize outstanding teaching, research and service. Dr. Aris Athanasios Panagopoulos, a computer science professor, was selected for the university’s 2025 Provost’s Award for Excellence in Teaching.
Fresno State will award honorary doctorates to three individuals this year — educator Ron W. Goode, corrections department professional Danielle Lopez and entrepreneur Dennis Parnagian.
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 16:
- Craig School of Business, 8 to 9:30 a.m.
- College of Arts and Humanities, 10:30 a.m. to noon.
- College of Social Sciences, 1 to 2:30 p.m. (Goode will receive an honorary doctor of humane letters and will be recognized during this ceremony.)
- Jordan College of Agricultural Sciences and Technology, 3:30 to 5 p.m. (Parnagian will receive an honorary doctor of humane letters and will be recognized during this ceremony.)
- Kremen School of Education and Human Development, 6 to 7:30 p.m.
Saturday, May 17:
- College of Science and Mathematics, 8 to 9:30 a.m.
- Lyles College of Engineering, 10:30 to 11:30 a.m.
- College of Health and Human Services, 12:30 to 2 p.m.
Commencement weekend also includes several affinity celebrations, including the Chicano/Latino Commencement Celebration, one of the nation’s largest Chicano/Latino celebrations. Lopez will receive an honorary doctor of humane letters and will be recognized during this ceremony.
Here is the schedule for the affinity celebrations:
- American Indian Graduation Honoring and Celebration, 2 p.m. May 17, The Ruiz ballroom (Resnick Student Union, first floor).
- International Convocation, 2:30 p.m. May 17, Satellite Student Union.
- African American Student Recognition Ceremony, 2:30 p.m. May 17, Student Recreation Center, East Gym.
- Asian American and Pacific Islander Graduation Celebration, 4:15 p.m. May 17, Student Recreation Center, East Gym.
- Rainbow Graduation Celebration, 5 p.m. May 17, Student Recreation Center, Peters Education Center.
- Chicano/Latino Commencement Celebration, 7:30 to 10 p.m. May 17, Save Mart Center.
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 2025 BY THE NUMBERS
Fresno State’s class of 2025 consists of:
- 5,125 students who received a degree in summer or fall 2024, or are pending final review in spring 2025 for their baccalaureate degrees.
- 866 who received a degree in summer or fall 2024 or are pending final review in spring 2025 for their post-baccalaureate degrees.
The doctoral cohorts and candidate breakdowns are:
- Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT), one awarded and 31 pending.
- Doctor of Educational Leadership (Ed.D.), three awarded and 20 pending.
- Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP), three pending.
About 68% of the graduating students in the class of 2025 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 2025 graduating class, the College of Science and Mathematics is the largest with 1,042 graduates, followed by the College of Health and Human Services (1,008), College of Social Sciences (887), Kremen School of Education and Human Development (783) and Craig School of Business (760).
The following areas are the top five majors of students in the 2025 graduating class:
- Psychology (545).
- Liberal studies (429).
- Biology (197).
- Criminology-law enforcement (191).
- Kinesiology-exercise science (169).
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-inch by 6-inch by 12-inch will be allowed at Save Mart Center. Small clutch bags, 4.5-inch by 6.5-inch by 2-inch, 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.
