Commencement 2018

May 18, 2018

California State University, Monterey Bay (CSUMB) congratulates all the graduates of the class of 2018! Below is a selection of news clips and fun facts related to the 22nd annual commencement ceremonies held Friday, May 18 and Saturday, May 19, 2018 in Freeman Stadium.

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Commencement Speaker	Commencement Speaker	Commencement Speaker
Photo by: Monterey Herald Amalia Mesa-Bains	Teresa Matsui	Sara McClellan
Amalia Mesa-Bains is an artist, educator and cultural critic who was instrumental in the founding of the Department of Visual and Public Art at CSUMB. An author of scholarly articles and a nationally known lecturer on Latino art, Dr. Mesa-Bains has enhanced understanding of multiculturalism and reflected the major cultural and demographic shifts in the United States.	As president and CEO of Matsui Nursery, Teresa Matsui is both a business leader and an heir to a proud family legacy of philanthropy that has furthered the educational dreams of many outstanding scholars. Teresa’s father, Andy Matsui, founded Matsui Nursery in 1967. With headquarters in Salinas, the company began growing orchids on a large scale in 1998. It now grows millions of orchids in hundreds of varieties and is one of the largest potted orchid growers in the world.	Sara McClellan was a summa cum laude graduate in liberal studies from Cal State Monterey Bay in 1998 and was the student speaker at commencement. She has moved on to build a career in organizational development, training, and conflict resolution, with a particular focus on improving the skills of public sector managers. After graduating from CSUMB, she served as a staff member in the university’s science program and assisted in the development of what is now the School of Natural Sciences.

Student Speaker	Student Speaker	Student Speaker
Robert Alex Jensen	January Cornelius	Kate Ingram
Robert Alex Jensen, a McNair Scholar, will graduate summa cum laude from CSU Monterey Bay with a bachelor of arts in human communication, a concentration in peace studies, and a minor in music. Alex will attend Harvard Divinity School’s Master of Divinity program this fall as a Dean’s Fellow.	January Cornelius is a collaborative health and human service major with a concentration in public administration and community health. She plans to obtain a master’s degree in public health at Emory University after graduation. While at CSUMB she has become a strong public speaker, a power advocate and a creative thinker, all skills she has credited to her work as a student leader.	Kate Ingram began her undergraduate career at Cal State Monterey Bay in fall 2014 as a biology major with a concentration in molecular biology. She has served her campus community in various roles, including the Associated Students College of Science senator and the American Medical Student Association CSUMB chapter secretary, vice president, and president.