President's Message
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CALIFORNIA STATE UNIVERSITY SAN MARCOS COMMENCEMENT MAY 18 & 19 PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE To The Graduates Dear Graduate, Yes, I’m talking to you! Doesn’t it sound good? Congratulations on your momentous achievement! You have invested a great deal of your present to prepare for your future with this college degree or credential. You have likely worked harder than any other time in your life. Along the way, you have enjoyed the thrill of academic discovery and the challenge of intellectual pursuit. Life is a journey, and today represents a tremendous milestone in your life’s journey. For many of you, earning your undergraduate, graduate or professional certification is your most significant accomplishment to date, and you should be proud of yourself. I know that we are proud of you and what you have achieved. The journey continues after today’s celebrations. You are CALIFORNIA going out into a world that needs your talent, your skills and STATE UNIVERSITY your determination to make a difference. You will need to SAN MARCOS VALUES continue your education—it is now part of your life’s journey, California State University San whether it takes place in the classroom or in the community. Marcos is an academic community dedicated to the values of: On behalf of California State University San Marcos, I wish INTELLECTUAL ENGAGEMENT: you the very best for a happy and rewarding future, and I learning, teaching, discovery, and congratulate your loved ones who supported your quest for application of knowledge. this achievement. We are counting on you to give the best COMMUNITY: shared commitments possible meaning to your newest title, “Cal State San Marcos to service, teamwork, and alumni!” And we hope you will stay in touch as an active partnership. member of our university alumni community. INTEGRITY: respect, honesty, trust, Sincerely, fairness, academic freedom and responsibility. INNOVATION: creativity, openness to change, flexibility, responsiveness, and future focus. Karen S. Haynes, Ph.D. President INCLUSIVENESS: individual and cultural diversity, and multiple perspectives. 2 | COMMENCEMENT 2018 COMMENCEMENT 2018 | 3 Academic Regalia and Ceremony The caps and gowns worn by graduates and faculty are based on costumes used in universities of the 14th and 15th centuries, particularly at Oxford and Cambridge in England. This academic dress has been used in the United States from colonial times and was standardized by an Intercollegiate Code in 1895. Like the military of medieval times with its pages, squires and knights, the academic world has long had three basic grades of dignity and achievement. These are undergraduates, bachelors and masters (or doctors). The distinction between masters and doctors is comparatively recent; both imply the right to teach. Black is the most common color for academic gowns. There is no trimming on the gowns for the bachelor or master’s degrees. For the doctoral The degree, the gown is faced down the front with black or colored velvet and with three bars of the same across the sleeves. The color in the master’s costume is restricted to the hood worn around the neck and down the back. This is edged with velvet or a color that indicates the subject area of the degree received and is lined with silk of the colors of the institution that granted the degree. Doctors have a larger and more open hood lined, like the master’s hood, with the colors of the degree- granting institution and trimmed with the light blue color that signifies the education discipline. As noted above, gowns have black or colored velvet on the sleeves and the front. Usually doctors will wear Mace a gold tassel on their cap. In recent years, some universities have broken away from the traditional Following a long history as an article of with the tukwut, the Luiseño name for scheme and allowed their doctors to wear brighter, war, by the 14th century the mace became mountain lion. This mace was carved more original costumes; for instance, Yale’s blue a symbol of authority and pageantry that in wood by a member of the Luiseño with black trim and Harvard’s crimson and black. was used in processions by city mayors and tribe and is ornamented with beads. Candidates for bachelor’s degrees do not usually other dignitaries. Academic institutions The student body president or a chosen wear hoods. included the mace as an emblem of order representative, who leads the procession and authority in ceremonial occasions. The of graduates, carries the informal mace Academic Honors first recorded use was at the University of in the Commencement procession. California State University San Marcos recognizes Vienna in 1385. students who have attained distinction by the The Chair of Academic Senate or a awarding of Latin honors. The California State University San chosen representative carries the formal There are three distinctions of Latin honors Marcos mace is carried in procession and mace while leading the faculty in the Summa Cum Laude (with highest praise) mounted on stage whenever degrees are Commencement procession. The formal Requires a grade-point average of 3.9 to 4.0. granted or when the faculty is assembled mace is made of walnut and brass. It Magna Cum Laude (with great praise) in formal academic dress. bears the official seal of the University Requires an average of 3.7 to 3.89. and is inscribed with the date the campus Cum Laude (with praise) Requires an average of 3.5 to 3.69. Cal State San Marcos is unusual in that was founded. It was donated by the Cal it has two ceremonial maces. The first State San Marcos Alumni Association in Honors designees wear a gold cord. is an informal mace that recognizes May 1998. Class champions/Student Philanthropist wear a the special relationship the campus has blue and white chord. 4 | COMMENCEMENT 2018 COMMENCEMENT 2018 | 5 HONORARY DEGREES HONORARY DEGREES Grand Ole Opry. Wayne’s hits include, “Do include induction into the Hispanic Engineer You Believe Me Now,” “I Love You This National Achievement Hall of Fame, a National Much,” which was featured as part of Coca- Hispanic Scientist of the Year Award from The Cola’s #ShareASong Campaign, and “Paper Museum of Science and Industry, and an award Angels,” which became a made-for-TV movie. for Women of Distinction from the American Association of University Women. Villa- In 2010, Wayne walked from Nashville to Komaroff was a founding member of the Society Phoenix to raise awareness for kids aging for Advancement of Chicanos and Native out of the foster care system. His efforts Americans in Science, an organization focused encouraged legislative bills in California, on training and supporting the next generation North Carolina and Tennessee to extend of diverse STEM talent. foster care service from 18 to 21. His New York Times bestselling autobiography, “Walk to She is the founder of Intersection, SBD Consulting Beautiful: The Power of Love and a Homeless and serves on the boards of the American Type Kid Who Found the Way,” chronicles his story Culture Center; the Keck Graduate Institute; and efforts to make a difference. the Boston-based Biomedical Careers Program, and Cytonome/ST, LLC, where she also served Jimmy California State University San Marcos was Dr. Lydia as CEO and CSO. Additionally, Villa-Komaroff honored to feature Wayne with a day-long is a fellow of the American Association for the WAYNE campus visit in 2017, including a performance VILLA-KOMAROFF Advancement of Science and the Association for as part of the 10-year anniversary celebration Women in Science. of the University’s ACE Scholars Services, A former foster youth who became an award- care system at 16. Then an encounter with a A molecular biologist, an executive and a diversity scientists in the PBS series “Discovering Women” which serves more former foster youth per Villa-Komaroff is a role model for aspiring winning country recording artist. His songs and neighborhood couple led to a job, a place to live advocate. She was a key contributor on the team in 1995. capita than any other university program in “STEMers,” actively encouraging and mentoring stories highlight his mission to raise awareness and created the pillars for his final foster family. whose research first showed that bacteria could the nation. students, particularly Hispanic and American for children in the foster care system. During this time, Wayne committed himself to be induced to produce insulin, a milestone in the She has been a signature speaker at CSUSM’s Indian women, to pursue careers in science. She completing his education, living a better life and birth of the biotechnology industry. Arts and Lectures series and a keynote speaker Wayne continues to work tirelessly on behalf is a highly distinguished and respected scientist Wayne’s stories stem from his own experiences exploring his love of music. for the University’s 20th anniversary week-long of at-risk foster youth by performing, writing who has proven that gender and race are barriers within foster care. He was forced into a series Villa-Komaroff was one of 11 scientists celebration of naming César Chávez plaza and books, sharing keynote addresses and through that can be overcome when aspiring to become a of foster homes while his mother was in prison. He earned a record deal and began scoring profiled on the White House Office of Science installing the Chávez statue. his work with Project Meet Me Halfway. prominent figure in science. Wayne was homeless multiple times, including No. 1 singles while performing in prestigious and Technology website during the Obama a stretch after migrating out of the foster venues like Madison Square Garden and the administration and was featured with five other Villa-Komaroff’s numerous awards and honors They have devoted a large portion of their adult program that works to build community around executive with three decades of experience at lives to philanthropy related to foster youth and foster youth in the Bay Area.