2017 Latino Graduate Recognition Ceremony

Nearly 5,000 attended the annual Latino Graduate Recognition Ceremony that took place on Saturday, June 10th and is hosted by the Association of Latino Faculty Staff and Students (ALFSS) at Cal State San Bernardino.

Annually we come together at this time to celebrate graduating students' personal and academic achievements in the spirit and traditions of our beautiful Latino cultures, as well as to establish an institutionally-acknowledged cultural space, highlighting cultura, comunidad, and familia (culture, community and family).

This culturally-meaningful bilingual celebration is the most anticipated event for our Association of Latino Faculty Staff and Students at CSUSB and reflects our cultures and values in a more personal and meaningful celebration with students who share similar ethnic backgrounds.

We acknowledge the successes of Latinas/os at CSUSB; foster an appreciation for our distinct struggles, cultures, and achievements; motivate and encourage future Latina/o Coyotes to reach educational attainment at the Baccalaureate, Credential, Masters, and Doctorate level; and pay homage to those individuals, including family, friends, faculty, staff, and administrators, who have assisted our students to reach their degree.

The ALFSS Latino Grad Recognition Ceremony does not replace the University Commencement Ceremony. Graduates are encouraged to attend both.

The processional was led by our distinguished faculty/staff assembly, followed by the nearly 500 graduates. ALFSS conveners were joined by more than 30 governing body reps, speakers, campus leadership, dignitaries, and other distinguished guests who made up the platform party. Rosemary Zometa, ALFSS President, and the Associate Director of Programs and Communications, Santos Manuel Student Union, opened the ceremony and marshaled in the platform members.

A Student Welcome was offered by Amanda Monroy, who also served as the Mistress of Ceremony. The Presentation of Colors was offered by the Air Force Junior ROTC of West Covina High School, under the direction of Jesus Acuña-Perez, Capt. (ret) USAF, Senior Aerospace Science Instructor, who also led the Pledge of Allegiance. Next the National Anthem was sung by Corina J. Ordoñez Camacho, CSUSB Alumna, and the Invocation led by the Very Rev. Msgr. Gerard M. Lopez, STL, Vicar General of the Diocese of San Bernardino, California.

University President Tomás D. Morales gave the campus welcome. At one point, in a unified show of confidence, President Morales received a long and roaring standing ovation for his irrefutable leadership and commitment to equity, diversity, and inclusion.

The Keynote Address was offered by Sylvia Mendez, Civil Rights Activist. She is the oldest daughter of Gonzalo Mendez, a Mexican immigrant, and Felicitas Mendez, a Puerto Rican, who challenged segregation so that she and other Latino children could be provided the same quality education provided to white students. Her parents were plaintiffs in the landmark Mendez v. Westminster School District (1947) case that paved the way for Brown v. Board of Education (1954) and ended school segregation in California. On February 15, 2011, President Barack Obama presented Sylvia Mendez with the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the nation’s highest civilian honor.

Graduating senior Diana Hernandez Aguilar offered the student keynote. She is a first-generation college student and the first ever Latina woman chair of the Santos Manuel Student Union Board of Directors. Diana will be graduating with two Bachelor of Arts degrees, one in Sociology and one in Social Science.

Ten scholarships were awarded by the ALFSS, LEAD, Cardenas Markets, and Make-A-Wish Scholarship Committees. Scholarship Presentation was offered by Patricia Aguilera, Federal Work-Study Coordinator and DREAM Grant and Loan Coordinator for Financial Aid and Scholarships; and Robert Garcia, Web Services Liaison / Developer, ITS Web Services.

Finally, in a sea of decorated graduation caps, the Presentation of Graduates was led by Cesar Portillo, Associate Vice President, Human Resources, and Olivia Rosas, Associate Vice President, Enrollment Management. What distinguishes this celebration from others is that the graduates are allowed the microphone to give shout-outs to thank their family and friends, and every graduate is presented with a cultural sash, making this a meaningful and powerful event.

Celebrations such as the ALFSS Latino Grad Recognition Ceremony are utterly important because commencement can often be so big that the accomplishments of some of the students are not recognized...and we recognize not only the graduates but those who got them there. … it’s truly more of a celebration for the whole family. It’s all about persisting through institutions that weren’t made for students of color and that’s true today, even though we are not numerical minorities, many students still experience pockets of marginalization.