Bulldog Stadium to host Fresno State graduates for 1st time since 2003

For the first time since 2003, Bulldog Stadium will host commencement ceremonies for Fresno State graduates.

However, the six ceremonies scheduled May 14-16 will be different due to COVID-19 protocols: No graduates, not even the dean’s medalists, will step on the stage set at the north end of the football field; the graduates will be spaced out 6 feet apart from each other on the field; and, they will be encouraged to leave immediately after the ceremony instead of congregating on the fields that flank the stadium.

The alternative would have been no ceremonies, like last year when the coronavirus wrecked all large gatherings. The decision for in-person ceremonies – which includes the class of 2020 – was not made until March 24.

That is OK with Alejandra Leija of Parlier.

“I was really glad to hear about that,” said Leija, the dean’s medalist from the Lyles College of Engineering. Before, “we were kind of bummed about it because we felt like we were doing all this work and we weren’t able to experience that moment with your family there and congratulating you for working hard these past few years.”

Sunday morning, Leija will get to savor that love from family, even though she, like every graduate, will be limited to four guests.

“It’s better than nothing. You’ll be able to see some classmates before you leave,” said Leija.

Then-Lt. Gov. Cruz M. Bustamante was among the graduates who participated in the last commencement ceremonies held at Bulldog Stadium. Bustamante, who earned his bachelor’s in interdisciplinary studies, also participated in the Latino graduation celebration.

California State University Chancellor Joseph I. Castro, who presided over six commencements (2014 through 2019) while Fresno State president, will attend this weekend’s ceremonies.

Interim Fresno State President Saúl Jiménez-Sandoval will preside at each ceremony, each with up to 1,400 graduates.

About 6,201 students from the class of 2021 could be eligible for graduation.

Singled out will be the graduate and undergraduate dean’s medalists, who will be acknowledged with a video presentation.

The Latino recipients in the graduate level are Madera’s Marisol Durán (College of Science and Mathematics), Turlock’s Sarah García (Division of Student Affairs and Enrollment Management), and Fowler’s Henry ‘Hank’ Gutiérrez (Kremen School of Education and Human Development).

The undergraduate Latino dean’s medalists are Bakersfield’s Desiree Galván (College of Health and Human Services); Turlock’s Nuvia García (College of Social Sciences); Parlier’s Alejandra Leija (Lyles College of Engineering); Dos Palos’ James Roger Tovar III (Division of Student Affairs and Enrollment Management); and, Dos Palos’ Lizbeth Cortez Villa (Kremen School of Education and Human Development).

The ceremonies will be livestreamed on the Fresno State commencement page – https://commencement.fresnostate.edu/ – so students and families who are unable or choose not to attend an in-person ceremony, and the public, can watch online.

There will be no in-person affinity graduation ceremonies this year. That means the popular Chicano/Latino Commencement Celebration, which draws the largest attendance for its kind in the country, will be conducted on Facebook Live at 3 p.m. on May 29.

The College Assistance Migrant Program (CAMP) will hold its graduation celebration online at noon Saturday (May 15).

The schedule

Friday, May 14: 9 a.m., Kremen School of Education and Human Development; 7 p.m., College of Health and Human Services

Saturday, May 15: 9 a.m., College of Social Sciences; 7 p.m., Jordan College of Agricultural Sciences and Technology and the College of Arts and Humanities

Sunday, May 16: 9 a.m., College of Science and Mathematics and the Lyles College of Engineering; 7 p.m., Craig School of Business

Esta historia fue publicada originalmente el 13 de mayo de 2021, 1:25 p. m..