SF State Commencement kicks off with graduate ceremony
Students sported the traditional purple robes of SF State graduates.
More than 1,400 graduate students received their master’s and doctoral degrees on Friday as part of San Francisco State University’s 113th Commencement. The degrees were handed out at an afternoon ceremony in Cox Stadium, with more than 4,000 friends, family members, faculty and staff in attendance.
Dr. Rong Wang, associate professor of surgery at the University of California, San Francisco, gave the keynote address. She discussed the hardships she faced growing up the child of dissidents in China, and how a passion for learning helped her overcome the many obstacles in her path. Today, Wang is an expert on the growth of blood vessels and serves as UCSF’s Mildred V. Strouss Endowed Chair in Vascular Surgery.
The crowd also heard remarks from Diana Hernández Juárez-Madera, one of six graduate students selected for the honor of wearing her college's academic hood during commencement, and SF State President Leslie Wong. Read more about this year’s graduate hoods.
A separate commencement ceremony for more than 7,000 undergraduates will be held Saturday at Cox Stadium. For all the details on attending the 113th Commencement, visit http://commencement.sfsu.edu/
“What is true in science is true in life,” said keynote speaker Dr. Rong Wang, who described her journey from poor, rural schools in Sichuan Province, China, to cutting-edge biomedicine laboratories. “An open mind is important in just about everything we do.” (Photos by Paul Asper)
“You are among the most talented graduates in SF State’s proud history, and I cannot wait to see what you accomplish,” President Leslie Wong said. “You will be leaders in science, industry, education, nonprofits and the arts.”
“Only here, in this rich, diverse school … my story could have been possible in the first place,” said College of Science & Engineering hood Diana Hernández Juárez-Madera, who spoke about her family’s sacrifices for her education. She’s now headed to Stanford University.
