Various Sonoma State University groups hold their own special celebrations on Friday, May 27, the day before the official day of Commencement, to honor their own. They will also walk in the official Commencement on Saturday, May 28. Here is a schedule of some of the programs:
STUDENT-ATHLETES
The Sonoma State University Department of Intercollegiate Athletics holds its student-athlete commencement on at 3 p.m. on Friday, May 27 in the SSU Gym Courtyard. Graduating seniors will be honored in a ceremony and all friends of the department are invited. For more information, contact Camille Filardo at (707) 664-2641.
LA RAZA
Each year graduating Sonoma State University students with Native American, Latino or Chicano heritage gather for the annual La Raza graduation.
This year's 28th annual La Raza ceremony takes place at 5:30 p.m. on Friday, May 27 in Evert B. Person Theatre. The ceremony includes cultural music, keynote speakers, and a unique opportunity for the graduates to thank the individuals who have assisted them in obtaining their degree.
A reception follows and provides personal time for graduates, family, faculty, and friends to celebrate with traditional food and music.
Many of the graduates participating in the La Raza ceremony are first-generation college grads, and this special celebration allows them to personally thank those who have gone out of their way to work with the students and help them achieve the goal of a college degree.
The event is co-sponsored by Raza/Native American Council and Chicano and Latino Studies. The bilingual ceremony is conducted in Spanish and English and is open to the general public. For more information on this event, contact Raza Graduation Committee Chair Maricarmen Reyes Larios at (707) 953- 0407.
AFRICAN-AMERICAN STUDENTS
The 13th annual Black Graduation Celebration takes place at 6 p.m. on Friday, May 27 in the SSU Cooperage. The Black Graduation Celebration is an opportunity for the University to acknowledge the achievements of African-American students and the students to thank their families, friends, faculty and mentors.
SSU President Ruben Arminana will greet the graduates. A reception follows the program. Keynote speaker is James M. Taylor, Jr., retired principal of Dr. Martin Luther King Academic Middle School of the San Francisco Unified School District. Moderator is Andre Bailey, friend and mentor to many of the graduates, who speaks every year about the struggles and accomplishments of the students.
